AMINO ACIDS

What are they?

Amino acids are the chemical units or "building blocks," as they are popularly called, that
make up protein. To understand how vital amino acids are, one must understand how
essential proteins are to life. It is protein that provides the structure for all living things.
Every living organism, from the largest animal to the tinniest microbe, is composed of
protein. And in its various forms, protein participates in the vital chemical processes that
sustain life.

Essential and non-essential amino acid

There are approximately twenty-eight commonly known amino acids that are combined in
various ways to create 150 or more other intermediates inside the body as well as the more
than 40.000 proteins known so far to science. The essential amino acids are those that the
body cannot synthesize in sufficient quantities to satisfy the nutritional requirements for good
health and that they must be included in the diet. The nine essential amino acids are
HISTIDINE, ISOLEUCINE, LEUCINE, LYSINE, METHIONINE, PHENYLALANINE, THREONINE,
TRYPTOPHAN and VALINE; their best sources are meat, fish, fowl, eggs and dairy products.
In addition, CYSTEINE (cystine) and TYROSINE, sometimes classified as NONESSENTIAL
AMINO ACIDS, are now considered semiessential because if the diet contains them (meat,
milk, fish, poultry and legumes are good sources), the body can use them in place of two
essential amino acids methionine and phenylalanine, respectively to make protein. The
nonessential amino acids are ALANINE, ARGININE, ASPARAGINE, ASPARTIC ACID, GLUTAMIC
ACID, GLUTAMINE, GLYCINE, PROLINE, SERINE and TAURINE.

The processes of assembling amino acids to make proteins, and of breaking down proteins
into individual amino acids for the body's use, are continuous ones. When we need more
enzyme proteins, the body produces more enzyme proteins; when we need more cells, the
body produces more proteins for cells. These different types of proteins are produced from
amino acids as the need arises. Should the body become depleted of its reserve of any of the
essential amino acids, it would not be able to produce the proteins that require those amino
acids. If even one essential amino acid is missing, the body can not continue proper protein
synthesis. This can lead to lack of vital proteins in the body, which can cause problems
ranging from indigestion to depression to stunted growth.

How could such a situation occur? More easily than one might think. Many factors can
contribute to deficiencies of essential amino acids, even if you eat a very well balanced diet
that contains enough protein. Impaired absorption, infection, trauma, stress, drug use, age,
and imbalances of other nutrients can all affect the availability of essential amino acids in the
body.

Some of the effects of a diet deficient in amino acids include: Reduced energy levels,
metabolism, sleeping disorders, chronic fatigue, digestive problems, hair loss and skin
ailments, nervous reactions, emotional upset, stress and general poor health. Other possibly
life-threatening symptoms of amino acids deficiency include obesity,  malnutrition, and
buildup of wastes in the bloodstream. All of these effects can be extremely detrimental to an
individual's well-being, so a balanced intake of amino acids becomes extremely important.

Because of their essential functions amino acids are vital and it makes good sense to
supplement the diet with a quality amino acid complex

Types of Amino Acids: Essential Amino Acids (EAAs);

Protein is composed of Amino Acids.

Amino Acids perform many unique & vital functions in addition to their protein
function.

 Amino acids are organic compounds with at least one amino group and one
carboxl group.

o The amino groups include at least one NH3 molecule.

o The carboxy contains at least one COOH molecule.

o These amino acid molecules are combined in long chains to form proteins.

o Amino acids are the basic building blocks of organic structure.

Often / Usually amino acids are spoken of in relation to human utilization,

Essential & Non-Essential

Essential Amino Acids & Non Essential Amino Acids .. refers 100% to human
utilization.

 Essential Amino Acids: L-Isoleucine, L-Leucine, L-Lysine, L-Methionine, L-

Phenylalanine, L-Threonine, L-Tryptophan and L-Valine.
 Several amino acids are considered conditionally essential. Meaning that
under certain circumstances the body is unable to synthesize these aminos
from other aminos: L-Arginine, L-Cysteine, L-Glutamine, L-Glycine and L-
Tyrosine.

 Non-essential Amino Acids: L-Alanine, L-Arginine, L-Asparagine, Aspartic

Acid, L-Cysteine & L-Cystine, Glutamic Acid, L-Glutamine, L-Glycine, L-
Ornathine, L-Proline, L-Serine, L-Taurine and L-Tyrosine.

AMINO ACIDS

All peptides and proteins are polymers of alpha-amino acids. An amino acid is a molecule that
contains both amino (NH2) and carboxyl (COOH) functional groups. Alanine is one of the standard
amino acids:

Amino acids exist in either D (dextro) or L (levo) form (stereoisomers). The D and L refer to the
absolute confirmation of optically active compounds. With the exception of glycine, all other amino
acids are mirror images that can not be superimposed. Most of the amino acids found in nature are
of the L-type. Hence, eukaryotic proteins are always composed of L-amino acids although D-amino
acids are found in bacterial cell walls and in some peptide antibiotics.

Twenty standard amino acids are used by cells in peptide biosynthesis, and these are specified by
the general genetic code. Amino acids are classified into two groups: essential amino acids and
nonessential amino acids.

An essential amino acid or indispensable amino acid cannot be made by the body and must be
supplied by food. These include isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine,
tryptophan, and valine. Another amino acid - histidine is considered semi-essential because the
body does not always require dietary sources of it.

Nonessential amino acids are made by the body from the essential amino acids or normal
breakdown of proteins. The nonessential amino acids are arginine, alanine, asparagine, aspartic
acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine.

The classification of an amino acid as essential or nonessential does not reflect its importance,
because all 20 amino acids are necessary for health.