Why Everyone Should Consider Increasing Their Intake of Amino Acids

The role of amino acids within the human body and brain is often overlooked by many. Often times people who supplement in addition to their diet, focus mostly on protein as well as specific vitamins and minerals. Without completely realizing it, people often forget that amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and they are needed in order to keep the body in an anabolic state versus a catabolic state.

One could also argue that not only are vitamins and minerals a critical part of daily consumption, but amino acids are just as important for consumption in order to up keep optimal health. Amino acids are the basis of all life and they interact in crucial processes such as metabolism, transportation of nutrients, and storage of various nutrients as well, such as vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

While it is fully known that amino acids are either classified as essential or non-essential, the real role of amino acids is to help the body maintain a state of homeostasis. Amino acids are needed to build and repair muscles, ligaments, tendons, hair, skin, and nails. So whether you’re looking to build lean muscle mass or just help your body overall with repair, you can likely benefit from some form of amino acid supplementation.

So what are the essential amino acids?

The essential amino acids are those whose carbon skeletons are not synthesized by animal cells and, therefore, must be provided from the diet. Meanwhile non-essential amino acids are those AA that are synthesized de novo in a species-dependent manner (3, 4). It was tactically assumed, without much evidence, that animals or humans could synthesize sufficient amounts of all NEAA and did not need them in diets for optimal nutrition or health. However, growing evidence from cell culture and animal studies shows that some of the traditionally classified NEAA (e.g. glutamine, glutamate, and arginine) play important roles in multiple signaling pathways, thereby regulating gene expression, intracellular protein turnover, nutrient metabolism, and oxidative defense.

The majority of health issues in the population can be linked to metabolic processes which are all associated with aging, arthritis, cholesterol, diabetes, fat-burning, hair-loss, menopause in women, mood,  skin health, sleep, and virility.

The eight essential amino acids are not produced in the body and therefore must be consumed through dietary means or supplementing.

Here is a list of the 10 essential amino acids:

• Phenylalanine – Converts to tyrosine. A lack of this amino acid can cause phenylketonuria which is a genetic disease.
• Valine – One of the branch chain amino acids. It helps with increasing muscle energy output and growth. It also has some stimulative properties and can also assist with mental vigor, muscle coordination, and emotional calmness.
• Threonine – This serves as an attachment site for phosphate groups and oligosaccharide chains in glycoproteins. It also helps with reforming ATP in the body.
• Tryptophan – Known precursor for melatonin and precursor for serotonin hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain.
• Isoleucine – One of the branch chain amino acids. It helps with muscle energy and recovery.
• Methionine – This amino acid is a precursor for SAMe and it is also used in arthritis patients and for symptoms of depression.
• Histidine – This amino acid is a precursor for the neurotransmitter histamine.
• Arginine – This is a precursor for nitric oxide production in the body as well as creatine phosphate in the body. Also known as a vasodilator.
• Leucine – One of the branch chain amino acids. It helps with muscle energy. This BCAA plays a key role in initiating protein synthesis and is crucial for after exercise. It acts almost as a brick foundation in a house. Adding additional leucine to your diet is an effective strategy to maximize muscle anabolism after resistance exercise.
• Lysine – This is a precursor for carnitine. (Transports fatty acid chains to the mitochondria for energy.)

What are the non-essential amino acids?

The ten non-essential amino acids are produced within the body but they may still be obtained through the diet in order to help regulate levels in the blood.

In contrast to essential amino acids, nutritionally non-essential AA (NEAA) are those AA which can be synthesized de novo in adequate amounts by the animal organism to meet requirements for maintenance, growth, development, and health and, therefore, need not be provided in the diet.

Non-essential amino acids definitely play important roles in regulating gene expression, cell signaling pathways, digestion and absorption of dietary nutrients, DNA and protein synthesis, proteolysis, metabolism of glucose and lipids, endocrine status, men and women fertility, acid–base balance, antioxidative responses, detoxification of xenobiotics and endogenous metabolites, neurotransmission, and immunity.

Here is a list of 10 non-essential amino acids:

• Alanine – Assists with glucose metabolism in the body.
• Asparagine – This is commonly seen in children during early developmental stages for muscle and tissue development. Also utilized in pregnant women for developing fetus in the womb.)
• Aspartic Acid – Donates proton to become an aspartate. It can also be used help increase testosterone levels in those males with lower testosterone levels.
• Cysteine – This is used to form glutathione in the body as well as help with the structure of proteins and enzymes.
• Glutamic Acid – Donates a proton to become a glutamate.
• Glutamine – Assists with protein synthesis and also helps with enterocytes in the gut for strengthening the lining of the stomach. It also has immune system boosting ability and speedens up recovery time for muscles.
• Glycine – Found in the makeup of collagen. This amino acid is the most abundant in collagen. Helps with DNA and RNA construction in the body. This amino is also seen in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Proline – This amino acid’s main function is to build collagen.
• Serine – Serves as attachment site for phosphate groups and oligosaccharide chains in glycoproteins. This also helps with reformation of ATP in body.
• Tyrosine – This amino acid helps produce neurotransmitters in the brain and is a precursor for hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. It can also assist with thyroid hormones.

How can one benefit from the intake of amino acids?

There are many benefits to taking amino acids depending upon which you choose to take. Vegetarians and vegans alike are usually a part of the population that happens to be deficient in amino acids.

For optimal health and well-being there are certain amino acids that should be considered over others in regards to their benefit to growth and maintenance of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.

One can best obtain amino acids through meat, seafood, and vegan protein sources such as hemp seeds, pea protein, and brown rice protein.

No matter where your health may be, chances are that your levels may be out of balance somewhere. The best way to analyze amino acid levels is through a 24-hour urine test or through a blood plasma test.  Chances are that supplementing with some form of amino acids will tremendously benefit your well-being.

Some of the major amino acids may have more significance in the human body over others. Those specific amino acids may include…

L-Arginine – This amino can help support cardiovascular system, promote vigorous heart function and enhance healthy circulation throughout the body. It is a precursor for the production of nitric oxide in the human body. There has also been research showing lowering blood pressure and reducing chances of blood clot and stroke. It can also help with growth hormone release and improving immune system health. To summarize some of its effects; l-arginine is involved in the production of a variety of enzymes, hormones, and structural proteins. It facilitates the release of growth hormone, insulin, glucagon, and prolactin. It is a component of the hormone vasopressin, produced by the pituitary gland. It is the physiological precursor of diverse biological compounds such as nitric oxide, polyamines, proline, glutamate, creatine, agmatine and urea. As a booster of immunity, arginine stimulates the thymus and promotes lymphocyte production. This may be an important key for arginine’s ability to promote healing of burns and other wounds. Arginine also has presented a positive effect on cerebral as well as systemic circulation.

L-Methionine – This amino acid is responsible for important body functions and especially metabolism. This amino acid also functions as an antioxidant and plays a role by fighting off free radicals that accumulate inside the body, thus slowing down the aging process. This sulfur containing amino acid also assists with the production of collagen and enhances hair condition, skin, and nails. It also helps the immune system and boosts the body’s ability to make SAMe which is used for psychiatric disorders and depression.

L-Glutathione – It is best to look for products that say “reduced glutathione” since it is more bioavailable. This amino acid is crucial for immune functioning, as well as fighting free radicals and oxidative damage. In addition it is anti-inflammatory which can help with a host of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and psoriasis. Another noteworthy characteristic of glutathione is how it works as a potent chelator for heavy metal detoxification as a result assisting with cognitive and neurological development.

L-Glutamine – As mentioned earlier, this amino acid helps with protein synthesis in the body which can help with muscle repair after intense exercise. In addition it can also play an important role in removing ammonia and help with digestion. There are also instances of people using this amino acid for wound healing with burn victims as well as people who have IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). By helping the gastrointestinal tract and mucosa it can help improve symptoms.

L-Tyrosine – This amino acid is the precursor of catecholamines and can influence the production of neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. The main effects of L-tyrosine that have been reported are acute effects in preventing a decline in cognitive function in response to physical stress. As a result it has proved to be effective in people who use it for stress, improving memory, and alertness.

L-Isoleucine – This branch chain amino acid happens to be both glucogenic and ketogenic and it can be converted to glucose for energy during workouts. Check out this link.

L-Leucine – This is one of the most powerful of the three branch chain amino’s since it is used as a muscle building superstar that happens to be ketogenic. It works by triggering muscle protein synthesis to happen in the body for growth to occur. Check out this link.

L-Tryptophan – L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that the body requires to synthesize proteins and specialized molecules such as the neurotransmitters melatonin and serotonin. Serotonin appears to play significant roles in sleep, emotional moods, pain control, inflammation, intestinal peristalsis, and other body functions. In addition, the lack of serotonin or the “happiness neurotransmitter,” can be related to depression and anxiety. The hormone melatonin plays a significant role in the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

L-Valine – This essential amino acid is included as one of the branch chains and it is strictly glucogenic and is used to convert to glucose sugar for energy while working out and exercising. Check out this link.

So no matter if you currently take some sort of amino acid supplement or not, chances are that there is some sort of benefit that you could obtain from ingesting an amino supplement. Of course in order to take specific care, if you are concerned with any of your levels it is best to get your levels tested with your physician. This can be done through a urine test or blood sampling. For further in-depth articles on amino acids visit this site here.

Liability Statement

The statements found within these pages have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. If a product or treatment is recommended in these pages, it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information contained herein is meant to be used to educate the reader and is in no way intended
to provide individual medical advice. Medical advice must only be obtained from a qualified health practitioner.

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