Amino Acid

AMINO ACIDS, WHAT IT MEANS TO OUR BODY?

Amino acids are the chemical units or the “building blocks" as they are popularly called, that make up proteins. Protein could not exist without the proper combination of amino acids. To understand how vital amino acids are, We must understand how essential proteins are to life. It is protein that provides the structure for all living things. Each organism from the largest animal to the tiniest microbe is composed of protein. And in its various forms, it is protein that participates in the vital chemical processes that enable us to sustain life.

In the human body, protein substances make up the muscles, ligaments, tendons, organs, glands, nails, hair, and body fluids (except for bile and urine). Proteins are essential for the growth of bones, enzymes, hormones, and genes. Next to water, protein makes up the greatest portion of our body weight. 75% of the body's solid weight is made of proteins and their constituent amino acids. Consequently, it is easy to see why meeting our bodies protein requirements is so important to good health.

In order for proteins to be complete, it must contain all of its particular amino acids. Amino acids may be linked together almost indefinitely to form more than 50,000 different proteins and 20,000 known enzymes. Because each type of protein is composed of different amino acids, each being tailored for a specific need, they are not interchangeable. Amino acids contain about 16 percent nitrogen. This distinguishes them from carbohydrates and fats in the body.

The central nervous system cannot function without amino acids which act as neurotransmitters or as precursors to the neurotransmitters. They are necessary in order for the brain to receive and send messages. Unless all of the amino acids are present together, almost anything can go wrong with the transmission of the messages. A meal high in protein will temporarily increase alertness.

There are approximately twenty-nine commonly known amino acids that account for the hundreds of different types of proteins present in all living things. In the human body, the liver produces about 80 percent of the amino acids that we need. The remaining 20 percent must be obtained from external sources. Amino acids that must be obtained from diets are called essential amino acids. These essential amino acids enter our body through diets consist of arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. The non-essential amino acids are the amino acids that the body seems to be able to manufacture from other sources are alanine, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, and serine.

Most of the amino acids (excluding glycine) can appear in two forms, one being the mirror image of the other. These are called the D- and L-series. Because amino acids in the L-series are in the same natural form as amino acids found in living plant or animal tissue, they are considered to be more compatible to human biochemistry. The ones that make up a protein are all of the L-configuration, except phenylalanine, which can also appear as DL-phenylalanine.

The process of assembling amino acids to make proteins or breaking down proteins into individual amino acids for our body's use is continuous. When we need more enzyme proteins, our body produces more enzyme proteins; when we need more cells, our body produces more proteins for cells. These different types of proteins are produced as the need arises. Should our body deplete itself of its reserves of any of the essential amino acids, it would not be able to produce those proteins requiring such amino acids. The resulting protein shortage could easily lead to a number of disorders.

How could such deficiencies occur? If our diet is improperly balanced to contain inadequate amounts of essential amino acids, physical disorders will arise. Other symptoms will appear if an individual suffers from a protein deficiency stemming from his inability to digest food properly. In order to avoid such problems, we should make sure that we eat a properly balanced diet or we can consume supplements containing essential amino acids.

In addition to their other vital functions, amino acids enable vitamins and minerals to perform their tasks properly. Even if vitamins and minerals are absorbed and assimilated rapidly, they will not be effective unless amino acids are present.