Amino Acid Facts

Like all other proteins, enzymes are built from smaller molecules called amino acids. Amino acids, as their name suggest, contain an amino group and an acid group. In the diagram we show the simplest of all amino acid, glycine, with its amino and acid groups.

Different amino acids have a different set of atoms fixed to them. In glycine there is just one atom in this group, a single hydrogen atom, marked H in the diagram.

More than 100 amino acids occur in bacteria and plants, but only about 20 are commonly found in most animal proteins:

• alanine
• arginine
• asparagine
• aspartic acid
• cysteine
• glutamic acid
• glutamine
• glycine
• histidine
• hydroxyproline
• isoleucine
• leucine
• lysine
• methionine
• phenylalanine
• proline
• serine
• threonine
• tryptophan
• tyrosine
• valine

More than 100 less common amino acids also occur in biological systems, particularly in plants. Every amino acid except glycine can occur as either of two optically active stereoisomers, D or L; the more common isomer in nature is the L-form. When the carboxyl carbon atom of one amino acid covalently binds to the amino nitrogen atom of another amino acid with the release of a water molecule, a peptide bond is formed. Amino acids are released in the intestinal tract by the digestion of food proteins and are then carried in the bloodstream to the body cells, where they are used for growth, maintenance, and repair. Cellular catabolism breaks amino acids down into smaller fragments. Many of the amino acids necessary in metabolism can be synthesized in the human or animal body when needed; these are called nonessential. Others cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities; these are termed essential and must be provided in the diet.

How Amino Acids Benefit us and why we need them

AMINO ACIDS are the building blocks of the body. Besides building cells and repairing tissue, they form antibodies to combat invading bacteria & viruses; they are part of the enzyme & hormonal system; they build nucleoproteins (RNA & DNA); they carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle activity. When protein is broken down by digestion the result is 22 known amino acids.

As the building blocks of protein, amino acids are vital to health. Next to water, amino acids in the form of proteins make up the greatest portion of our body weight. They comprise tendons, muscles and ligaments; organs and glands; hair and nails; important bodily fluids, and are a necessary part of every cell in the body.

There are over 20 amino acids, separated into two categories – essential and non-essential. Essential amino acids are those that cannot be manufactured by your body, hence, it is essential that you obtain them from your diet. Non-essential amino acids can be manufactured by your body, however, your body must have the right combination of essential amino acids and supporting nutrients to optimize healthy protein maintenance, so supplementation may be desirable. Twenty amino acids are needed to build the various proteins used in the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues.

Eleven of these amino acids can be made by the body itself, while the other nine (called essential amino acids) must come from the diet. The essential amino acids are 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. The nonessential amino acids are arginine, alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine. Other amino acids, such as carnitine, are used by the body in ways other than protein-building and are often used therapeutically.

Who is likely to be deficient?

Dieters, some strict vegetarian body builders, and anyone consuming an inadequate number of calories may not be consuming adequate amounts of amino acids. In these cases, the body will break down the protein in muscle tissue and use those amino acids to meet the needs of more important organs or will simply not build more muscle mass despite increasing exercise.

Amino acids are not only absolutely integral to life, but they can have a profound impact upon how clearly we think and how well we feel.

Benefits

• builds cells and repairs tissue
• assists with wound healing
• increases athletic performance

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http://treehuggersonline.com/aminoacid-c-228.html

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