A large majority of the human body is made up of water. Second to water is protein. All living things on this planet, from large to microscopic, have protein. Protein is made from chains of amino acids called peptide bonds. These amino acids are considered the “building blocks” that make up protein. Protein contains 16% nitrogen which chemically makes amino acids different than sugars and fatty acids. Sugar and fatty acids do not contain nitrogen. Protein makes up muscles, ligaments, organs, tendons, hair, glands, nails, vital body fluids, and more. Protein is also very essential for the growth of bones. Protein also helps to regulate your body’s water balance as well as maintain proper internal pH. Amino acids also act as neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter carries information from one cell to another and is necessary for maintain healthy brain activity. Neurotransmitters can pass through the blood/brain barrier to better send messages from the brain to other parts of the body. Capillaries in the brain are tightly packed together more than any other part on the body. This is to prevent from and toxins or foreign substances from entering the brain tissue. Only amino acids are allowed to pass through this barrier. As you can see, amino acids and protein are much more important than many people realize. It is very important to avoid a protein deficiency because it will lead to many problems. It looks like amino acids are the second most important chemical makeup in the human body.
When nutrients and minerals enter the body they cannot be absorbed without the correct amino acids present. Amino acids help vitamins and mineral perform their job properly. You can visualize amino acids working well with nutrients and minerals to help better absorb them into the body. Only 28 different types of amino acids produce hundreds of combinations of proteins that are present in all living things. The liver is the main producer of amino acids. The liver produces 80% of the amino acids in the human body. The other 20% is derived from proper diet. This 20% is considered the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids must enter the body through forms of food to help balance out the amino acids our body already produces. There are nine essential amino acids we need. If even one of these essential amino acids is missing then the body cannot continue proper protein synthesis. Problems like this range from indigestion to depression to stunted growth. Even if you eat well-balance meals high in protein this could still cause a problem.
There are a number of factors that can easily affect the availability of essential amino acids in the body. For example, drug use, stress, trauma, age, and the imbalance of nutrients could cause these essential amino acids to disappear. When these are not present with the other amino acids it will pose a harsh threat to your body. An improper diet, failing to meet required amounts of essential amino acids, will lead to a physical disorder. It is pretty crazy to think that even the smallest of things can throw the chemical balance in your body off. This does not mean to go out and eat high amounts of protein! Excess proteins will put the liver in a state of stress causing it to not work properly. Too much protein will cause the liver to produce ammonia. Ammonia is toxic to the body and therefore must be excreted out through the kidneys. This is why it is important to get the right amount of protein in your diet.
If you are interested in buying amino acid supplements you may want to check out your local vitamin store. A lot of multivitamin supplements will contain amino acids and you can even by formulas. Amino acid formulas come in tablet, liquid, or powered form. Most amino acid supplements come from animal, yeast, or vegetable protein. When looking for amino acid supplements make sure to look for products that contain USP (U.S. Pharmacopoeia) pharmaceutical-grade L-crystalline amino acids. This may sound confusing but really is not. Most amino acids come in two forms, D and L. These letters of course come from the Latin language, dextro (right) and levo (left). The D-cysteine amino acid has a chemical makeup that causes the molecules to rotate to the right. The L-cysteine amino acids will rotate to the left. It is important to get L-cysteine amino acid supplements because it fits better with the biological makeup of humans because of bodies contain mostly the L-cysteine amino acids. You want to take a supplement that works well with your body and not fight against it. Take these supplements a half hour before or after a meal so that the amino acids do not need to compete with the essential amino acids from food. This will allow a much better absorption for both types of amino acids.
Just like eating food, you must get protein in moderation. Too little protein will cause deficiency while too much protein will cause your body to overcompensate. Never give supplemental amino acids to children unless directed to do so by a physician. If you feel you are not getting enough protein and may be suffering from a deficiency, contact a physician. Do not just start taking amino acid supplements and eating high amounts of protein without first consulting a professional. You may actually be getting the right amount of proteins on a daily basis without even realizing it. Now that you know the basis of what amino acids are, you can easily share this information with somebody that may benefit from it.
