- Written By: David White
- Edited By: Niki Foster
- Last Modified Date: 03 November 2011
-
Copyright Protected:
2003-2012 Conjecture Corporation
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They band together in chains to form the stuff from which your life is born. Think of amino acids as Legos for your life.
It's a two-step process: Amino acids get together and form peptides or polypeptides. It is from these groupings that proteins are made. And there's not just one kind of amino acid.
A total of 20 different kinds of amino acids form proteins. The kinds of amino acids determine the shape of the proteins formed. Commonly recognized amino acids include glutamine, glycine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine. Three of those — phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine — are essential amino acids for humans; the others are isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, and threonine. The essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body; instead, they must be ingested through food.
One of the best-known essential amino acids is tryptophan, which performs several critical functions for people. Tryptophan helps induce normal sleep; helps reduce anxiety, depression, and artery spasm risk; and helps produce a stronger immune system. Tryptophan is perhaps most well-known for its role in producing serotonin, which is what gets all the press at Thanksgiving time for putting you to sleep after the big holiday feast.
Amino acids make up 75% of the human body. They are essential to nearly every bodily function. Every chemical reaction that takes place in your body depends on amino acids and the proteins that they build.
The essential amino acids must be ingested every day. Failure to get enough of even one of the 10 essential amino acids can result in protein degradation. The human body simply does not store amino acids for later use, as it does with fats and starches. You can find amino acids many places in nature. In fact, more than 300 have been found in the natural world, from such diverse sources as microorganisms and meteorites.
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anon226973
Post 46 |
There is a new food supplement called Laminine that has all 22 amino acids and is clinically tested to reduce symptoms of depression and many other benefits. |
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anon200035
Post 45 |
aribson amino can help to build muscle. |
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efp5640
Post 43 |
I'm a woman on weight watchers trying to get rid of 30 pounds. I take aminos, fish oil, b-complex. Every year I have my blood checked (fasting)and my cholesterol and triglycerides have dropped 30 points. I feel great and full of energy, thanks to the combo of vitamins. |
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anon138764
Post 41 |
When I feel a fever blister/cold sore coming on I start taking L-Lysine 500mg tablets. When I feel the fever blister I take two tablets and take one before going to bed or one the following morning (whichever comes first). Most of the time the soreness goes away within a couple of hours and the blister never forms For two days, I'll take one in the morning and one at night. As a teenager I had a lot of fever blisters. Sometimes I had them on both lips, inside my mouth and nose at the same time. They were very painful. Then a friend told me to try the above. It really works for me, thank God. |
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anon138370
Post 40 |
What amino acids help lower cholesterol? |
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anon105620
Post 38 |
Is it safe to take Cardio Renew. I am 65 years old healthy but a little high blood pressure. |
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lwb357
Post 37 |
l-arginine is an amino acid. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins. The best protein sources contain complete amino acid profiles. As a general rule, plant sources do not contain complete amino acid profiles whereas meat poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products do. Sorry to disappoint, but you cannot take enough arginine to realistically affect your NO levels. |
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anon94187
Post 36 |
I am taking a food supplement containing l-arginine that thereafter converts to nitric oxide and has been proven to have great health benefits for the cardiovascular system plus many more health benefits. can you tell me how the l-arginine is produced in the first place? is it taken from vegetables? |
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anon86448
Post 34 |
I took one 500 mg L-lysine tablet brand Natures own which actually says to take two daily on the bottle. The reason being, I was told this would help with a recurring cold sore on my butt. after nine days I broke out in hives. So then I had to take antihistamine tablets to get rid of the hives. Please explain why this occurred. |
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aray15
Post 33 |
Amino acids are used in perfume and flavor manufacturing through esters? How are lysine and theonine used? |
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anon73955
Post 31 |
I heard that L-Lysine helps with Rosacea so I tried 1000 mg in the morning and 100 at night. It has really helped! try it. |
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anon66300
Post 29 |
when should i take amino acids -- before or after my intense workout ? |
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anon59064
Post 26 |
Which are 10 essential types of amino acids in case of microorganisms? |
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anon57130
Post 25 |
are amino acids found outside living things? |
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anon56470
Post 24 |
What does make sugar? (By amino acids ) |
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anon54278
Post 21 |
I have been taking MHP A Bomb aminos which have done wonders for my muscle gain, but i also take protein shakes and creatine.
Since being on the aminos my strength and size have doubled, although it's causing me to get acne which i haven't had since i was 18 and i'm now 29. |
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anon50256
Post 20 |
what would cause a 78 year old man to have super high amino acid in his system? |
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lwb357
Post 19 |
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Every time you eat a protein source whether it is steak, eggs, dairy, peanut butter or beans, you are getting amino acids. Additionally, your body manufactures some amino acids.
So, it is impossible to have no amino acids in your system. However, rosacea may be caused by a specific amino acid being to low or your body's inability to make one amino acid from another amino acid. If that is the case, then we need to know which specific amino acid may be causing the problem. |
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anon44902
Post 18 |
I read an article that stated amino acid was a cure for rosacea because the cause of rosacea has shown that they do not have amino acids in their system. Do you have an answer to this statement. Thank You. |
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anon44097
Post 17 |
Will I gain mass if I take nitric oxide? I have heard that if you take amino acids the amino acids become nitric oxide, so would i be cutting out the middle man by just taking a nitric oxide supplement? |
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lwb357
Post 16 |
14 5HTP might help. Do some research on it.
15 I have been using protein shakes for 34 years and creatine for at least 8 and I've never had effects similar to roid rage. |
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anon43010
Post 15 |
Everyday before i go to the gym i have some creatine powder and a protein shake and another shake after. Can you get any bad side effects similar to roid rage? Lately i have been feeling on edge and getting angry very easily. |
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anon42955
Post 14 |
I want to arrest a three year bout with shingles (PHN). Would amino acids help with the pain and depression? |
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anon42681
Post 12 |
I need to see the structure of a plant and its cells. |
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anon35815
Post 10 |
so if you take amino acid capsules what would happen? (such as 2 per day) |
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anon35318
Post 9 |
i've been trying to gain all my life. would takin amino acid capsules help?? |
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norbert123
Post 8 |
can i take natural amino acid capsules as well as creatine capsules? |
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lwb357
Post 7 |
Amino acids are proteins, so they are safe for diabetics to take. |
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anon16405
Post 6 |
hi, i am wondering about getting some amino tablets for body building, but i am diabetic, would they be alright? thanks. |
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lamaestra
Post 4 |
There are 20 different kinds of *standard* amino acids that form proteins. They are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, treonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine. However, hundreds of *non-protein* forming amino acids have been found in nature. |
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anon5538
Post 3 |
Why do you state there are 20 amino acids and then state there are 300? |
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lamaestra
Post 2 |
Essential fatty acids and amino acids are two different things. Fatty acids are the basic building blocks of fats (or lipids) while amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. |
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twoknow
Post 1 |
are essential fatty acids amino acids? |
