What are amino acids

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They band together in chains and form peptides or polypeptides (more than one peptide). The kinds of amino acids determine the shape of the proteins. This is the process on how proteins are formed.

There are 20 different kinds of amino acids and they can be divided into two kinds. Ten of them are classified as essential amino acids, meaning that the body does not synthesize them and they have to be taken in from food sources, and the other ten being classified as non-essential amino acids which can be produced within our body.

Here are the 10 non essential amino acids:

Alanine
Asparagines
aspartic acid
Cysteine
tyrosine
glutamine
glutamic acid
glycine
proline
serine

Here are the 10 essential amino acids:

Phenylalanine
tryptophan
Valine
Arginine
Histidine
isoleucine
Leucine
lysine
Methionine
threonine

Tryptophan is probably one of the best known essential amino acid due to its multifunctional purposes for humans. Some of the purposes are, it aids in the induction of normal sleep, reduces anxiety, artery spasm risks, and depression. It also helps to build a stronger immune system.

The human body does not store excess amounts of amino acids like the way it does carbohydrates and fats. If you don’t consume enough amino acids on a daily basis it will result in protein degradation. Amino acids are essential for almost all bodily functions and they make up 75% of the human body. Amino acids and the proteins that they form play a vital role in every chemical reaction that occurs within your body.