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What are Amino Acids and what are the Health Benefits?
Essential amino acids and
non-essential ones are vitally important for human health.
They are commonly described as the building blocks of
protein but they are more than this.
Despite the
classification, they are both "essential" to the human body.
However the non-essential varieties can be produced by the
body itself, and do not need to be obtained from the diet or
supplementation.
Amino acids function as protein builders in our bodies.
Protein is found in our muscles, skin, blood,
bones and
cartilage. This is why it is so important that we are eating
a diet rich in essential amino acids.
All the
amino acids are present in approximately equal
amounts, a food source is called a complete
protein. Meat,
fish, poultry along with soy and dairy products are all
complete proteins. Fruit, vegetables and grains are called
incomplete proteins because they contain some of the
essential amino acids but not all of them.
The process of making new protein out of amino acids and
breaking down protein into amino acids are essential aspects
of human life. For example, the body breaks down the amino
acids present in the complete proteins we eat so they can be
used later, yet when we are working on building muscle
strength through exercise, amino acids provide the new
protein necessary to build the muscle cells.
If our diet
does not provide us with a complete range of essential amino
acids these processes are compromised.
If our diet is deficient in any of the essential amino acids
an imbalance in our body will probably occur, such as
obesity, depression, nausea or a range of other
possibilities. Yet poor diets are not the only cause of
deficiencies in amino acids. Other factors such as
infections, age and stress can interfere with the amino
acids function. |
