Amino Acids are the building blocks of life
Proteins control almost every biochemical reaction in the body. Protein is broken down to amino acids which are basically ‘the building blocks of life’.
There are over 20 amino acids, essential and non-essential. Essential amino acids cannot be synthesised in the body, therefore, must be obtained from the diet. Non-essential amino acids can be synthesised in the body. A problem with the production of these non-essential amino acids can have detrimental metabolic effects.
Nutritionally essential amino acids
| Isoleucine | Phenylalanine |
| Leucine | Threonine |
| Lysine | Tryptophan |
| Methionine | Valine |
Arginine – is in short supply in children so may be considered essential
Histidine – is an essential amino acid for infants and also needed by adults
Non-essential amino acids
| Proline | Taurine |
| Carnitine | Tyrosine |
| Glutamine & Glutamic acid | Cysteine & cystine |
| Glycine | Alanine |
| b-Alanine | Gamma Aminobutyric acid (GABA) |
| Asparagine and Aspartic acid | Citrulline |
| Ornithine | Serine |
| Glutathione (Cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine) |
Most diets are abundant in protein, therefore we should be getting all the amino acids we need. Unfortunately, we are not living in a perfect world. Many factors prevent our bodies from using what we eat, i.e. pollution, hormones in the food chain, fertilisers, smoking, alcohol, food processing etc.