Essential Amino Acids: What They Are and Why They Are Essential
When exploring ways to improve your health, sometimes it is important to dive down into the body to see exactly how it works and what it takes to keep it healthy. Here we are taking a deep dive into ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS. What are they and why are they essential?
What Is an Essential Amino Acid?
Proteins are considered the building blocks of the human body. They are responsible for building muscles and carrying important messages throughout the body to ensure everything is working appropriately. If you take a closer look at what makes up a protein, you will see amino acids. Twenty amino acids, to be exact.
Each protein in the human body has a varying combination of these 20 amino acids connected to each other in the form of a chain, called a polypeptide chain. The longest human protein contains 34,350 amino acids, while the smallest human protein has 44.
Amino acids are divided into two categories: essential and non-essential. The 11 nonessential amino acids are made within our body and are continuously torn down and rebuilt. The other 9 amino acids come from food sources. These are considered essential amino acids because it is essential for humans to consume these to maintain good health.
These nine essential amino acids are:
What Do Essential Amino Acids Do for My Health?
Let us look closely at each one to learn the science behind why they are essential.
Leucine, Isoleucine & Valine
These are the 3 branch-chained amino acids and they are all about building muscle. The body is continuously regulating and maintaining muscle mass. When we walk, move, or exercise, the body strengthens and builds more muscle. When we are sedentary or less active, our body breaks down muscles.
For people who love to exercise or lift weights, these amino acids are vital to help build and increase muscle mass in the body.
Lysine
Lysine may reduce anxiety, promote wound healing, prevent cold sores and some viral replication, and improve calcium absorption. How does it do this?
Well, lysine can inhibit the release of cortisol, the primary hormone responsible for the body’s stress response. Having enough lysine to better manage the release of cortisol may reduce anxiety and gastric distress that excessive stress can cause.
Cold sores are more likely to appear when the body is stressed, and when the virus that causes cold sores combines with the amino acid arginine a flare up occurs. Lysine not only helps reduce stress but may also block arginine from triggering the development of a cold sore.
Lysine can also improve calcium absorption. Improving the body’s ability to absorb calcium will lead to improved bone health.
Threonine
This amino acid works in the gut helping to prevent inflammation and improve gut health. Studies show when animals low in threonine were injected with bacteria, they were more likely to show signs of inflammation in the gut.
In other words, the animals were more likely to show signs of illness from the bacteria. Having the right amount of threonine may improve the immune response in the stomach, which could lead to better gut health and a better overall immune system.
Phenylalanine
In the human brain, neurotransmitters send signals throughout the brain to the body. Phenylalanine is an amino acid that helps these neurotransmitters function appropriately. It works specifically on tyrosine, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.
Dopamine is the chemical in the brain that stimulates happiness. Tyrosine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine regulate the body's fight-or-flight response.
A lack of phenylalanine in the body could prevent the brain from sending the appropriate signals potentially leading to an imbalance of these neurotransmitters.
This imbalance could affect a person’s stress level, quality of sleep, and attention span, which could lead to more inflammation in the body.
Methionine
This essential amino acid is responsible for repairing damaged tissue, it improves the pliability and tone of the skin, hair, and nails. It is also key in detoxifying the body from pollutants. Having the right amount of methionine is key for maintaining health and keeping skin, hair, and nails youthful by slowing cell aging.
Histidine HCL
Histidine is crucial in modulating inflammatory responses. In other words, this amino acid not only helps activate the inflammatory response responsible for fighting illnesses, but it also prevents the body from over-responding. When the body's immune system overreacts, it may lead to chronic illness.
Tryptophan
Tryptophan is the precursor of serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter responsible for mood. If the body does not have enough tryptophan to regulate serotonin, it may lead to depression or other mood disorders.
This tryptophan – serotonin communication can also affect the hormone melatonin, which regulates circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. If your body is not getting enough of this essential amino acid, it could lead to an imbalance of serotonin, causing sleep issues, depression, or other mental health issues.
Why Is This Important?
As you can see, these essential amino acids are important to keep the body’s structural and communication systems up and running appropriately. Without these nutrients, there are several body systems that can break down, potentially causing illnesses and poor health. Keep yourself in the best health condition by ensuring you get the right number of essential amino acids.
Here at Smart Owl we are dedicated to making sure you have the right resources to build your health. ESSENTIALS BLEND contains vitamin B12, L-theanine, plus a blend of all nine essential amino acids to help increase energy levels, build muscle and strength, boost metabolism and weight loss, improve appetite control, help regulate digestion, and fortify connective tissue and support the immune system.
The dark Italian roast is softened by the subtle flavor of organic french Vanilla and a touch of cinnamon for a rich and complex flavor that's great served hot or cold. We love designing these unique and beneficial blends and hope you enjoy the difference that organic, infused coffees make in your morning.
Resources
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