Essential Amino Acids

 

  An essential amino acid or indispensable amino acid is a thing that cannot be synthesized (produced) by the organism (usually referring to humans), and therefore must be supplied in the diet.

Eight amino acids are generally regarded as essential for humans; phenylaline, valine, theonine, tryptophan, salencine, methionine, leucine & lysine. Children and diseased individuals require additional amino acids such as cysteine, tryosine, histidine & crginine, to name a few.

Essential amino acids are so called not because they are more important to life than the others, but because the body does not synthesize them, making it essential to include them in one's diet in order to obtain them

Estimating the daily requirement for the indispensable amino acids has proven to be difficult; these numbers have undergone considerable revision over the last 20 years. WHO regularly updates its chart of recommendations.

Foodstuffs that lack essential amino acids are poor sources of proteins equivalents, as the body tends to change the amino acids obtained, converting proteins into fats & carbohydrates. Therefore, a balance of essential amino acids is necessary for a high degree of protein utilization.

Complete proteins contain a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans. Animal sources such as meat, poultry, eggs, fish, milk, and cheese provide all of the essential amino acids. Some plants provide near complete proteins. It is not necessary to consume plant foods containing complete proteins as long as a reasonably varied diet is maintained. By consuming a wide variety of plant foods, a full set of essential amino acids will be supplied and the human body can convert the amino acids into proteins.

Understanding what your body needs & how best to provide it is a key to good health & fitness. I personally feel that the best way to do this is to find someone who knows what you need & the easiest way to incorporate that into your life instead of you trying to figure it all out and then trying to fit your life into it. I thank Wikipedia for providing some of the resource material for this post.

For more information about how to achieve your wellness goals as usual click here for a free consultation

 

Best in health,

Jim