Amino Acids and the Innumerable Benefits

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and proteins make up tissues, muscles, glands, organs, tendons, enzymes, nails and hair. This puts amino acids in a position of prime importance. But how much do you know about amino acids?

Although these deficiencies often go undiagnosed with traditional testing and screening methods, biochemical screening can make a big difference in helping your doctor understand and treat your illnesses.

Daily Requirement

When your body wears out due to exertion and exercise, it begins to be in need for some attention. As a result you might feel sore and fatigued. Amino acids help repair, restore and build body tissues. Your body can produce 10 out of 20 amino acids. These are called non-essential amino acids. The others, called essential amino acids, must be obtained from food. Failure to obtain enough of even one of these 10 essential amino acids can degrade the body proteins and lead to diseases. The body cannot store amino acids just the way it stores fats. Therefore amino acids must be present in daily diet.

Benefits of Essential Amino Acids

Histidine is found in hemoglobin. It has been used to treat allergies, arthritis, ulcers and anemia. It is needed for the production of both red and white blood cells. It removes heavy metals from the body.

Isoleucine regulates blood sugar and is very popular among athletes since it helps to repair and heal muscle tissue. Leucine heals muscle tissue, skin and bones. It is recommended for those recovering from surgery.

Lysine maintains nitrogen balance and ensures adequate calcium absorption. It helps in the production of antibodies to fight cold sores and herpes.

Methionine is a powerful antioxidant and a good source of sulfur. It prevents disorders of the hair, skin and nails.

Phenylalanine helps in the production of norepinephrine, a chemical that acts as a neurotransmitter.

Threonine helps maintain proper protein balance in the body and helps in collagen and elastin formation that strengthens the skin structure.

Tryptophan is a natural relaxant and reduces anxiety and depression.

Valine is required for muscle metabolism and coordination and maintains proper nitrogen balance in the body.

Alanine aids in metabolism of glucose, prevents the buildup of toxins and strengthens the immune system.

Arginine prevents erectile dysfunction, increases sperm count and aids in weight loss.

Aspartic Acid increases stamina, rejuvenates cellular activity and detoxifies the blood.

Cysteine is a powerful antioxidant and a detoxifier. It promotes burning of fat and building up of muscles. It is essential for healthy skin and hair.

Glutamic acid is an excitatory neurotransmitter for the central nervous system, the brain and spinal cord.

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in muscles. It helps build and maintain muscle tissue and increases brain function and mental activity.

Glycine improves glycogen storage and makes glucose available for production of energy.

Ornithine aids the metabolism of excess body fat and stimulates insulin secretion.

Proline aids the production of collagen and gives the skin a youthful look.

Serine is a component of the protective myelin sheath that covers nerve fibers, and is important in DNA and RNA function and cell formation.

Taurine is good for a healthy heart and Tyrosine aids the production of melanin and elevates the mood.

Sleep Apnea, Snoring, Fibromyalgia and Amino Acids

Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder that causes snoring and disturbance in breathing while sleeping. A person with sleep apnea does not get quality sleep, and this is an indication of an underlying disorder. The amino acid function in a person with sleep apnea, fibromyalgia and snoring becomes weak. Therefore assessing the amino acid status helps in proper diagnosis and treatment.

Proteins are the second most abundant substances in our body, after water. Proteins constitute almost 80% of our body weight. Since amino acids make up proteins, lack of amino acids affects the synthesis of proteins. In a person with sleep apnea, the protein status has a problem. If left undiagnosed and uncorrected, it may lead to various health problems because the connective tissue that makes the skeletal muscular framework begins to break down. As you get older, your body metabolism slows down and hormone level also goes down. This makes you more susceptible to health problems as compared to when you were 20 years old. The deterioration is quicker for a person with sleep apnea.

Amino Acids and Your Immune System

Many diseases are concentrated around the digestive tract. How nutrients are absorbed depends on the healthy functioning of the gut and its utilization of various enzymes, which are proteins. A weak immune system gives way to various digestive disorders. Amino acids such as glutamine protect the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and prevent Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). They also prevent peritonitis, which is the inflammation of the thin membrane surrounding the abdominal cavity. We therefore can conclude that 70% of our immune system is located within the gastrointestinal system. Since amino acids protect the digestive system, they aid our immune system. A proper balance of the right essential and non-essential amino acids can enrich the bloodstream and bring in a youthful vitality; but if even one of these building blocks is missing, the working of the entire structure is threatened. But all health problems can be corrected once you decide to go in for amino acid testing done by taking a urine sample.

Benefits of Biochemical Screening

If you have a problem with your digestive system, you will not be able to utilize proteins properly. This problem can be detected with biochemical screening. So, assessing your amino acids by getting your biochemical screening profile done would be highly beneficial to you. When Lymphocyte and albumin levels are detected to have reduced, it indicates that the body’s ability to sponge up acids has decreased. If your protein status is weak, you expose yourself to the risk of various inflammatory conditions, degenerative conditions and conditions such as sleep apnea.

Although the list of the above-mentioned benefits seems vast, these are just few of the innumerable benefits of amino acids. Although you do not completely comprehend the details, you may have realized the magnitude of impact that amino acids have on your daily living.

We offer biochemical screening whereby over 40 different proteins are examined. The results will show if there is an organic basis causing your illness. Once a problem is detected, the patient can be suggested appropriate management strategies.

We offer these services in Australia, New Zealand, UK and Europe.

For more information go to the contact me tab and request me to discuss with YOU the steps to take. The testing is done with urine or blood samples

Take care

Helena Ederveen

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