The human body is made up of organs, muscles and tissues. These muscles and tissues are made up of millions of cells. Are cells the only essential building blocks in our body?
Did you know that protein in our body is made up of
amino acids? Yes, amino acids are the building blocks of protein in the human body, and protein comprises most of our body and its functions. Did you know that almost 100% of the essential parts of our body are made up of amino acids? Yes, our muscles are almost 100% amino acid, as well as our heart. Neuropeptides produced by the human brain when humans think about every single thought is 100% amino acid. Did you know that aside from building muscles, amino acids also do a lot of things for our body like repairing tissues and alleviating stress and fatigue? Yes, amino acids are quite helpful in our body, and there is more to that.
Amino acids being the primary composition of protein are very essential to the human body. Protein does a lot of wonders to our body namely: building muscles, repairing tissues, reducing stress, alleviating fatigue, inducing sleep, increasing stamina, building nucleoproteins such as RNA and DNA, distributing oxygen throughout the body, improving brain function and concentration, strengthening heart function and many more. Amino acids also form the right antibodies our body needs in order to battle bacteria and viruses entering our system.
Amino acids are primarily grouped into two groups:
essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are those which the body cannot produce. Humans can get these essential amino acids from eating a balanced diet of food rich in protein like meat, fish, dairy products, chicken, and vegetables such as beans and legumes. Some people, most of which are athletes, take
amino acid supplements which provide them the extra amino acids they need to sustain energy and maintain their body fit for doing sports activities as amino acids build muscles and help gain lean muscle weight. On the other hand, non-essential amino acids are those that can be produced by the body. These amino acids are made and released by the liver.
There are more than 20 amino acids in our body, and we need all of these to maintain a healthy system. Alamine is an amino acid that enhances the immune system. Glutamine is the one that improves brain function, builds and maintains muscles, and alleviates fatigue. Lysine improves a person’s concentration. Glycine is the amino acid that helps in the functioning of the central nervous system. Taurine is the one helping strengthen the heart to function normally. Ornithine is the one that builds muscles.
One must remember, however, that consuming too much amino acid might not be that helpful to the body. Some people, especially the athletes, think that taking amino acid supplements and eating protein rich foods are the keys to grow strong muscles. This is possible, though they should take in these supplements in moderation combined with eating a balanced diet.
