The Eight Essential Amino Acids


by FM Machold - Date: 2007-01-04 - Word Count: 426 Share This!

Individual Essential Amino Acids

They are essential because humans can only obtain them from dietary protein (or supplementation).

L-Phenylalanine
Food sources: beef, chicken, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, milk and other protein. Acts as the parent molecule for hormones known as, neurotransmitters (which relay brain messages from nerve cell to nerve cell throughout the body). Phenylalanine in partnership with Tyrosine are particularly useful as part of weight control.

L-Tryptophan
Parent molecule for absorption of zinc (which maintains skin & muscle tone, lung elasticity & enzyme production), but most of all creates neurotransmitter, serotonin (which calms, relaxes & induces sleep).

L-Methionine
Found in most diary products and meat (low in vegetables & legumes, which is why vegetarians benefits from Methionine supplementation), should be taken with magnesium. An excellent chelator for heavy metals

L-Lysine
Found mostly in meat & dairy products. Required for the formation of collagen, cartilage & connective tissue and is a carrier molecule for calcium. Lysine suppresses herpes. One of 3 branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) with Leucine & Valine, it metabolizes in the muscles rather than in the liver. The three are found in nuts & seeds.

L-Isoleucine, L-Leucine, L-Valine
Should be taken as a group of BCAA and are important for muscle & skeletal health; they produce muscle energy under stress. Leucine helps stop muscle-wasting (especially in the elderly). When there is a deficiency of this group, the body is "worn out" and there is a loss of muscle mass & bone density.

L-Threonine
A precursor to brain Glycine (non-essential amino), it is needed for proper digestion & intestinal tract function. A deficiency causes immune system suppression. Food sources include meat, wheat germ, cottage & ricotta cheese.

Hybrid Histidine
L-Histidine is considered essential & non-essential. Dietary requirement for Histidine is high in infancy & childhood, but much less in adulthood. The body can make it in the liver from Glutamic Acid and Carnosine. Histidine is abundant in hemoglobin and is used for growth & repair of tissue. Food sources are meat, wheat germ, ricotta & cottage cheese. Warning: Excess Histidine is linked with psychiatric disorders, while low levels are linked to auto-immune disorders.

Co-Factors
These are nutrients needed to aid amino acid absorption & metabolism. The principal ones are: vitamin B6 and Magnesium.

These are the Essential Amino Acids you need to obtain from food or in Supplements. The best Supplemental form of essential amino acids is, SON Formula or Master Amino Pattern (contains no Histidine), because it is 100% Digestible, 100% Absorbable and 100% Utilized by the body for Nutrition to build and regenerate body tissue, to recovery from injury and to develop tremendous muscle strength. Beware of imitation products that contain Histidine which is not and essential amino acid.


Related Tags: essential amino acids, phenylalanine, tryptophan, methionine, lysine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, threonine

Refs. The Amino Revolution, Robert Erdmann, (ISBN 0-671-67359-9) Heal with Amino Acids and Nutrients, Sahley & Birkner (ISBN 1-889391-20-4) The Healing Nutrients Within, Braverman, et al. (ISBN 1-59120-037-7)

Master Amino Pattern
Master Aminos Information

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