Amino Acid Functions

Question 1

Alanine

Answer 1

Required for the metabolism of glucose and tryptophan.

Question 2

Arginine

Answer 2

Enhances immune function (increases size of thymus gland which produces t lymphocytes)
Releases insulin in the pancreas
Neutralizes ammonia in the liver
Required in muscle metabolism (maintains nitrogen balance)

Question 3

Asparagine

Answer 3

Allows nervous system to maintain equilibrium

Reuired for amino acid transformation in the Liver

Question 4

Aspartic Acid

Answer 4

Used for construction of other amino acids and other biochemicals in citric acid cycle.
Neural Health
Removes excess ammonia from bloodstream.
RNA / DNA production

Question 5

The branched chain amino acids are…

Answer 5

Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine (LIV)

Question 6

Cysteine

Answer 6

Body detoxification
Main protein in nails, skin, and hair
Required to make taurine

Question 7

Glutamic Acid

Answer 7

Can be synthesized from ornithine or arginine.
Important excitatory neurotransmitter
Important in metabolism of sugars and fats
Carries K+ across blood brain barrier

Question 8

____ is the amino acid precursor to glutathione

Answer 8

cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine

Question 9

____ is the amino acid precursor to carnitine

Answer 9

lysine, methionine

Question 10

____ is the amino acid precursor to serotonin

Answer 10

tryptophan

Question 11

____ is the amino acid precursor to T3

Answer 11

tyrosine

Question 12

____ is the amino acid precursor to Niacin

Answer 12

tryptophan

Question 13

____ is the amino acid precursor to Histamine

Answer 13

histidine

Question 14

Which Amino Acids are Ketogenic

Answer 14

Leucine, Lysine, Isoleucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine

Question 15

Which Amino Acids are Ketogenic ONLY

Answer 15

Leucine and Lysine

Question 16

What can the kidney do during fasting to relieve acidosis?

Answer 16

Uptake glutamine to make NH4+ out of NH3 and H+ (GLN –> GLU) (also gluconeogensis is done during fasting)

Question 17

Which Amino acids are produced in the kidneys

Answer 17

Serine, Histidine, and Arginine. Also the first step of creatine

Question 18

Amino Acid precursor to Serotonin, Dopamine, and GABA

Answer 18

Serotonin = Tryptophan
Dopamine = Tyrosine
Gaba = Glutamic Acid

Question 19

What allows removal of NH3 from muscle in return for glucose from liver?

Answer 19

Alanine - glucose cycle

Question 20

What are the amino acid carriers of NH3 eliminated from extrahepatic tissue

Answer 20

Alanine and glutamine

Question 21

Quality of legumes

Answer 21

High in Lysine, methionine is limiting

Question 22

Quality of grains

Answer 22

High in methionine and cysteine, low in lysine, threonine, and tryptophan