Amino Acids Flashcards
What are the 3 different types of amino acids?
- Essential - must be provided by the diet
- Non-essential - can be synthesised by the body
- Conditional - essential under certain circumstances e.g. infancy, illness, stress etc
Name the 9 essential amino acids [PVT TIM HALL]
Phenylalanine
Valine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Isoleucine
Methionine
Histidine
Arginine
Leucine
Lysine
Name the 4 nonessential amino acids [AAAG]
Alanine, Asparagine, Aspartic acid and Glutamic acid
Name the 7 conditional amino acids [ACGGPST]
Cysteine, Glutamine, Glycine, Proline, Serine and Tyrosine
What are amino acids?
When proteins are digested or broken down, amino acids are left. The human body uses amino acids to make proteins to help the body break down food, grow, repair body tissue, create energy and perform many other body functions.
Histidine functions? 2
Used to make histamine - reduced sensitivity to allergies
Enhances uptake Zn and inhibits uptake Cu
Isoleucine functions? 2
1 of the 3 BCAA
Building muscle
Healing wounds and injuries
Leucine functions? 1
1 of the 3 BCAA
Building muscle
Valine functions? 1
1 of the 3 BCAA
Building muscle
Lysine functions? 4
Precursor to Carnitine
Helps body absorb Ca (bone health)
Collagen formation
Relief with Herpes outbreaks
Methionine functions [x11]
- Assists in breakdown of fats
- Precursor of Cysteine and Taurine
- Helps reduce blood cholesterol levels
- Antioxidant
- Assists in removal of toxic wastes from liver
- Neutralises free radicals
- Helps prevent disorder of hair, skin and nails due to sulfur and antioxidant activity
- Precursor to Carnitine, Melatonin and Choline
- Involved in the breakdown of Epinephrine, Histamine and Nicotinic Acid
- Required for synthesis of RNA and DNA
- Natural chelating agent for heavy metals e.g. lead and mercury
Phenylalanine [x7]
- Precursor to Tyrosine which in turn is the precursor to the neurotransmitters Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Epinephrine
- Enhances mood, clarity of thought, concentration and memory
- Suppresses appetite
- Major part of collagen formation
- Reducing arthritic pain
- Powerful anti-depressant
- Used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease
When should Phenylalanine be avoided?
High BP, pregnancy, pigmented melanoma, PKU, panic disorder/anxiety attacks
Threonine [x7]
- Formation of collagen
- Helps prevent fatty deposits in liver
- Aids in production of antibodies
- Can be converted to Glycine in the CNS
- Detoxifier
- Needed by the GI for normal functioning
- Symptomatic relief in ALS
When is threonine often found to be low?
Depressed patients
Tryptophan [x9]
- Precursor to serotonin
- Effective sleep aid
- Reduces anxiety
- Effective in some forms of depression
- Migraine headaches
- Stimulates growth hormone
- Along with Lysine, Carnitine and Taurine, is effective in lowering cholesterol levels.
- Can be converted into Vitamin B3
- Lowers risk of arterial spasms
What does Tryptophan compete with?
Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine
What does Tryptophan require to be converted to Serotonin?
Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate (P5P).
P5P deficiency will lower serotonin levels, even if Tryptophan levels are normal.
Alanine functions [x4]
- Important source of energy for muscle.
- Primary amino acid in sugar metabolism.
- Boosts immune system by producing antibodies
- Major part of connective tissue
Asparagine [x7]
- Made from Aspartic Acid + ATP
- Excitatory neurotransmitter (high levels found in the hippocampus and hypothalamus)
- Aids removal of ammonia from the body
- May increase insurance and decrease fatigue
- Detoxifies harmful chemicals
- Involved in DNA synthesis
- Probably stimulates thymus gland
Aspartic Acid [x5]
- Interconvertible with Asparagine
- Increases stamina
- Helps protect the liver by aiding the removal of ammonia
- Involved in DNA and RNA metabolism
- Involved in immune system function by enhancing immunoglobulin production and antibody formation
Glutamic Acid [x7]
- Precursor to Glutamine and GABA (2 neurotransmitters)
- Excitatory neurotransmitter
- Helps stop alcohol and sugar cravings
- Increases energy
- Accelerates wound healing and ulcer healing
- Detoxifies ammonia in the brain by forming glutamine which can cross the blood-brain barrier
- DNA synthesis
Why are excess levels of Glutamic Acid dangerous?
Excess in brain tissue can cause cell damage
Arginine [x8]
- Essential for normal immune system activity
- Wound healing
- Regeneration of damaged liver
- Production and release of growth hormone
- Increases release of insulin and glucagon.
- Collagen synthesis
- Precursor to GABA (inhibitory neurotransmitter)
- Spermatogenesis
When should arginine supplementation be avoided?
If patients have EBV, CMV, HHV6, Herpes Simplex I or II. It speeds up the rate of viral growth.
Cysteine-Cystine [x7]
- Antioxidant
- Protects against radiation, pollution, UV light and other causes of increased free radical production
- Natural detoxifier
- Growth, maintenance and repair of skin
- Key ingredient for hair
- Precursor to Taurine
- Precursor to Chondroitin Sulfate (the main component of cartilage)
Glutamine [x7]
- Precursor to neurotransmitter GABA (anti-anxiety amino acid)
- Strengthening the immune system
- Essential for maintaining normal and steady blood sugar levels
- Involved in muscle strength and indurance
- Essential to GI function, provides energy to the SI.
- Precursor to Glutamic Acid
- Involved in DNA synthesis
Glycine [x6]
- Part of the structure of haemoglobin
- Inhibitory neurotransmitter
- Energy production
- Inhibits sugar cravings
- Glycogenic amino acid
- Involved in glucagon production
- Precursor to Serine
Proline [x5]
- Critical component of cartilage - health of joints, tendons and ligaments
- Involved in keeping heart muscle strong
- Precursor to Glutamate
- Precursor to Ornithine
- Works with Vitamin C in keeping skin and joints health.
Serine [x4]
- Critical in maintaining blood sugar levels
- Boosts immune system
- Involved in development of the myelin sheath
- Growth and maintenance of muscle
- Synthesized from glycine in the presence of folic acid and Vitamin B6
Tyrosine [x4]
- Precursor to Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Epinephrine and melanin.
- Effective anti-depressant
- Precursor to thyroxine and growth hormone
- Increases energy, improves mental clarity and concentration
What does Tyrosine require to be converted into Norepinephrine?
Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate (P5P).
P5P deficiency will lower norepinephrine levels, even if Tyrosine levels are normal.
Name two important minor amino acids?
GABA and Taurine
GABA [x4]
- Inhibitory neurotransmitter
- GABA activity found in glands controlled by the SNS namely pancreas and thymus
- Mega doses raise IQ
- Mega doses may help treating seizure disorders
Taurine [x11]
- Stabilises cell membranes in the nervous system.
- Inhibitory neurotransmitter
- Anti-convulsant
- Antioxidant
- Reduces risk of gall stones by combining with bile acids to make them more water soluble.
- Stabilisation of heart rhythm
- Strengthens white blood cells in their ability to kill bacteria
- Useful in brain injury
- Decreases cholesterol levels
- Conditionally essential for adults, essential for infants.
- For adults, synthesised from cysteine and methionine provided B6 and some Zinc are present
What are amino acid co-factors?
P5P is necessary for the utilisation of all amino acids, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. If P5P is not present, increased excretion of most amino acids occurs as well as increased formation of abnormal amino acid metabolites.
Magnesium must be present or the body cannot assimilate and use amino acids properly.
Which amino acids are important in the support of phase 2 liver detoxification?
Glycine, Glutamine, Methionine, Cysteine, Taurine, Sulfur and Selenium
