There are nine essential amino acids that we must get from our diet in order for our body to stay healthy and strong. These broken down pieces of protein help us do everything from grow our bodies to digest the food we eat to heal our tissues when they need it.
Actually, in truth, your body needs a total of thirteen amino acids to be effective and efficient. However, some of them it is able to produce on its own, such as alanine and glutamic acid, just to name a couple. And, there are also some amino acids that are considered “conditional” in that your body doesn’t need them all the time; only when you’re sick or under considerable stress.
But there are some that you absolutely have to get from your diet because your body isn’t capable of manufacturing them itself and they are required for your body to function optimally. Here is the list of the nine amino acids and what body processes they affect:
1. Leucine – healing, growth, bone and skin health, blood sugar stabilization
2. Threonine – strong teeth, healthy immune and nervous systems
3. Histidine – aids in digestion, good for blood pressure, repairs damaged tissues
4. Phenylalinine – assists with menstrual cramps and important in recovery from alcohol and drugs
5. Isoleucine – good for muscle energy and endurance
6. Tryptophan – deals with anxiety and stress, insomnia and migraines
7. Valine – helps with glycogen production and emotional stabilization
8. Methionine – needed for healthy skin and nails, depression and eases arthritic conditions
9. Lysine – necessary for strong bones, a good immune system and fertility
Now, you don’t need all of these at each and every meal, but you should have them daily to enjoy maximum levels of health; and, one of the best ways to assure that you get them is to take an amino acid complex. Just as you take a multivitamin to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs, taking an amino acid complex does the same when it comes to these essential protein compounds that your body requires.
Take care of your body and it will take care of you. Today and tomorrow.
