Alanine | Helps the body synthesize pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) |
Arginine | Used to treat excess ammonia in the blood because of liver disease; stimulates human growth hormone |
Asparagine | Acts likea drug that promotes the release of urine; found in many proteins in the body |
Aciaspartic | Helps detoxify liver, may increase stamina and resistance to fatigue |
Carnitine | Helps the body produce energy from food |
Cysteine | An important source of sulfur for many body actions |
Glutamine | Affects mental processes, mental health |
Glycine | Found in many animal and plant proteins; necessary for musle contraction; helps build musle tissue |
Histidine | Found in histamine (a vasodilator); acids in the productionof gastric jucies; affects digestion |
*Isoleucine | Necessary for proper growth in infants and nitrogen balance in adults; essential for hemoglobin formation |
*Leucine | Affects blod sugar levels; essential for optimal growth in infants and nitrogen balance in adults |
*Lysine | Promotes growth, tissue repair, production of antibodies, hormones and enzymes |
*Methionine | Used in the treatment of liver disease |
*Phenylalanine | Induces significant increases in nor-epinephrine, dopamine and epinephrine |
Proline | A constituent of collagen; helps heal cartilage; improves skin texture |
Serine | Affects metabolism |
Taurine | Regulates nervous system and muscles |
*Threonine | Helps maintain protein balance |
*Tryptophan | Is the base of seratonin and niacin; affects mood, ability to sleep, produces B complex vitamins |
Tyrosine | Is the base for melanin, making the color of skin, and several hormones; affects mood |
*Valine | Acts as a stimulant |
* Essential amino acids: Humans can’t manufacture these and they must therefore be obtained from the foods we eat.