Amino acids are the building blocks of life. They are tiny molecules that contain nitrogen. There are twenty-two naturally occurring amino acids, twenty of these are found in human cells. These twenty are the building blocks of the human body. They hook together to form enzymes, hormones, immune molecules and neurotransmitters. The human body has the ability to make some of these, but others must come from food.
Non-Essential
From the time humans are infants, their bodies produce non-essentials. The non-essential amino compounds are manufactured from similar compounds or amino acids that are already in the body. Among the natural occurring non-essential amino acids are tyrosine, serine, proline, glycine, glutamine, glutamic acid, cysteine, adpartic acid, asparagines and alanine. One non-essential is only produced in adults is called arginine. Infants and children cannot make enough to meet their own needs, they get them from their diet.
Essential
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The only way to get them is through diet. A body cannot be healthy if the essential are present. These are not needed on a daily basis, the body does store and reuse them to some extent, but they do need replenished. The essential amino acids include, valine, tryptophan, threonine, phenylalanine, methoinine, lysine, leucine, isoleucine and histidine. Arginine is necessary in babies and children, as their bodies do not produce it naturally. Proper nutrition insures that essential vitamins and nutrients occur naturally. Supplements will add the correct amount for the body to function and develop