Amino acids are the bricks making up the more complex protein molecules. When you eat protein, it is broken down into the amino acids that can then work within the body to build muscle, repair tissue and perhaps provide energy as needed.

Building Protein with Amino Acids

If you picture amino acids as a set of blocks, snapping certain blocks together forms certain proteins. The amino acids are joined by peptide bonds that make the basic structure of proteins. Every amino acid has an amino, or NH2 group, and an acid, or COOH group. This is not all that most amino acids contain, however, so the extra parts, or remainder, of the amino acid create distinctions between the 20 different amino acids found in proteins. This remainder also creates the unique shape and properties of the different amino acids.

Amino Acids in the Body

In a bite of meat or other protein source, you’re eating a web of amino acids joined together with their special peptide bonds. Once in the body the amino acids separate from each other and join with nitrogen which helps move the different forms of amino acids out into the body to be used to build cells, repair tissue, produce enzymes and even stabilize mental health. Of the 20 amino acids your body needs, only 8 are considered essential amino acids.

Essential Amino Acids

All 20 of the amino acids are considered essential for your body to heal and rebuild itself, but only 8 of those amino acids cannot be created by the body. These “essential” 8 must be supplied by diet including food, shakes and supplements. While these 8 must be supplied by your diet, having a shortage of any amino acids can affect the way protein is treated by the body.

To give your body the proper amount of amino acids in a sitting, complete proteins including most meats and supplements can be eaten. Incomplete proteins come from fruits and vegetables. By blending certain items in a particular meal, you can consume a complete set of amino acids, but it is more complicated to find the right mix. Amino acid supplements are available, but it’s important to be sure that the supplement has all twenty amino acids in the right balance. The best amino acids are taken in through a well balanced diet with meals eaten at the right times before and after exercise.

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