Identify the Amino Acids

Amino acids are molecules that combine into long chains to form proteins, and every single living creature relies on them to stay healthy and function properly—including us humans! We consume amino acids through the foods we eat, and different amino acids can be found in different foods, like meat, poultry, quinoa, eggs, dairy, nuts, and more.

Amino acids combine in different ways to form thousands of different proteins, each with its own specific job. It’s a bit like the letters in the alphabet: though there are only 26, they can be combined to form an infinite number of words.

Your body needs 20 specific amino acids to function right, and though it’s capable of creating hundreds of different amino acids, there are 9 that it needs that it can’t create on its own. These 9 amino acids are called the essential amino acids :

• Histidine , which helps create the brain chemical called histamine . Histamine supports your body’s immune function, sleep, digestion, and sexual function.
• Isoleucine , which supports your body’s muscle metabolism and immune function. Additionally, isoleucine helps your body form hemoglobin and regulate energy.
• Leucine , which helps your body create protein and growth hormones, grow and heal muscle tissue, heal wounds, and monitor blood sugar.
• Lysine , which supports the production of hormones and energy, as well as calcium and your body’s immune function.
• Methionine , which supports tissue growth, detoxification, and metabolism. It also aids in the absorption of essential minerals like selenium and zinc.
• Phenylalanine , which supports the production of the brain’s chemical messengers, such as dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Phenylalanine also aids in the production of other amino acids.
• Threonine , which supports collagen and elastin—proteins that give structure to your skin and connective tissue, as well as aid in creating blood clots to prevent bleeding. Additionally, threonine plays a major role in fat metabolism and the body’s immune function.
• Tryptophan , which regulates nitrogen in the body and creates serotonin—a brain chemical that regulates your mood, sleep, and appetite.
• Valine , which supports muscle growth, tissue repair, and energy creation.
  
  

Your body needs 11 other amino acids, but it produces these on its own. They’re referred to as nonessential amino acids , and include alanine , arginine , asparagine , aspartate , cysteine , glutamate , glutamine , glycine , proline , serine , and tyrosine.