Benefits Of Amino Acid That You Need To Know

Amino acids are one of the nutrients the body needs for various things. This compound has many roles in maintaining body health, carrying out activities, and even regulating mood.

Amino acids are actually protein building blocks. When consuming foods that contain protein, the intestines will break down the protein to become amino acids which will then be absorbed and used for various body functions.

The health benefits of amino acids can be obtained in various ways. What is certain is that you need to consume various foods that contain protein, such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, soybeans, nuts and also milk.

Increase immunity
If you want to have a strong immune system, consuming foods rich in amino acids is one of the keys.
The reason is, amino acids are needed to form cytokines and antibodies, which are important components in the immune system.
Amino acids also have an important role in the formation of white blood cells which are the main players in fighting and preventing infection

Increase muscle mass
Our muscles consist of very strong protein fibers. To build muscle mass, of course you need amino acids as the building blocks for protein.
So, consuming foods that contain amino acids can also help increase muscle mass.

Overcoming dehydration and fatigue
When the amino acid glutamine is absorbed by the intestines, water and electrolytes will also be absorbed with it.
This will of course increase the amount of water and electrolytes absorbed at one time.
That way, amino acids can help prevent and overcome dehydration and imbalances in the body’s electrolyte levels which can cause fatigue.

Improves mood
Eating foods that contain amino acids can help improve your mood.
This is because one type of amino acid, namely tryptophan, is needed by the body to produce the hormone serotonin (a mood regulating hormone).
Several studies show that meeting tryptophan needs can reduce symptoms of depression and improve mood.

Improves heart health
The next benefit of amino acids is that they help improve heart health.
This benefit can be obtained because amino acids, especially the amino acid arginine, are able to increase and improve blood flow in the coronary blood vessels in the heart.

Reduces the risk of allergies
Because they are the simplest form of protein, amino acids can provide the benefits of protein without triggering allergic reactions.
Apart from that, amino acids are also known to have the potential to inhibit allergic reactions to proteins in food, for example cow’s milk.

Various Types of Amino Acids Amino acids consist of various types. Some of them are conditional, non-essential and essential amino acids. However, the body cannot produce essential amino acids.

So as an alternative, you need to eat foods that contain this type of amino acid. So, here are the types of essential amino acids and their sources:

1. Leucine
The amino acid leucine is useful for making protein and growth hormone. This compound also helps grow and repair muscle tissue, heal wounds, and control blood sugar levels.
Foods, such as seaweed, tuna, soybeans, egg whites, and chicken contain leucine. This type of amino acid plays an important role in forming one third of skeletal muscle tissue in the body.

2. Valine
The amino acid valine is useful for supporting muscle growth, tissue regeneration and producing energy
You can find this type of amino acid in eggs, seaweed, watercress, turkey and spinach.

3. Isoleucine You can find this type in egg whites. Apart from that, foods, such as lamb, turkey, soybeans, crab, chicken, are also sources of isoleucine that are no less good. Just like leucine, isoleucine also plays a role in forming the body’s skeletal muscle tissue.

4. Tryptophan The amino acid tryptophan functions to maintain nitrogen balance in the body and helps produce the hormone serotonin. The serotonin hormone is responsible for regulating mood, appetite and sleep patterns.
You can get tryptophan from soybeans, seaweed, turkey, egg whites, chicken breast and spinach.

5. The amino acid phenylalanine is useful for carrying brain chemical messages, such as dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. This compound is also important for producing other amino acids.
The essential amino type phenylalanine is most commonly found in food sources of plant protein, such as grains and nuts. Apart from that, animal products such as beef, seafood and eggs are also known to be high in phenylalanine.

6. The amino acid threonine is part of collagen and elastin. This compound is important for forming the structure of skin and connective tissue, forming blood clots when bleeding occurs, supporting fat metabolism and immune function.
Foods rich in threonine are spinach and raw watercress. Other options are tuna, tilapia, egg whites, turkey and soybeans.

7. The amino acid methionine is useful for helping body tissue growth, metabolism, removing toxins from the body, and helping the absorption of important minerals such as zinc and selenium.
Methionine is found in fruit, meat (chicken, beef, fish), milk (whole milk, several types of cheese), vegetables (spinach, garlic, corn), and nuts (peppers, pistacio, cashews, red beans). , tofu and tempe).

8. The amino acid isoleucine functions to support muscle metabolism and the body’s immune system, make hemoglobin, and control the level of energy use in the body.
Isoleucine is found in many egg whites, lamb, turkey, crab, chicken, tuna, cod and soybeans.

9. The amino acid lysine is useful for protein synthesis, producing hormones and energy, helping calcium absorption, and supporting the performance of the immune system.
Lysine cannot be produced by the body itself, but can be obtained through consuming foods that contain this amino acid, such as animal protein, milk, cheese, yogurt and nuts.

10. The amino acid histidine is useful for helping make histamine. These chemicals in the brain or neurotransmitters control immune, digestive, sleep and sexual functions.
Cod, chicken, turkey and red beans are types of food that contain lots of histidine.

Considering that there are many important functions of amino acids for the body, make sure these nutritional needs are met. Please note that the body cannot produce the essential amino acids above on its own. However, you can get enough of these nutrients by consuming protein sources such as beef, eggs, milk, chicken, tofu, tempeh, or soybeans every day.