In general terms, your body is a very efficient mechanism. For the most part, it knows how to create the elements it needs in order to keep you functioning. The heart knows how to beat and spread blood and oxygen around your body, your organs know how to use this blood and oxygen to stay […]
Often, when we hear about foods and nutrients like protein and carbohydrates, we consider them to be single units—or bases of nutrition. We do not think of them as being made up of smaller moving parts—but they are. Proteins are created by long chains of amino acids. These amino acids allow your body to create […]
Put simply, chelates are the product of a naturally occurring chemical reaction (in the body) between a nutritional mineral and a molecule. This process, called chelation, is done so our bodies are able to transport these minerals across the intestinal wall to be absorbed and digested. Otherwise, they would either be used in even smaller […]
Amino acids are beneficial to every human body. Amino acids supplements are popular with body builders because they can help muscle growth in the body. Amino acids are essentially the building blocks of protein. The amino acids in protein help to build and repair muscle tissue and perform other important functions in the body. There […]
Most people are familiar with the title of essential amino acids; they are called essential because they cannot be synthesized by the human body and this means that these compounds must be obtained from what we eat. Methionine is one of the essential amino acids and just like the others it is absolutely vital to […]
Acetyl-l-carnitine is used to oxidize unwanted body fat. It is also used to help assist the functions in the body that needs high energy levels. Acetyl-l-carnitine transports fatty acid chains to the mitochondria in cells, which help metabolize energy for the body. Acetyl-l-carnitine occurs in trace amounts naturally in the body and can be obtained […]
L-ornithine is a type of basic amino acid that is helpful in the formation of urea. It’s not a protein amino acid, however, so it cannot be obtained from eating meat. Our bodies use L-ornithine in the biosynthesis of L-proline, L-arginine, and polyamines. L-ornithine can also be taken for various other purposes. There is also […]
L-citrulline is one of the many amino acids that the human body needs to survive. This amino acid helps to optimize the blood flow through the body by being converted to L-arginine and, later, nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is particularly important since it helps fight against physical and mental fatigue as well as sexual dysfunction. […]
When you think of protein, you might not realize that it is composed of a set of building blocks called amino acids. Of these amino acids, there are two sets: essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids. Although both sets of amino acids are essential for survival, those dubbed as essential cannot be produced by […]
Tea is a very popular drink in many different countries. For hundreds of years, many cultures around the globe have enjoyed tea for its energy boosting caffeine, its comforting warmth, its pleasant and often smooth taste and its health benefits. Tea has seen a major resurgence in popularity in the last decade. Herbal teas, black […]
Glutamine was classified as a non-essential amino acid for many years because it can be synthesized by the body. However, scientists have recently changed their minds on this and have now classified it as a conditionally essential amino acid. That is because they have discovered that while the body can make it’s own glutamine, there […]
Beta alanine is the only beta amino acid that is naturally occurring. It is one of the non-essential amino acids, meaning the human body does not necessarily need it to survive. It’s also classified as a non-proteinogenic amino acid, unlike standard alanine. Beta alanine is generally obtained through foods rich in anserine, balenine, and carnosine. […]
Leucine is an essential branched chain amino acid. There are two other branched chain amino acids that work in conjunction with Leucine. They are Valine and Isoleucine. Amino acids are the building blocks of the muscle tissue in the body. They are also responsible for providing and burning energy sources. Leucine is the most important […]
When the subject of cysteine and what it is comes up, people are usually talking about N-Acetyl-Cysteine, which is chemically altered version one of the bodies nonessential amino acids. It is actually a precursor to glutathione is an essential amino acid which destroys free radicals in the body. Cysteine is also called NAC. Cysteine is […]
DMG, or dimethylglycine, is an amino acid that can be found in many common food items like meats (especially liver), various grains, and beans. It has been classified as a type of amino acid that is closely linked to Vitamin B. While there have not been any studies that have found that a decrease in […]
Tyrosine is a nonessential amino acid that is present in certain foods that we eat such as cheese, bananas, yogurt, milk, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, peanuts, almonds, and soy. It is produced in the body from phenylalanine which is found in the foods listed above. Tyrosine is the precursor or the foundation of many hormones […]
Citrulline is an amino acid which is derived from food sources such as watermelon which is how it got its name. Other sources include garlic and onions as well as some meats and dairy products. It is formed from ornithine and has a role in the synthesis of urea. Arginine is an essential amino acid […]
GABA or gamma-Aminobutyric acid is a neurotransmitter that is produced in the central nervous system of the body. It is considered one of the chief inhibitory neurotransmitters in the nervous system of the human body. This substance works to reduce excitability and helps to regulate body functions. It has a natural calming effect and can […]
Medical research has made great strides over the course of the last decade, especially when it comes to sports nutrition. As such, there are basically three types of energy that the human body can use as fuel. One of these is carbohydrates, in the form of simple, such as fruit, or complex, such as grains. […]
Amino acids are found in the body and used as building blocks for protein and muscle fibers. When your body breaks down protein, it uses the various amino acids to facilitate a variety of processes that are vital and essential to human existence. Some of the more famous amino acids are arginine, L-carnitine, creatine, and […]
Arginine is an amino acid that is found in many different foods. Arginine offers many benefits to the human body. It is known for boosting metabolism, healing wounds, removing excess ammonia, improving the immune system and helping with the secretion of hormones. Hormones that may be affected are insulin, growth hormones, and glucagon. Arginine has […]
Amino acids are used by the muscle for a variety of tasks, but primarily they are used as fuel for your tissue. There are several aminos, each with their own purpose, but as a whole they are the building blocks of protein, which is used by your body as an energy source to build and […]
Lysine, also called L-lysine, is an essential amino acid. It is one of the nutrients that is essential for our health but it cannot be made by the human body. It must be ingested in the daily diet or taken as a supplement. As an amino acid, lysine is one of the essential building blocks […]
Creatine supplements are popular among athletes and body builders as a way to increase their stamina and the intensity of their work outs and performance. This is because creatine supplements are a way to focus the natural energy source that is produced by the body’s skeletal muscle system. Since they are based on a naturally […]
If you have heard of the word glutamine but are not sure what it is exactly you are about to find out! Glutamine is an amino acid in the blood stream. There is more glutamine in the blood than any other amino acid. Amino acids are building blocks of protein, enzymes, antibodies, hemoglobin and even […]
There are two types of amino acid – the essential amino acid and the non-essential amino acid. The eight essential amino acids are isoleucine, lysine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, valine, threonine and tryptophan. These acids are also known as indispensable amino acid not because they are considered to be more important than the other amino acids […]
Methionine is an essential amino acid. It is one of the amino acids that can not be manufactured by the body. Methionine is obtained from ingested food such as meat, fish, beans, yogurt, dairy products, lentils and seeds. People who need more Methionine may use the natural or synthetic supplements. These supplements in powder or […]