The efficacy and role of Amino Acids. Amino acids are the basic structural units that make up proteins. They can provide energy for the body and the brain and are the source of all living substances. So, what are the effects and functions of amino acids?
The role of amino acids
1. The digestion and absorption of protein in the body is accomplished through amino acids: as the first nutrient element in the body, protein has an obvious role in food nutrition, but it cannot be used directly in the body. It is used by turning into small Amino Acid molecules.
2. Play the role of nitrogen balance: When the quality and amount of protein in the daily diet are appropriate, the amount of nitrogen ingested is equal to the amount of nitrogen excreted from the feces, urine and skin, which is called the total balance of nitrogen. In fact, it is the balance between continuous synthesis and decomposition of protein and amino acids. Normal people's daily intake of protein should be kept within a certain range. When the intake is suddenly increased or decreased, the body can still regulate the metabolism of protein to maintain nitrogen balance. Ingestion of excessive protein, beyond the body's ability to regulate, the balance mechanism will be destroyed. If you don't eat protein at all, the tissue protein in your body will still be decomposed, and negative nitrogen balance will continue to occur. If you don't take corrective measures in time, it will eventually lead to the death of antibodies.
3. Converted into sugar or fat: the a-keto acid produced by the catabolism of amino acids is metabolized along the metabolic pathway of sugar or fat with different characteristics. a-keto acid can be re-synthesized into new amino acids, or converted into sugar or fat, or enter the tri-carboxyl cycle to oxidize and decompose into CO2 and H2O, and release energy.
4. Participate in the formation of enzymes, hormones, and part of vitamins: the chemical nature of enzymes is protein (amino acid molecular composition), such as amylase, pepsin, cholinesterase, carbonic anhydrase, transaminase, etc. The components of nitrogen-containing hormones are proteins or their derivatives, such as growth hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, adrenaline, insulin, enterotropin and so on. Some vitamins are converted from amino acids or combined with proteins. Enzymes, hormones, and vitamins play a very important role in regulating physiological functions and catalyzing metabolism.
5. The requirement of human essential amino acid: The requirement of adult essential amino acid is about 20% to 37% of the requirement of protein.
The efficacy of amino acids
1. Longevity
If the elderly lack protein in their bodies, they decompose more and their synthesis slows down. Therefore, generally speaking, the elderly need more protein than the young adults, and their requirements for methionine and lysine are also higher than those of the young adults. Elderly people over 60 should consume about 70 grams of protein a day, and require a complete range of essential amino acids contained in protein and appropriate proportions, so that high-quality protein can prolong life.
2. Amino acids are mainly used in medicine to prepare compound amino acid infusions, as well as therapeutic drugs and synthetic peptide drugs. At present, there are more than one hundred kinds of amino acids used as medicines, including 20 kinds of amino acids that constitute proteins and more than 100 kinds of amino acids that constitute non-proteins.
Compound preparations composed of a variety of amino acids occupies a very important position in modern intravenous nutritional infusion and "element diet" therapy. They play a positive role in maintaining the nutrition of critically ill patients and rescuing the lives of patients, and become one of the indispensable medicines in modern medicine. one.
Glutamic acid, arginine, aspartic acid, cystine, L-dopa and other amino acids act alone to treat some diseases, mainly for the treatment of liver diseases, digestive tract diseases, encephalopathy, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and For improving muscle vitality, pediatric nutrition and detoxification, etc. In addition, amino acid derivatives have shown promise in cancer treatment.
