Essential Amino Acids

by Henri Roca, MD, Clinical Functional Medicine Specialist

The body utilizes 20 amino acids to produce its various tissues and molecules. The essential amino acids must come from the diet. The body cannot synthesize these amino acids.

The non-essential amino acids can be produced by the body from other protein building blocks. Those amino acids marked by an asterisk are conditionally essential amino acids. These amino acids must be supplemented via a nutritional source if the body is under stress (illness, intense physical training, mental/emotional stress, genetic inefficiency) because the body cannot keep up its production due to excess demand. 

During times of stress, illness, poor gut function, or poor nutrition, an amino acid deficiency can occur. Symptoms of an amino acid deficiency can include: fatigue, loss of muscle mass, memory loss, inability to learn new information, oversleeping, food cravings, depressed mood, trouble focusing, slow illness recovery, poor tissue repair, hormone imbalance, and poor detoxification.  If you develop an amino acid deficiency, you may need to take a broad amino acid supplement.

Amino acids are broken down from proteins in our diet by a properly functioning digestive system. Foods high in proteins are usually sufficient to give us our necessary amount of amino acids.

Foods that contain all nine essential amino acids are called complete proteins. These include: beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, soy, quinoa, and buckwheat. Remember to buy meats that are grass-fed, free-range, antibiotic-free and are raised as locally as possible.

Essential Amino Acids: Food Sources

Histidine: Meat, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds, whole grains, quinoa

Isoleucine: Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, lentils, nuts, seeds

Leucine: Brown rice, dairy, soy, beans, legumes, quinoa

Lysine: Pork, codfish, eggs, yogurt, cheese, soy, spirulina

Methionine: Eggs, meat fish, sesame seeds, brazil nuts, cereal grains, quinoa

Phenylalanine: Milk, eggs, cheese, nuts, soybeans, chicken, beef, pork, beans, fish

Threonine: Lean beef, lamb, pork, collagen, gelatin, cheese

Tryptophan: Eggs, cheese, pineapple, nuts, seeds, turkey, whole milk, tuna, oats

Valine: Soy cheese, peanuts, mushrooms, whole grains, vegetables, quinoa

Nonessential Amino Acids

Alanine

Arginine*

Aspartate

Cysteine*

Glutamate

Glutamine*

Glycine*

Proline*

Serine*

Tyrosine*

Asparagine*

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