 |
Amino Acids
Amino acids are the buildings blocks used to make proteins. There areabout 80 amino acids in nature, but the human body needs only 20 ofthese for metabolism and growth. Essential amino acids are supplied bythe foods we eat. Nonessential amino acids are in foods, but they alsocan be produced by the body. Each protein consists of a different sequence of amino acids linked together according to the genetic information encoded in DNA.
Acetyl L-Carnitine
Acetyl L-Carnitine is an acetylated form of L-Carnitine that has been claimed to be superior to normal L-Carnitine in terms of bioavailability. Acetyl-l-carnitine is a molecule that occurs naturally in the brain, liver, and kidney. Natural levels of Acetyl-l-carnitine diminish as we age.
What it is
Choline Bitartrate
Choline Bitartrate is a hydrogen tartrate form of Choline - an essential nutritent involved in many body functions. Choline Bitartrate is an organic compound, classifed as a water-soluble essential nutrient, and is usually grouped within the Vitamin B complex. Choline is needed for the proper transmission of nerve impulse from the brain through the central nervous system.
What it is
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine Monohydrate is a naturally occuring compound synthesised from amino acids by the kidneys and liver.
Creatine Monohydrate maximises the body's level of stored creatine phosphate, resulting in increased peak athletic performance and shortened muscle recovery time.
Glucosamine HCI
Glucosamine HCI is a hydrochlorate form of Glucosamine, and plays a key role in stimulating the body to manufacture "proteoglycans" which maintain fluid in the cartilage. Cartilage is a rubbery pliable pad that line joints and acts as protective shock absorbers, so that we avoid bone-on bone contact.
Cartilage is made up of living tissue that is continually broken down and replaced, however, injury, stress on joints, and the aging process itself, can harm cartilage tissue. Glucosamine helps prevent arthritic symptoms and relieves the pain associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, It is involved in the formation of the nails, tendons, skin, eyes, bones, ligaments and heart valves.
Glycine
Glycine is one of the non-essential amino acids and is used to help create muscle tissue and convert glucose into energy. It is also essential to maintaining healthy central nervous and digestive systems, and has recently been shown to provide protection via antioxidants from some types of cancer.
What it is
Inosine
Inosine is not an amino acid but is classified as a nucleoside, one of the basic compounds comprising cells. It is a precursor to adenosine, an important energy molecule, and plays many supportive roles in the body, including releasing insulin, facilitating the use of carbohydrate by the heart, and, potentially, participating in oxygen metabolism and protein synthesis.
What it is
Inositol
Inositol is a vitamin that is utilized by the body for a variety of metabolic processes. It is a simple carbohydrate and is essential to human health. Inositol is a member of the b-complex family of vitamins, but is not the same as inositol Hexaphosphate or inositol hexaniacinate.
What it is
Alanine
Alanine is a non-essential amino acid and is used by the body to build protein and was first isolated in 1879. The alpha-carbon in alanine is substituted with a levorotatory (l)-methyl group, making it one of the simplest amino acids with respect to molecular structure and is one of the most widely used in protein construction.
What it does
Alanine is required for the metabolism of glucose and tryptophan and beta-alanine is a constituent of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) as well as coenzyme A. It has also demonstrated a cholesterol-reducing effect in rats. Alanine also plays a major role in the transfer of nitrogen from peripheral tissue to the liver.
Arginine
Arginine is an amino acid that has numerous functions in the body. It helps the body get rid of ammonia (a waste product), is used to make compounds in the body such creatine, L-glutamate, and L-proline, and can be converted to glucose and glycogen if needed.
Arginine helps strengthen the body's immune system, regulates hormonesand blood sugar, and promotes male fertility. In addition, research hasshown that this amino acid may improve circulation and treat impotenceand heart disease.
Aspartic Acid
Aspartic acid is a non-essential, acidic, genetically coded amino acid. Aspartic acid is thought to help promote a robust metabolism, and is sometimes used to treat fatigue and depression. Aspartic acid plays an important role in the citric acid cycle, or Krebs cycle, during which other amino acids and biochemicals, such as asparagine, arginine, lysine, methionine, threonine, and isoleucine, are synthesized.
What it is
Carnitine
Carnitine is a water soluble amino acid which attaches to medium and long chain fatty acids, transporting them into the mitochondria in all cells (the part of the cell which converts fat into energy for the cell).
Through this absolutely essential process, Carnitine helps reduce the storage of body fat, and the amount of fat in the blood. In other words, adequate Carnitine helps the body use fats for energy production rather than depleting the more critical energy reserves of glycogen.
Glutamic Acid
Glutamic acid is one of the 20 amino acids commonly found in proteins. It acts as a precursor of glutamine, proline and arginine. Glutamic acid can also be synthesized from several different amino acids, including glutamine. Glutamic acid acts as amino group donor in synthesis by transamination of alanine from pyruvate and aspartic acid from oxaloacetate. Glutamine is one of the major nutrients for the small-bowel mucosa; it is metabolized into glutamate and subsequently alanine in the human enterocyte.
What it is
Glutamine
Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid and is found in large amounts in the muscles of the body, and since it easily pass through the blood-brain barrier, it is also known as a superb brain fuel, and some people refer to it as a "smart-vitamin" - although it is in actual fact no vitamin at all.
What it is
Histidine
Histidine is an essential amino acid, manufactured in sufficient quantities in adults, but children may at some time have a shortage of this important vitamin. It is one of the basic (reference to pH factor) amino acids due to its aromatic nitrogen-heterocyclic imidazole side chain. This amino acid is metabolized into the neurotransmitter histamine and the set of genes that produce the enzymes responsible for histidine synthesis.
What it is
Isoleucine
Isoleucine is an amino acid that is best known for its ability to increase endurance and help heal and repair muscle tissue and encourage clotting at the site of injury. This amino acid is especially important to serious athletes and body builders because its primary function in the body is to boost energy and help the body recover from strenuous physical activity.
What it is
Leucine
Leucine helps with the regulation of blood-sugar levels, the growth and repair of muscle tissue (such as bones, skin and muscles), growth hormone production, wound healing as well as energy regulation.
Leucine can assist to prevent the breakdown of muscle proteins that sometimes occur after trauma or severe stress. It may also be beneficial for individuals with phenylketonuria - a condition in which the body cannot metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine.
Methionine
Methionine is a sulfur containing essential amino acid and was first isolated in 1922 from casein and belongs to a group of compounds called lipotropics - the others in this group include choline, inositol, and betaine. It is important in the process of methylation where methyl is added to compounds as well as being a precursor to the amino acids cystine and cysteine.
What it is
Ornithine
Ornithine is a non-essential amino acid and is manufactured by the body, the amino acid, arginine, is metabolized during urea production and is required by the body as it acts as a precursor of citrulline, proline and glutamic acid.
What it is
Phenylalanine
Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid. Phenylalanine has a very important metabolic role in the body. It is ketogenic as well as glycogenic. Phenylalanine is initially but irreversibly hydroxylated to tyrosine.
Tyrosine then undergoes series of metabolic changes leading to the formation of hormones epinephrine, nor epinephrine, thyroxin and tri-iodothyronine. It is not synthesized in the body but in the microorganisms it is synthesized.
Proline
Proline was first isolated from casein in 1901, and unlike any of the other amino acids it is readily soluble in alcohol. It is a nonessential amino acid and can be synthesized from glutamic acid and does not require dietary sources.
What it is
Serine
Serine is a non-essential amino acid derived from the amino acid glycine. It is important to overall good health, both physical and mental. Serine is especially important to proper functioning of the brain and central nervous system.
What it is
Threonine
Threonine is an essential amino acid, and cannot be manufactured by the body and is found in high concentrations in the heart, skeletal muscles and central nervous system.
What it is
Tyrosine
Tyrosine was first isolated from casein in 1849 and is abundant in insulin as well as the enzyme papain and can be synthesized from the amino acid phenylalanine in the body.
What it is
Valine
Valine is a member of the branched-chain amino acid family, along with leucine and isoleucine. The three branched-chain amino acids constitute approximately 70 percent of the amino acids in the body proteins. As such, their value in the formation and maintenance of structural and functional integrity in humans is unmeasured.
What it is
Taurine
Unlike the familiar amino acids, Taurine is not used as a building block in proteins. But it is called an "essential" amino acid because the human body, although it desperately needs it, cannot synthesize it; we must get it from our foods.
As taurine is not used for proteins, biochemists classify it as a conditionally essential amino acid.
Tryptophan
Tryptophan is one of the 10 essential amino acids that the body uses to synthesize the proteins it needs. It's well-known for its role in the production of nervous system messengers, especially those related to relaxation, restfulness, and sleep.
What it is
GABA
GABA stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid, is the product of a biochemical decarboxylation reaction of glutamic acid by the vitamin pyridoxal, as well as from decarboxylase (GAD).
What it is
DL-phenylalanine
DL-Phenylalanine contains both the essential amino acid L-phenylalanine and D-phenylalanine. Studies have shown that L-phenylalanine can elevate the mood, making DLPA a useful agent in combating depression. DLPA can also be used to treat chronic pain since it boosts the body's natural pain-killing response.
What it is
