Nutrition, Vitamins, Minerals & Supplementation

Someone once told me that a good set of bowels is as important as a good set of brains. Now that might sound debatable. However, there is no question that what you put into your body and how it is processed is as important as how much exercise you do and what your attitude is in general. In fact, your activity level and how you think and feel are greatly affected by your nutritional choices and digestion—they are key to your good health. It’s important to intake the right nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, essential fats, enzymes, vitamins and minerals.  It will affect not only how you look, but how you function.

Protein

Protein is very important for the growth and development of all body tissues–muscles, blood, bones, internal organs such as the heart and brain, skin, hair, nails and connective tissue. Protein is needed for the proper functioning of hormones and metabolism. It strengthens immunity and helps regulate the body’s water balance and blood sugar. During digestion, protein breaks down into smaller units called amino acids. Amino acids are necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses between nerve endings in the spinal cord, brain, and peripherally in the body. This is needed to create or send electric impulses through the brain’s neurological circuits, is involved with our moods, emotions, arousal and sleep. Every cell in the body depends on amino acids to carry out numerous activities of the digestive enzymes, hormones, liver functions, oxygen transport and muscle formation. They are needed for our equilibrium and well-being.

The body requires 22 amino acids that make up protein. All but nine of them can be produced by the human body. The nine “essential amino acids” that cannot be produced by the body must be included in your diet. They are phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan,  isoleucine, methionine,  leucine and lysine and (newly added) histadine.  If you are low in even one of them, protein synthesis diminishes considerably.

Essential	Nonessential
Isoleucine	Alanine
Leucine	Asparagine
Lysine	Aspartic Acid
Methionine	Cysteine
Phenylalanine	Glutamic Acid
Threonine	Glutamine
Tryptophan	Glycine
Valine	Proline
Histadine	Serine
	Tyrosine
	Arginine
	Histidine

Foods that contain the nine essential amino acids are “complete proteins.”  Foods that lack one or more amino acids are “incomplete proteins.” Most dairy, fish, chicken, egg and meat products are complete proteins. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and grains are incomplete proteins. Certain incomplete proteins can be combined together to form complete proteins (for instance, grains eaten with legumes, black beans eaten with rice, nuts eaten with seeds, lentils eaten with almonds and pinto beans eaten eaten with corn chips or in a tortilla). Many grains are low in lysine, but high in methionine and cystine. Many beans (for instance soybeans, kidney and lima beans) are high in lysine but low in methionine and cystine. So if you combine these together, then the missing amino acid in one food group can be found in the other to form a complete amino acid profile.

Cysteine and tyrosine are often considered essential as well since they are dependent on the other amino acids for their existence. Arginine could also be considered essential, since it cannot be synthesized in ideal quantity. The remaining necessary amino acids are alanine, aspartice acid, cystine, glutamine, glycine, hydroxyproline, proline, and serine. The right balance of amino acids should be obtained from food/supplements containing all quality protein combinations. It is recommended you eat approximately one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. This can vary more or less depending on a person’s nutritional status, condition, body size and activity level. Here is a general guideline to consider.

Sedentary adult	Weight  x .4 = number of grams of protein needed/day
Recreational exerciser	weight x .5 – .75 = number of grams of protein needed/day
Competitive athlete	weight x .6-1.0 = number of grams of protein needed/day
Athlete building muscle mass	weight x 1.0 = number of grams of protein needed/day

Athletes, bodybuilders, growing children and teenagers, someone under stress or someone recovering from an accident/surgery/wounds/illness would require extra protein to build, rebuild or replace worn out or damaged tissues. Adolescence need enough protein to insure proper growth and tissue development and to reach their potential physical stature. Adults need adequate protein for vigor, stamina, mental health and to avoid weakness, depression and poor resistance to infection.

Protein Sources: Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, grains, legumes, beans and nuts

ALANINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Major component of connective tissue, key intermediate in the glucose alanine cycle, which allows muscles and other tissues to derive energy from amino acids

ARGININE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Enhanced immune system responses to bacteria, viruses and tumor cells; promotes wound healing and regeneration of the liver; causes the release of growth hormones; considered crucial for optimal muscle growth and tissue repair; increases secretion of insulin, glucagon; formation of collagen; precursor of creatine, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA, a neurotransmitter in the brain); may increase sperm count and T-lymphocyte response boosting the immune system

ASPARTIC ACID

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Aids in the expulsion of harmful ammonia from the body. When ammonia enters the circulatory system it is highly toxic to the central nervous system. Recent studies have shown that aspartic acid may increase resistance to fatigue and increase endurance. Helps convert carbohydrates into muscle energy, builds immune system immunoglobulins and antibodies.

CYSTEINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Detoxifies harmful chemicals in combination with L-aspartic acid and L-citruline, helps prevent damage from alcohol and tobacco use, stimulates white blood cell activity

CYSTINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Functions as an antioxidant and is a powerful aid to the body in protecting against radiation and pollution. It can help slow down the aging process, deactivate free radicals, neutralize toxins; aids in protein synthesis, necessary for the formation of the skin and connective tissue. Aids in the healing processes and recovery from burns and surgical operations. Hair and skin are made up of 10- 14% cystine. Stimulates white blood cell activity and helps diminish pain from inflammation

GLUTAMIC ACID

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Considered to be nature’s “brain food” by improving mental capacities, helps speed the healing of ulcers, gives a “lift” from chronic fatigue, helps control alcoholism, schizophrenia and the craving for sugar. Is a major precursor of glutamine, proline, ornothine, arginine, glutathione, and GABA.

GLUTAMINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

A most abundant amino acid, plays a key role in immune system functions, important source of energy, especially for kidneys and intestines during caloric restrictions. A brain fuel that is an aid to memory and a stimulant for  intelligence and concentration.

GLYCINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Releases oxygen for cell-making processes, makes hormones for immune system, helps make other amino acids, part of hemoglobin and cytochromes (enzymes involved in energy production), has a calming effect, used to treat manic depressive and aggressive individuals, produces glucagon which mobilizes glycogen, inhibits sugar cravings

HISTIDINE

(Essential Amino Acid)

Part of hemoglobin, used for rheumatoid arthritis, allergic diseases, ulcers and anemia, major ultraviolet absorbing compound in skin, makes red and white blood cells, used for anemia, used for allergic diseases, digestive ulcers

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: Poor hearing

HYDROXYPROLINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Made from Proline to make collagen, strengthens ligaments, tendons, blood vessels and provides skin elasticity.

DEFICIECY SYMPTOMS: Easy bruising, internal bleeding, breakdown of connective tissue, ligaments, tendons and blood vessel damage. Deficiency of hydroxyproline will only occur if there is a deficiency of vitamin C, producing the skin lesions typical of the disease scurvy.

ISOLEUCINE

(Essential Amino Acid)

A branched chain amino acid readily taken up and used for energy by muscle tissue, used to prevent muscle wasting in debilitated individuals, forms hemoglobin

LEUCINE

(Essential Amino Acid)

Stimulants the upper brain to be more alert, a branched chain amino acid used as a source of energy, reduces muscle protein breakdown, modulates uptake of neurotransmitter precursors by the brain as well as the release of encephalins, which inhibit the passage of pain signals into the nervous system, promotes healing of skin and broken bones

LYCINE

(Essential Amino Acid)

Insures the adequate absorption of calcium, helps form collagen (which makes up bone cartilage and connective tissues), aids in the production of antibodies, hormones and enzymes, effective against herpes, reduces viral growth. Lysine and Vitamin C together form L-carnitine, a biochemical that enables muscle tissue to use oxygen more efficiently, delaying chronic fatigue.

Deficiency symptoms: chronic fatigue, inability to concentrate, irritability, bloodshot eyes, retarded growth, hair loss, anemia, reproductive problems, low levels can slow protein synthesis, affecting muscle and connective tissue

METHIONINE

(Essential Amino Acid)

Supplies sulfur which prevents disorders of the hair, skin and nails, lowers cholesterol levels by increasing the liver’s production of lecithin, reduces liver fat and protects the kidneys, a natural chelating agent for heavy metals, regulates the formation of ammonia and creates ammonia-free urine which reduces bladder irritation, influences hair follicles and promotes hair growth, precursor of cystine and creatine, increases antioxidant levels (glutathione), reduces blood cholesterol levels

ORNITHINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Increases growth hormone secretion, aids in immune and liver function, promotes healing

PHENYLALANINE

(Essential Amino Acid)

Produces norepinephrine, a chemical that transmits signals between nerve cells and the brain, keeps you awake and alert, reduces hunger pains, functions as an antidepressant and helps improve memory, precursor of tyrosine, enhances learning, memory, mood and alertness, used in the treatment of some types of depression, is a major element in the production of collagen, suppresses appetite

PROLINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Joints, tendons, connective tissue, helps maintain and strengthen heart muscle, mobilized for muscular energy, major constituent of collagen

SERINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Storage source of glucose by the liver and muscles, strengthens the immune system by providing antibodies and immuno-globulins, synthesizes fatty acid sheath around nerve fibers, important in cells’ energy production, aids memory and nervous system function

TAURINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Helps stabilize the excitability of membranes, which is very important in the control of epileptic seizures, taurine and sulfur are considered to be factors necessary for the control of many biochemical changes that take place in the aging process, aids in the clearing of free radical wastes, aids in the absorption and elimination of fats, acts as a neurotransmitter in some areas of the brain and retina

THREONINE

(Essential Amino Acid)

Constituent of collagen, elastin, and enamel protein, helps prevents fat build-up in the liver, helps the digestive and intestinal tracts function more smoothly, assists metabolism and assimilation, one of the amino detoxifiers, generally low in vegetarians

TRYPTOPHAN

(Essential Amino Acid)

Natural relaxant, induces normal sleep, reduces anxiety and depression, the treatment of migraine headaches, immune system, reduces the risk of artery and heart spasms, works with lysine in reducing cholesterol levels, precursor of neurotransmitter serotonin, which exerts a calming effect, releases of growth hormones. It is found abundantly in Turkey meat

TYROSINE

(Non-Essential Amino Acid)

Transmits nerve impulses to the brain, depression, elevates mood, memory, mental alertness, thyroid, adrenal and pituitary glands, precursor of the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, thyroid, growth hormones and melanin (the pigment responsible for skin and hair color)

VALINE

(Essential Amino Acid)

Promotes mental vigor, muscle coordination and calm emotions, a branched chain amino acid, not processed by the liver, influences brain uptake of other neurotransmitter precursors (trptophan, phenylalanine and tyrosine).