All About Amino Acids

Amino acids: the building blocks of our body. They are indispensable in a healthy diet and form the building blocks of proteins. You can find them in various types of food, and they play an important role in different processes in our body. Read on to discover everything you need to know about amino acids.

What are amino acids?

Amino acids are organic compounds that are central to the construction and maintenance of our body. They form the building blocks of proteins, which are crucial for various bodily functions. Proteins, composed of amino acids, are involved in almost every biological process, including muscle building, immune functions, and the production of hormones and enzymes.

Want to know more? Read here all about proteins. 

Structure of proteins and amino acids

A protein is made up of different amino acids and can be seen as a kind of bead chain where the beads consist of amino acids, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. When you ingest proteins through food, they are broken down into smaller proteins during digestion in the intestine and absorbed into the bloodstream. These smaller proteins are called peptides. These are molecules consisting of a smaller number of amino acids. Your body, in turn, uses these peptides (composed of amino acids) to build body tissues that mainly consist of protein, such as bones and muscle connective tissue.

The human body uses 22 different amino acids to make proteins. Although all 22 are important, our body cannot produce all amino acids itself. Therefore, we must obtain these through our diet.

What types of amino acids are there?

There are a total of 22 different amino acids that have a function in the body. These are divided into three categories: essential, non-essential, and semi-essential amino acids. This classification does not mean that one group is more important than another. Your body needs all amino acids to function properly. The categories indicate which amino acids the body can produce itself (non-essential amino acids) and which it cannot (essential amino acids). These amino acids are like puzzle pieces that uniquely come together to make specific proteins.

• Essential amino acids: These cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained through diet. 
• Non-essential amino acids: These are produced by the body itself. 
• Semi-essential amino acids: In most cases, the body produces these itself, but in certain circumstances, such as stress or illness, the body may not produce enough of these amino acids.