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Amino Acid Dietary Supplements

Amino acids make up the building blocks of proteins. There are 22 amino acids in the human body and they combine to make a number of proteins. Nine are produced in the body -- glycine, serine, proline, tyrosine, glutamine, alanine, asparagine, glutamic acid and cysteine. The other 13 -- tryptophan, valine, phenylalanine, threonine, methionine, histidine, lysine, leucine, aspartic acid, proline, serine, isoleucine and arginine -- must be obtained from food.

  1. Who Benefits from Amino Acid Supplements

    • Amino acid supplements are available in the form of capsules, tablets and powders. Each supplement contains a different combination of amino acids for different purposes. Though manufacturers may claim their supplements have many benefits, some of them, such as a combination of orthinine, lysine and arginine often sold as a weight loss supplement, have little or no scientific evidence to support them. Sufferers of allergies, fatigue and hypoglycemia, along with vegetarians and vegans, may benefit from supplements.

    Amino Acid Supplements and Bodybuilding

    • Some amino acids supplements are sold as "natural steroids" for body-building. Two of the most commonly touted amino acids for this purpose are orthinine and arginine, often sold in combination. Because proteins are one of the main components of muscle, many people believe that taking an amino acid supplement will help develop larger muscles. However, the exercise regime that places demands on muscle tissue makes size and strength increase. Although there is some scientific evidence to show that amino acids may help stimulate muscle growth during initial training, there is none to show that they will actually increase the strength power or size of muscle.

    Amino Acid Deficiency and Disease

    • Amino acids not only help build proteins but are also necessary for many other of our body's functions including the communication between neurotransmitters and the effective functioning of hormones. Amino acid deficiency may lead to a number of diseases including candia (caused by a deficiency in most essential amino acids) and chronic fatigue syndrome (caused by a deficiency in L-tyrosine and L-tryptophan). There also is a link between amino acid deficiency and sickle-cell anemia. Dietary supplementation, along with a healthy level of protein in the diet, may help these disorders but should be taken under the supervision of your physician as taking individual amino acid supplements may further upset the delicate balance of your total combination of amino acids.

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