20 amino acids: formulas, table, names

It’s not a secret for anyone that a person needs a protein, a kind of building material for body tissues, to maintain vital activity at a high level; The composition of proteins includes 20 amino acids, the names of which are unlikely to say anything to an ordinary office worker. Everyone, especially when it comes to women, has heard about collagen and keratin at least once - these are proteins that are responsible for the appearance of nails, skin and hair.

Amino acids - what is it?

Amino acids (or aminocarboxylic acids; AMA; peptides) are 16% organic compounds consisting of amines - organic ammonium derivatives - which distinguishes them from carbohydrates and lipids. They participate in the biosynthesis of protein by the body: in the digestive system, under the influence of enzymes, all the proteins that come with food are destroyed before AMA. In total, there are about 200 peptides in nature, but only 20 essential amino acids are involved in building the human body, which are divided into interchangeable and irreplaceable; sometimes there is a third type - semi-replaceable (conditionally replaceable).

Essential Amino Acids

Essential amino acids are those amino acids that are both consumed with food and reproduced directly in the human body from other substances.

• Alanine is a monomer of a large number of biological compounds and proteins. Carries out one of the dominant pathways of glucogenesis, that is, in the liver it turns into glucose, and vice versa. Highly active participant in metabolic processes in the body.
• Arginine is an AMA that can be synthesized in the body of an adult, but not capable of synthesis in the body of a child. Promotes the production of growth hormones and others. The only carrier of nitrogen compounds in the body. Helps increase muscle mass and reduce body fat.
• Asparagine is a peptide involved in nitrogen metabolism. During the reaction with the enzyme, asparaginase cleaves ammonia and turns into aspartic acid.
• Aspartic acid - takes part in the creation of immunoglobulin, deactivates ammonia. It is necessary for malfunctions of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
• Histidine - used for the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases; has positive dynamics in the fight against AIDS. Protects the body from the harmful effects of stress.
• Glycine is a neurotransmitter amino acid. It is used as a mild sedative and antidepressant. Enhances the effect of some nootropic drugs.
• Glutamine - in a large volume is part of hemoglobin. Activator of tissue repair processes.
• Glutamic acid - has a neurotransmitter effect, and also stimulates the metabolic processes in the central nervous system.
• Proline - is one of the components of almost all proteins. They are especially rich in elastin and collagen, which are responsible for the elasticity of the skin.
• Serine - AMA, which is contained in the neurons of the brain, and also contributes to the release of large amounts of energy. It is a derivative of glycine.
• Tyrosine is a component of animal and plant tissues. It can be reproduced from phenylalanine under the action of the phenylalanine hydroxylase enzyme; the reverse process does not occur.
• Cysteine ​​is one of the components of keratin, which is responsible for the firmness and elasticity of hair, nails, and skin. He is also an antioxidant. May be made from serine.

Amino acids that are not capable of synthesis in the body are irreplaceable

Essential amino acids are those that are not able to be generated in the human body and can only come with food.

• Valine - AMA, which is found in almost all proteins. Increases muscle coordination and reduces the body's sensitivity to temperature extremes. Maintains the hormone serotonin at a high level.
• Isoleucine is a natural anabolic, which in the process of oxidation energizes muscle and brain tissue.
• Leucine is an amino acid that improves metabolism. It is a kind of "builder" of the protein structure.
• These three AMCs are part of the so-called BCAA complex, which is especially in demand among athletes. Substances of this group act as a source for increasing muscle mass, decreasing fat mass and maintaining good health during particularly intense physical exertion.
• Lysine is a peptide that accelerates tissue regeneration, the production of hormones, enzymes and antibodies. It is responsible for the strength of blood vessels, found in muscle protein and collagen.
• Methionine - penetrates the participation in the synthesis of choline, the lack of which can lead to increased accumulation of fat in the liver.
• Threonine - gives elasticity and strength to tendons. It has a very positive effect on the heart muscle and tooth enamel.
• Tryptophan - supports the emotional state, as it is converted into serotonin in the body. Indispensable for depression and other psychological disorders.
• Phenylalanine - improves the appearance of the skin, normalizing pigmentation. It supports psychological well-being, improving mood and bringing clarity to thinking.

Other peptide classification methods

On the scientific side, 20 essential amino acids are subdivided based on the polarity of their side chain, i.e. radicals. Thus, four groups are distinguished: non-polar, polar (but not having a charge), positively charged and negatively charged.

Non-polar are: valine, alanine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, glycine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, proline. In turn, aspartic and glutamic acids are classified as polar, having a negative charge. Polar, having a positive charge, called arginine, histidine, lysine. Amino acids with polarity but no charge include cysteine, glutamine, serine, tyrosine, threonine, asparagine directly.

20 amino acids: formulas (table)

Based on this, it can be noted that all 20 amino acids (formulas in the table above) have carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen in their composition.

Amino acids: participation in the life of the cell

Aminocarboxylic acids are involved in biological protein synthesis. Protein biosynthesis is the process of modeling a polypeptide (“poly” - many) chain of amino acid residues. The process proceeds on the ribosome - the organelle inside the cell, which is responsible directly for biosynthesis.

Information is read from the DNA strand according to the principle of complementarity (AT, C-G), when creating m-RNA (messenger RNA, or i-RNA — messenger RNA — identical concepts), the thymine nitrogen base is replaced with uracil. Further, all according to the same principle, t-RNA (transport RNA) is created that transfers amino acid molecules to the synthesis site. T-RNA is encoded by triplets (codons) (example: UAU), and if you know what nitrogen bases the triplet is, you can find out which amino acid it carries.

Food groups with the highest AMA content

Dairy products and eggs contain important substances such as valine, leucine, isoleucine, arginine, tryptophan, methionine and phenylalanine. Fish, white meat have a high content of valine, leucine, isoleucine, histidine, methionine, lysine, phenylalanine, tryptophan. Legumes, grains and cereals are rich in valine, leucine, isoleucine, tryptophan, methionine, threonine, methionine. Nuts and various seeds will saturate the body with threonine, isoleucine, lysine, arginine and histidine.

The following is the amino acid content of some foods.

The highest amounts of tryptophan and methionine can be found in hard cheese, lysine in rabbit meat, valine, leucine, isoleucine, threonine and phenylalanine in soy. When compiling a diet based on maintaining AMA in the norm, it is worth paying attention to squid and peas, and the poorest in terms of peptide content are potatoes and cow's milk.

Amino Acid Lack of Vegetarianism

The fact that such amino acids exist that are found exclusively in products of animal origin is a myth. Moreover, scientists have found that the protein of plant origin is absorbed by the human body better than the animal. However, when choosing vegetarianism as a lifestyle, it is very important to monitor the diet. The main problem is that one hundred grams of meat and the same number of beans contains a different amount of AMA in percentage terms. At first, it is necessary to keep track of the content of amino acids in the food consumed, then this should reach automatism.

How much amino acids to consume per day

In the modern world, absolutely all food products contain the necessary nutrients for a person, so you should not worry: all 20 protein amino acids are safely supplied with food, and this amount is enough for a person who leads a normal lifestyle and at least takes a little care of his diet.

The athlete's diet must be saturated with proteins, because without them it is simply impossible to build muscle mass. Exercise leads to a huge consumption of amino acids, so professional bodybuilders are forced to take special supplements. With the intensive construction of the muscle relief, the amount of protein can reach up to one hundred grams of protein per day, but such a diet is not suitable for daily consumption. Any food supplement implies an instruction with the content of different AMA in a dose, which you must familiarize yourself with before using the drug.

The effect of peptides on the quality of life of an ordinary person

The need for protein is present not only in athletes. For example, proteins elastin, keratin, collagen affect the appearance of hair, skin, nails, as well as the flexibility and mobility of the joints. A number of amino acids affect the metabolic processes in the body, maintaining the balance of fat at an optimal level, provide a sufficient amount of energy for everyday life. Indeed, in the process of life, even with the most passive way of life, energy is expended, at least for breathing. In addition, cognitive activity with a lack of certain peptides is also impossible; maintenance of the psychoemotional state is carried out, among other things, due to the AMC.

Amino Acids and Sports

The diet of professional athletes involves a perfectly balanced diet that helps maintain muscle tone. Amino acid complexes designed especially for those athletes who work on a set of muscle mass make life very easy.

As previously stated, amino acids are the main building block of proteins needed for muscle growth. They are also able to accelerate metabolism and burn fat, which is also important for a beautiful muscle relief. With diligent training, it is necessary to increase the intake of AMA due to the fact that they increase the speed of muscle building and reduce pain after training.

20 amino acids in the composition of proteins can be consumed both in the composition of aminocarboxylic complexes and from food. If you choose a balanced diet, then you need to consider absolutely all grammars, which is difficult to implement with a large workload of the day.

What happens to the human body with a shortage or excess of amino acids

The main symptoms of amino acid deficiency are: poor health, lack of appetite, brittle nails, increased fatigue. Even with a shortage of AMA, there are a huge number of unpleasant side effects that significantly impair well-being and productivity.

A supersaturation with amino acids can lead to disruptions in the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, which, in turn, is no less dangerous. In turn, symptoms similar to food poisoning may appear, which also does not entail anything pleasant.

In everything you need to know the measure, therefore, compliance with a healthy lifestyle should not lead to an overabundance of certain "useful" substances in the body. As the classic wrote, "the best is the enemy of the good."

In the article, we examined the formulas and names of all 20 amino acids, the table of contents of the main AMA in the products is given above.