What are Amino Acids?

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.

Proteins are simply long chains of amino acids. While enzymes are catalysts to the reactions between amino acids.

Amino acids help the human body:

• Build muscle
• Provide energy
• Promote healthy digestion
• Quality of sleep

If you're looking to get healthier, it's recommended to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly (3-5x per week).

If you're eating clean and exercising but still not achieving your goals you may want to consider supplementing.

Essential Amino Acids vs Non-essential Amino Acids

There are two kinds of amino acids, non-essential amino acids and essential amino acids.

The main difference between the two is essential amino acids are not produced by the body and most come from diet. 

There are 20 amino acids that make up protein and nine of which are essential:

• Alanine
• Arginine
• Asparagine
• Aspartic Acid
• Cysteine 
• Glutamic acid
• Glutamine 
• Glycine
• Histidine
• Isoleucine
• Leucine
• Lysine
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine
• Proline
• Serine 
• Threonine
• Tryptophan 
• Tyrosine 
• Valine
• Selenocysteine

Out of the amino acids listed, the 9 essential amino acids are bolded.

Relationship Between Amino Acids and Protein

Protein is the building block for almost every mechanical process in the body.

Whether your goals are reaching peak athletic performance, sleeping through the night, or losing fat getting enough protein is essential regardless of your goals.

There are plenty of ways to eat a protein rich diet despite your dietary preferences:

When we consume protein, it's broken down into amino acids which are used to repair cells in the body.

Working out signals to the body our muscles need to be repaired and grow to overcome the training session. Our body sends amino acids to get the job done.

Benefits of a High Protein Diet

To help your body preform at it's best, eating a high protein diet helps accomplish your fitness goals.

Whether you are bulking, cutting, or want to live a healthier lifestyle getting enough protein in your diet is critical. Protein quells the feeling of starvation too.

High protein diet = Less hunger

Consuming 0.5 - 1 gram of protein per lb. of bodyweight from diet helps your body absorb enough amino acids required for a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusion on Amino Acids

Amino acids are the fundamental building blocks of protein.

Protein is in every cell of the body. It's required to repair cells and create new ones.

Adding more protein in your diet will help your body recover and preform at its best regardless of your goals.

In short, eating enough protein ensures your body is getting enough amino acids to build muscle, healthy digestion, and promote quality sleep.

Disclaimer: None of this is medical advice. Please consult your doctor if you're looking to make changes to your diet or exercise routine.