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How Many Amino Acids Does It Take to Make a Protein? And How Many are Essential?
Have you heard conflicting information about how many amino acids are used to build protein?
And how many are “essential” vs. "non-essential? Have you even heard the 3rd category, conditionally essential? Do you know the difference between EAAs and BCAAs?
One can get pretty confused trying to research this online. The simple truth is there are 22 amino acids used to build body protein and 8 of them must be obtained from nutrition as the body cannot make them on its own.
Read on for more…
Understanding Amino Acids
You’ve probably heard since you were a child that protein is needed to build muscle and have a well-functioning body.
You might have also heard that amino acids are the building blocks that your body needs to create protein and muscles.
That is all true. But there’s much more to the story.
Amino acids are simple organic compounds that your body needs to operate. Among other functions, amino acids are used by your body to:
Build protein
Create hormones
Produce the substances your body needs for cell to cell communication
Control and support your immune system
In other words, amino acids aren’t just for gym junkies and athletes – they’re for everyone.
Types of Amino Acids
There’s a lot of conflicting information floating around about amino acids, so here we’re going to clear it up once and for all.
There are 22 basic amino acids used by the human body, classified in three ways:
“Non-essential” amino acids:
There are twelve amino acids that your body can produce on its own, thereby making them “non-essential” parts of your diet:
Alanine
Asparagine
Aspartic
Cysteine
Glutamine
Glutamic acid
Glycine
Proline
Serine
Tyrosine
Asparagine/aspartic acid
Glutamine/glutamic acid
“Essential” amino acids (EAAs):
These eight are the most important amino acids and are the “essential amino acids” or EAAs. They are essential because your body simply cannot produce them – they are only available from food or supplements. The eight essential amino acids are:
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Valine
Each of the eight essential amino acids plays a critical role in the overall health of your body. The creation of protein, production of collagen for your skin, hormones – you name it – they all rely on having each EAA available in the right quantity.
“Conditionally essential” amino acids:
These final two amino acids can be produced by the body in limited quantities if you have enough of the EAAs, which is why they’re classified as “conditionally essential”. Understanding this is vital, as people who are very sick or experiencing extreme stress may need to take supplements or adjust their diet to include these two amino acids. They are:
Arginine
Histidine
What about BCAAs?
You’re probably wondering “What about all the BCAA supplements I see on the internet and in my local health store?” What are they?
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (or BCAAs for short) are a chain of three of the EAAs: Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine.
BCAA supplements have been said to help build muscle mass, increase strength, boost your stamina, and help your muscles recover after a workout. Sounds ideal, right?
Unfortunately, not really. BCAA supplements come with a downside: because they only have three of the eight EAAs, and high doses of these supplements can lead to an imbalance in your amino acids – with pretty severe adverse effects.
It takes the right combination of all eight essential amino acids to make a protein – the three BCAAs can’t do the job on their own.
The Health Benefits of Properly Balanced Amino Acids
Regular consumption of protein-rich food and supplements that contain healthy amounts of the eight EAAs is crucial for a well-functioning and healthy body.
A diet with the right proportions of the essential amino acids can provide many benefits, including:
Greater strength and endurance
Improved muscle growth
Quicker recovery after a workout
Reduced soreness and muscle pain
Less mental fatigue
Enhanced immune system responses
Better skin
Sound good? We thought so too.
A quick and easy way to supplement your diet with perfectly balanced EAAs is BodyHealth’s PerfectAmino tablets or powder, formulated for 99% utilization in the body.
Whether you get your EAAs through a diet rich in protein or through supplements, remember – you need all eight EAAs to optimize your health.
Dr. David Minkoff
Dr. David Minkoff graduated from the University of Wisconsin Medical School in 1974 and was elected to the “Phi Beta Kappa” of medical schools, the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Medical Fraternity for very high academic achievement. He then completed both a Pediatric Residency and Fellowship in Infectious Disease at the University of California at San Diego.
He worked at the University of California and Children’s Hospitals in San Diego as an attending physician in infectious disease while conducting original research on Ribaviron, a broad spectrum anti-viral agent to fight disease. He also co-directed a neo-natal intensive care unit and worked in emergency medicine.
In 1992, Dr Minkoff’s wife Sue, a Registered Nurse, became interested in nutrition and health and began to go to lectures from some of the experts in the field. At the time, Dr Minkoff was pretty fixed in his view of traditional medicine and it took a lot of convincing to get him to come to one of these lectures. After hearing Dr Jeffrey Bland speak, Dr Minkoff had a eureka moment and began pursuing the alternative field with a vengeance. Based on this new knowledge Dr Minkoff and his wife set up a small clinic in 1997 to help some friends with their medical problems. What began as an experiment blossomed into Lifeworks Wellness Center, one of the most successful clinics for complementary medicine in the United States. In the process, he gained expertise in Biological medicine, integrative oncology, heavy metal detoxification, anti-aging medicine, hormone replacement therapy, functional medicine, energy medicine, neural and prolotherapy, homeopathy and optimum nutrition. He studied under the masters in each of these disciplines until he became an expert in his own right. Dr Minkoff is one of the most in demand speakers in the field and wrote an Amazon best selling book called The Search For The Perfect Protein.
The demand for the products and protocols he discovered became a catalyst for founding BodyHealth.Com, a nutrition company that now manufactures and distributes cutting-edge nutritional solutions for the many health problems of today. Dr. Minkoff writes two free online newsletters, “The Optimum Health Report” and ”The BodyHealth Fitness Newsletter”, to help others learn about optimum health and fitness.
Dr. Minkoff is an avid athlete himself and has completed 43 Ironman Triathlons. To keep his fitness maximal, he lives the lifestyle he teachers to others and tries to set an example for others, so they can enjoy a life free of pain and full of energy.
by Dr. David MinkoffJanuary 14, 20214 min read0 Comments
If there is anything society has come to realize over the last century, it is that women are just as powerful, smart, ambitious, and capable as men. And while society as a whole is still catching up as far as true equality, the facts are evident when you look at some of the most incredible and influential people today.
When it comes to fitness, however, men and women arenotthe same. The natural, physiological differences necessitate unique approaches to achieve optimal results. While the fundamental science behind attaining a shredded, lean physique is basically the same for both sexes, the exact steps and application require careful consideration.
by Dr. David MinkoffDecember 30, 20205 min read0 Comments
The effects of an unbalanced diet, as well as nutrient deficiencies, accumulate over time. They may not be as visible in your younger years, but the effects are still there.
While every aspect of your diet is important, today we’re going to talk about three of the most important nutritional factors that impact your body over time, each of which can significantly impact your athletic performance.
One thing I've learned is that injuries can be great teachers. There are so many lessons to be learned from the injuries we experience. They force us to slow down and evaluate our bodies on a deeper level. Like many, I'm guilty of sometimes taking my healthy days for granted. When we pick up an injury, we're suddenly motivated to learn everything we can about that specific injury. We're also dedicated to the necessary rehab it will take to overcome the injury and strengthen our weak areas.
As with many injuries, I've learned there are no "quick fixes" for my stubborn Achilles. Over the years, I've also learned there are no "get fit quickly" schemes.
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