Essential Amino Acids

) impossible to synthesize de novo, i.e. independently of the diet, at a rate commensurate with the metabolic demand or requirement.

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In fact, if necessary, our body has the ability to generate certain amino acids from others; however this is not the case for essential amino acids.

, contributing to a plastic function, while some can be used as such to perform particular functions. For example, the following can intervene:

• In energy production (both directly in the muscle, by the BCAAs, and in the neoglucogenesis, by the neoglucogenic AAs)
• In the immune response
• In the synthesis of hormones and vitamins
• In the transmission of nerve impulses
• In energy production
• As catalysts in many metabolic processes etc.

Overall, in nature amino acids are quite numerous but only a minor part has a concretely plastic role and, of these, an even smaller fraction is constituted by essential amino acids.

Each cell has a complex system suitable for synthesis - respectively formed by nucleic acids, enzymes and ribosomes - with which it carries out the gradual synthesis of all its proteins.

On the other hand, in order for protein synthesis to be concluded positively, the relative presence of essential amino acids must be optimal. In fact, even if only one of these were to be deficient, it would assume the role of limiting amino acid making protein synthesis impossible.

For further information: What Are Amino Acids? For further information: Function of Amino Acids , threonine, tryptophan, methionine, lysine, leucine, isoleucine and valine - the latter 3 also have the properties of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). for growing subjects, histidine is also included.