Amino Acids - The Predictor of Dis-Ease

Many people take vitamins and supplements day in and day out but never see the change they are hoping to see. There’s a reason for that. That reason is that something is missing and that something might likely be amino acids. Amino acids are the precursors for everything your body builds… the basic building blocks of proteins. Proteins are the collagen of your skin and the muscles that move your legs. Proteins determine whether a cell will form a heart or form a lung. Needless to say, proteins are significant and properly directing and supporting proteins imperative. Your body can be stocked with every vitamin and mineral it needs but they are rendered useless without the presence of the proper amino acids. In fact, to quote Dr. Eric Braverman in his most excellent book The Healing Nutrients Within “total nutrition cannot be achieved without understanding the relationship among nutrients.” Amino acids, minerals, trace elements and vitamins are totally dependant upon one another for optimal functioning… some more important, and necessary than others.

There are two forms of amino acids – essential and nonessential. Essential being those amino acids that your body, via the liver, itself makes, and nonessential being those amino acids that must be obtained from diet. Amino acid functions are multiple and complex and certainly not complete in this short article, but it is a place to begin in your search for anti-aging, prediction and prevention of health problems.

Non-Essential Amino Acids Essential Amino Acids
Alanine
Argininer
Aspartic Acid
Carnitiner
Cysteine
GABA
Glutamic Acid
GlutaminernGlycinernHomocysteine
Hydroxyproline
Proliner
Serine Histidine
IsoleucinernLeucinernLysinernMethioninernPhenylanine
Taurine
Threoniner
Tryptophan
Tyrosiner
Valine

Amino acids do many functions within the body. They are used for energy, carrying messages throughout the nervous system, facilitating wound healing, supporting brain, heart and muscle function, tissue growth, vision, cravings, diabetes and even the very state of mind in which you live. Amino acid levels are highest in babies, falling in children and even more so by middle age. Levels and ranges vary and change with age and are clear indicators of potential dis-ease states. Testing amino acid levels is a powerful tool in predicting and preventing disease. I recently experienced the three very informative advanced clinical tests of Spectracell Laboratories http://www.spectracell.com/product-specs/ : Telomeres Testing, Micronutrient Testing (amino acids, minerals and vitamins) and Lipoprotein Particle Profile Testing. You can listen to an interview about Telomere Testing on January 3; Micronutrient Testing on January 10; and Lipoprotein Particle Profile Testing on January 17 on my radio program archives, Infinite Consciousness at www.bbsradio.com.

It is important that amino acids be taken in their proper form. For instance, tyrosine, used for treating addiction, attention deficit disorder and certain types of depression, and the precursor to neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine, (adrenaline) must be taken in L-form. Its D-form can be highly toxic. It is likely that each amino acid has several forms with only one form being that best form utilized by the human body. It is necessary to thoroughly educate yourself about supplement forms, conflicting properties and cofactor requirements before supplementing amino acids, or any other nutrient for that matter.

Two amino acids I find of particular importance in addressing one of our most significant health problems in the western world, heart disease, is taurine and carnitine.

Taurine is an inhibitory amino acid having a calming effect and readily available as L-Taurine. One of its roles is to regulate magnesium, potassium and calcium, which affect fluid levels and strengthening the heart and stabilizing heart rhythms. Taurine is abundant in the heart, and the brain, both highly electrical areas, and plays a key role in nerve transmissions. There is significant evidence that a deficiency in taurine is indicated in heart attack and seizure/epileptic patients. Mitral valve prolapse is particularly susceptible to taurine deficiency and responds well to taurine supplementation. It is important to note that taurine requires cofactor vitami
B6, therefore vitami
B-6 deficiencies can also result in taurine insufficiencies. Additionally, because taurine binds to zinc, many people who are deficient in taurine will also find that they are deficient in zinc. Taurine plays a significant role in moving fluid in and out of the cells and a deficiency can contribute to fluid retention/edema. Taurine is also a necessary agent for gallbladder and bile function which directly affects triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Taurine has also been proven successful in slowing diabetic neuropathy and the utilization of glucose and sensitivity to insulin. Some symptoms of taurine deficiency include anxiety, hyperactivity, seizures, impaired brain function, macular degeneration, high blood pressure, high LDL, tendency of blood to clot and poor wound healing. It is not advisable to take taurine with aspirin.

Carnitine is responsible for the storing of energy, as opposed to fat, as ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in the mitochondria of the cell. It increases the rate at which fat is burned by changing the way it is turned into fuel. Among many of its attributes, it improves mental focus, increases oxygen availability and respiratory efficiency, protects DNA from degenerating, reduces the build up of acids and metabolic waste. Carnitine requires the cofactor vitami
C, and B vitamins pyridoxine, niacin, iron and manganese and is best taken as L-Carnitine. Deficiencies in folic acid, SAMe, iron and lysine can also contribute to carnitine deficiency. Thus the importance of checking intracellular levels of all micronutrients. Alpha lipoic acid, B vitamins and DHA/EPA (pharmaceutical grade fish oil being the best source) are nutrients that can help increase carnitine effectiveness. Its D and DL forms are not recommended.

Carnitine is invaluable in treating congestive heart failure, high triglycerides, the ratios betwee
LDL and HDL, and the prevention of plaque on the arterial walls. Arrythmias, (abnormal heart contractions), even mild fluttering, deplete carnitine. It is a valuable tool in treating high blood pressure because it contributes to the expansion of blood vessels. A deficiency has also been indicated in hypothyroid problems and certain neuromuscular disorders. Another very interesting fact is that people suffering cirrhosis of the liver have been found to have significant carnitine deficiencies. There is evidence that carnitine significantly aids in preventing fatty livers, excessive ammonia buildup and high blood lipid levels resulting from alcoholism.

Remember, natural supplements are powerful medications. It is important to use them with care and under your doctor’s supervision.
Using nutrition to prevent and heal disease is a long and complicated process. Educate yourself, ask questions from experts. Most of the experts are more than happy to share their information. In fact, if you have a question and you don’t know who to ask, write Kinetic Magazine’s new monthly column with your questions and we’ll try our best to get you information to move you along your conscious health path.