Twenty Amino Acids

There are twenty amino acids required for human life to exist. Adults need
nine essential amino acids that they cannot synthesize and must get from
food. The other eleven can be produced within our bodies. In addition to
the twenty amino acids we show you, there are others found in nature (and
some very small amounts in us). These twenty are the biggies for our
species and defined as the standard amino
acids.

1. Alanine – ala – A
 An important amino acid as it is an energy
source for the liver.
 One of the amino acids which most easily
used as an energy source.
 Reported to improve alcohol metabolism.
 Used as a material for synthesis of glucose
(blood sugar) needed by the body.
 Essential to the health of the liver.

2. Arginine – arg – R
 An amino acid needed to maintain normal
functions of blood vessels and other
organs.
 Plays an important role in expanding blood
vessels to facilitate the blood flow.
 Nitric oxide, which is required to expand
blood vessels, is made from arginine.
 An amino acid that is useful in eliminating excessive ammonia from the body.
 Reported to enhance immunological function.
 Arginine possesses various functions, which the body utilizes when necessary;
like when blood flow is insufficient during exercise; or when ammonia, a fatigue-
causing substance, is increased; or when body resistance is likely to decrease.

3. Asparagine – asn – N
 It is an amino acid which is located close to
the TCA cycle (place of energy generation)
together with aspartic acid.
4. Aspartic acid – asp – D
 Contained in asparagus in large amounts.
 An amino acid which is most easily used as
an energy source.
 Maybe used as an ingredient of nutrient
preparations.
 Aspartic acid is an amino acid which is
located most closely to the TCA cycle, the
site of energy production.
 The TCA cycle can be likened to the engine
of a car. Based on this mechanism, each of
our body cells generates energy.

5. Cysteine – cys – C
 Cysteine is easy to be deficient in the
infants.
 Synthesized from methionine in the human
body.
 With infants the ability of this cysteine
synthesis activity is not sufficient.

6. Glutamine – gln – Q
 An amino acid needed to maintain normal
functions of the gastrointestinal tract and
muscles.
 One of the amino acids contained most
abundantly in the body.
 Plays a role in protecting the stomach and
intestinal tract.
 Used as an energy source for the intestinal
tract in particular.

7. Glutamic acid – glu – E

 Glutamic acid is often referred to as
Glutamate.
 Contained in wheat and soybean in large
amounts. An amino acid which is most
easily used as an energy source.
8. Glycine – gly – G
 Used to produce glutathione and porphyrin, a
component of hemoglobin.

9. Histidine – his – H
 An essential amino acid which is used to
produce histamine and others.

10. Isoleucine – ile – I

 called branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).
 They perform the important functions of
increasing proteins and serving as an energy
source during exercise.
 BCAAs are amino acids present largely in
myoproteins.

11. Leucine – leu – L

 called branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).
 They perform the important functions of
increasing proteins and serving as an energy
source during exercise.
 BCAAs are amino acids present largely in
myoproteins.

12. Lysine – lys – K

 It is a representative essential amino acid.
 Tends to be insufficient when we are on a diet
centered on bread or rice.
 Deficient in flour and polished rice.

13. Methionine – met – M

 An essential amino acid which is used to
produce various substances needed by the
body.
14. Phenylalanine – phe – F
 An essential amino acid which is used to
produce histamine and others

15. Proline – pro – P

 The main component of “collagen” which
constitutes the skin and other tissues. Serves
as a fast-acting energy source. Proline is a
most important amino acid as a natural
moisturizing factor that brings moisture to the
skin

16. Serine – ser – S

 Used to produce phospholipids and glyceric
acid.

17. Threonine – thr – T

 an amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis
of proteins.

18. Tryptophan – trp – W

 An essential amino acid which is used to
produce various useful amines.

19. Tyrosine – tyr – Y

  Used to produce various useful amines and is sometimes called aromatic amino
acid together with phenylalanine and tryptophan.

20. Valine – val – V

 called branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).
 They perform the important functions of
increasing proteins and serving as an energy
source during exercise.

Twenty Amino acids can be grouped according

to the characteristics of the side chains as
follows:
Aliphatic – alanine, glycine, isoleucine, leucine,
proline, valine.
Aromatic – phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine.
Acidic – aspartic acid, glutamic acid.
Basic – arginine, histidine, lysine.
Hydroxylic – serine, threonine.
Sulphur-containing – cysteine, methionine.
Amidic (containing amide group) – asparagine, glutamine.

PROPERTIES OF 20 STANDARD AMINO ACIDS

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Nurihaliza M. Hassan
BSMT 2 B