Essential Amino Acids
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Today we are talking about essential amino acids.
What are essential amino acids?
Essential amino acids ( EAA, i.e. Essential Amino Acids, or AAE in Italian ) are amino acids that our body is unable to synthesise on its own and which must therefore be obtained from the diet (food).
Which are the essential amino acids?
There are nine strictly essential amino acids: phenylalanine, isoleucine, histidine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan and valine; in addition there are two semi-essential amino acids, cystine and tyrosine, which enhance methionine and phenylalanine respectively.
So with eleven essential amino acids we have all the amino acids our body needs and cannot produce on its own.
Why are essential amino acids used and what are they for?
Proteins contain both essential and non-essential amino acids. Using essential amino acids serves the following main purposes:
Which foods contain essential amino acids ( EAA )?
Essential amino acids can be found in eggs, milk, soya, potatoes, beef, brown rice, wheat or maize. In short, they are found in proteins.
Proteins of animal origin have a larger and more complete amount of EAAs in free form, so they are easier for our body to assimilate.
How are essential amino acids obtained?
EAAs are obtained by extraction from plants through a fermentation process, then ultra-purified and crystallised.
What is the optimal ratio between EAAs for the least formation of nitrogenous waste?
It is important to remember that our body does not keep stores of amino acids, which is why any excess is eliminated as nitrogenous waste.
The most effective essential amino acid requirement, the quickest to be absorbed and with the lowest production of nitrogenous waste, also used in clinical settings for hospital patients, and indicated by the leading world organisations ( WHO / FAO / UNU 2007, EFSA JOURNAL 2012 : 1081 : 2557 ), is the one identified by the acronym DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score), namely 277 mg per gram of protein, according to very precise ratios between the individual amino acids.
The DIAAS indicates that 5 g of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) should correspond to 11 g of total EAAs.
Why use essential amino acid supplements?
Simple: the same rule applies as for pretty much all food supplements. Concentrated portions that are quick to assimilate, essential in particular for those who do sport or who suffer from specific clinical conditions.
Contraindications of essential amino acid supplements.
There are no significant contraindications to the use of essential amino acids, except for our wallet. The price of a quality essential amino acid supplement is in fact, on average, fairly high.
What is in our Aminotool® EAA supplement?
Aminotool® is our line of essential amino acids plus semi-essential ones in L-form ( free form ), in the proportions recommended by the leading international bodies, EFSA ( European Food Safety Authority ) and WHO ( World Health Organization ), for adult nutrition, with no milk protein derivatives. It is available in both capsules and tablets.
The instant Aminotool 11-11-5 Powder Formula is cutting-edge because it contains all 11 EAAs.
Each single daily dose provides the 11 essential amino acids, including 5 g of BCAA, covering 83% of the reference value for all the EAAs the body needs.
It is available as a 252 g soluble powder, with a scoop inside, in Lemon-Lime or Orange flavour.
What are essential amino acids?
Essential amino acids ( EAA, i.e. Essential Amino Acids, or AAE in Italian ) are amino acids that our body is unable to synthesise on its own and which must therefore be obtained from the diet (food).
Which are the essential amino acids?
There are nine strictly essential amino acids: phenylalanine, isoleucine, histidine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan and valine; in addition there are two semi-essential amino acids, cystine and tyrosine, which enhance methionine and phenylalanine respectively.
So with eleven essential amino acids we have all the amino acids our body needs and cannot produce on its own.
Why are essential amino acids used and what are they for?
Proteins contain both essential and non-essential amino acids. Using essential amino acids serves the following main purposes:
- taking only the essential amino acids you need, without the non-essential ones which, if not used by the body, are turned into nitrogenous waste ( the main share, about 80%, is urea, which contains ammonia; ammonia is the substance we can smell, especially in urine or sweat );
- EAAs in free form are absorbed by the body immediately. For this reason, in sport, essential amino acids are recommended straight after physical activity;
- they provide the maximum protein value with the lowest weight and volume and minimal calories;
- they are suitable both for sport and for weight-loss diets, to maintain lean mass.
Which foods contain essential amino acids ( EAA )?
Essential amino acids can be found in eggs, milk, soya, potatoes, beef, brown rice, wheat or maize. In short, they are found in proteins.
Proteins of animal origin have a larger and more complete amount of EAAs in free form, so they are easier for our body to assimilate.
How are essential amino acids obtained?
EAAs are obtained by extraction from plants through a fermentation process, then ultra-purified and crystallised.
What is the optimal ratio between EAAs for the least formation of nitrogenous waste?
It is important to remember that our body does not keep stores of amino acids, which is why any excess is eliminated as nitrogenous waste.
The most effective essential amino acid requirement, the quickest to be absorbed and with the lowest production of nitrogenous waste, also used in clinical settings for hospital patients, and indicated by the leading world organisations ( WHO / FAO / UNU 2007, EFSA JOURNAL 2012 : 1081 : 2557 ), is the one identified by the acronym DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score), namely 277 mg per gram of protein, according to very precise ratios between the individual amino acids.
The DIAAS indicates that 5 g of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) should correspond to 11 g of total EAAs.
Why use essential amino acid supplements?
Simple: the same rule applies as for pretty much all food supplements. Concentrated portions that are quick to assimilate, essential in particular for those who do sport or who suffer from specific clinical conditions.
Contraindications of essential amino acid supplements.
There are no significant contraindications to the use of essential amino acids, except for our wallet. The price of a quality essential amino acid supplement is in fact, on average, fairly high.
What is in our Aminotool® EAA supplement?
Aminotool® is our line of essential amino acids plus semi-essential ones in L-form ( free form ), in the proportions recommended by the leading international bodies, EFSA ( European Food Safety Authority ) and WHO ( World Health Organization ), for adult nutrition, with no milk protein derivatives. It is available in both capsules and tablets.
The instant Aminotool 11-11-5 Powder Formula is cutting-edge because it contains all 11 EAAs.
Each single daily dose provides the 11 essential amino acids, including 5 g of BCAA, covering 83% of the reference value for all the EAAs the body needs.
It is available as a 252 g soluble powder, with a scoop inside, in Lemon-Lime or Orange flavour.
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