Amino Acids 101

Amino acids are organic compounds often referred to as the building blocks of proteins. They each play different key roles in the body.

They are composed of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, along with a variable side chain group.

From boosting athletic performance and muscle recovery to improving mood, immune function and liver function.

The body needs 20 amino acids, nine of which are essential -which means our bodies don’t produce them on their own, so we need to source them from food or supplements. These are:

Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan and Valine.

Soy, quinoa, buckwheat and mushrooms are plant-based foods that contain all nine essential amino acids, making them complete proteins.

Aminos For Health

Our Immune IV has all 9 essential amino acids, plus some “conditionally essential”, like Arginine, which are essential only under specific circumstances such as illness or stress. It also contains:

Methionine, which plays an important role in the absorption of zinc and selenium, minerals that are vital to our health.

Leucine, which helps regulate blood sugar levels, stimulates wound healing and produces growth hormones.

Isoleucine, which is important for immune function given its role in hemoglobin production and energy regulation.

Lysine and Threonine, which also play an important role in energy production and immune function.

Aminos For Skin

When we consume protein, our body breaks it down into amino acids. However, supplementation is another alternative to get all the amino acids we need.

Our Radiance bag is our skin-nourishing bag. Besides having Glutamic Acid, which triggers the body’s own production of the antioxidant Glutathione (read more about it on our previous posts!) also has:

Threonine, which is a principal part of structural proteins such as collagen and elastin -essential components of the skin and connective tissue.

Lysine, which also intervenes in the production of collagen and elastin, helping tackle signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles and skin firmness and elasticity.