With the growing phenomena of nutrient deficient diseases in America today, there is very little discussion regarding the importance and deficiency of amino acids and your health. You hear lots of discussion in the health industry about vitamin, mineral, and hormone deficiencies/imbalances, albeit, without amino acids, none of those just mentioned will function properly.

You probably already know that amino acids are the building blocks of protein and are necessary for the growth and reproduction of your cells. When your body is required to make something out of proteins, there are necessary amino acids needed in proper combination to carry out this metabolic function. Amino acids are combined into chains called peptides, and the peptide chains form protein molecules. Your organs, blood vessels, muscles, and other tissues, enzymes, various hormones, and neurotransmitters are made of specific combinations of amino acids, therefore, like enzymes, without them, life would cease to exist.

Amino acids come in three forms: D, DL, and L. The L-forms are the most easily absorbable and utilized by the body, whereas. the D-forms must first be converted by the body. Proteins, when it is digested properly, breaks down into amino acids that are ready for absorption. Then, the amino acids travel throughout the body to wherever they are needed. However, many of us do not eat the proper proteins, we have poor digestion, we destroy proteins by over-cooking our foods, or are enzyme-deficient, and any of these problems lead to amino acid deficiencies. In order for the body to utilize amino acids properly, there must also be sufficient vitamins, minerals, and enzymes in the body derived primarily from exogenous sources, like plant foods. All these nutrients work synergistically for proper metabolic functioning and proper repair or replacing of our cells/tissues.

To give you an illustration, the amino acid tryptophan must interact with vitamin C and B6, before it can be converted to serotonin, the neurotransmitter that relaxes you, guards against stress, and puts you to sleep at night. When you over-cook foods or smoke foods, or drink alcohol in excess, the tryptophan-serotonin pathway is blocked, and over time, results in the deficiency of one of the two or both. Many individuals today are experiencing extreme cases of depression, insomnia, anxiety, and panic attacks, and part of the reason could be derived from a poor nutrition program that leads to amino acid deficiency.

The average person goes to a doctor/psychiatrist and is prescribed anti-depressants, SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor’s), or other anti-anxiety medications that only adds to amino acid deficiency. Remember, drugs only treat symptoms and do not address the underlying causes. A word of caution: if you are currently taking any psychiatric medications, make sure you wean off of them under the guidance of a psychiatrist and do not take free form amino acid supplements, while you are on medication, because it can cause biochemical havoc in the body. For example, taking antidepressants or SSRI’s with the free form amino acid L-tryptophan, can create a serotonin overload leading to adverse side effects. There are reports that mixing psychiatric drugs with the supplement St. John’s Wart has caused side effects, even a few deaths, therefore, it cannot be emphasized enough to take caution when mixing prescription drugs and supplements. Make sure you speak to your physician before trying supplement therapy.

In any situation when you want to take amino acids (be sure you are weaned off of psych drugs first), have your physician run an amino acid and mineral profile to see if there are any deficiencies. Reality Health Research offers a urine test that can determine what vitamins, minerals, and amino acids you may be deficient in. There number is 877-454-3313. You can also get a blood test run, have your healthcare practitioner call Metametrix Clinical Laboratory for a test kit 770-446-5483.

Always use a combination of amino acids when taking them supplementally. Never take just one amino acid for a long period of time, i.e., more than two months, because this can cause a depletion of other amino acids. An amino acid supplement that is derived from natural sources and contains all 20 to 22 amino acids, along with fibroblast growth factor (works as an adaptogen), that places the amino acids where they need to be in the body, is called Laminine. The short-chain (oligopeptides) amino acids in the product, taken on an empty stomach, will be easily and quickly absorbed by the intestinal membranes, and enter the body, assisting in correcting the deficiencies. The fibroblast growth factor that is in Laminine is derived from the 9 day old avian egg, where all the components of life are there, before it actually becomes a chicken. This is the only known food source that we know of that has this amazing nutrient. It was discovered back in the 1970”s which is around the same time stem cells were discovered. The nutrient is plentiful in the placenta during the pregnancy period, albeit, is lost when the umbilical cord is cut, therefore, over time as we age, we lose FGF in the body. Taking Laminine with FGF and all the essential and nonessential amino acids, has helped many people with amino acid deficient syndromes. There is an equal balance of amino acids in Laminine, therefore, you do not have to worry about getting more of one over the other amino acids, creating deficiency. Click on the link below to watch a short video introduction of Laminine and to learn more about Laminine!! Also, click on the image above to see where the amino acids in Laminine go throughout the body, due, to the FGF!!

To Light and Life,

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