L-Arginine is an amino acid that performs several functions in the human body. L-Arginine not only helps in getting rid of the ammonia but also aids the formation of nitric oxide, a compound responsible for relaxation of blood vessels. This amino acid is also involved in the formation of protein in human body. Besides stimulating the release of prolactin and growth hormones, L-Arginine can help in the treatment of heart diseases as it increases blood flow and improves the function of the blood vessels. It is effective for treating erectile dysfunction and heals wounds effectively. L-Arginine is produced in the liver as well as the kidney. Food items which include this acid are animal proteins like meat, fish, poultry and plants. L-Arginine supplements become essential when the supply of arginine depletes because of infections and severe burns.

L-Aspartic Acid is an amino acid which is extremely essential to the body. It has a variety of beneficiary properties, in that it acts as a detoxifier by combining with other acids to remove toxins from the blood stream, and helps in building immune system antibodies and converts carbohydrates into muscular energy. People with lowered levels of L-Aspartic Acids may find themselves susceptible to fatigue and tiredness. People tend to feel that they have no energy to continue with a particular activity, and replenishing the body’s levels of L-Aspartic acid may be just the thing to get back to normal. Natural sources rich in L-Aspartic Acid are animal protein, avocado, asparagus and oats. Dietary supplements can also make available, the required amounts of L-Aspartic Acid.

L-Cysteine- If two cysteine molecules are bound together by a disulfide structural unit, the amino acid dimer L-Cystine is formed. It is deemed a vital component of proteins, where formations of the disulfide bonds are made between and within protein molecules. It seems that thereby L-Cystine is determining to a significant amount the three dimensional structure of a prominent number of proteins. For instance, it has been determined that human hair contains about five percent of cystine. In case that the non-essential alpha amino acid cysteine is required by the body, the disulfide link is apparently readily reduced. While cysteine can be derived from protein rich sources such as meat, poultry and dairy products, L-Cystine, although present in these, is most abundantly found in undenatured whey proteins.

L-Glutamic Acid- In the proteinogenic group of twenty amino acids, the group that is deemed the building blocks of proteins, L-Glutamic Acid is one of the more commonly known ones. The reason for this fame are the carboxylate anions and salts of the glutamic acid, the glutamates. Glutamic acid is present in many fermented or aged food sources, such as cheese and soy sauce, but also in yeast extracts. The sodium salt of glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate, is a very popular and widely used food additive. Glutamate is an extremely important molecule in cellular metabolism. Glutamate is also one of the most commonly occurring excitatory neurotransmitters. Glutamate has been also identified as a precursor to GABA inhibitor. Glutamic acid is deemed responsible for one of the five basic tastes, the human taste sense commonly called umami.

L-Glycine- Glycine is an organic compound and one of the 20 amino acids deemed as building blocks for proteins. This proteinogenic amino acid is not only the smallest but also the only amino acid of the group that is not chiral, which means there is no enantiomer of glycine. With the prominent exception of collagen, which thirty five percent are glycine, most proteins contain only small amounts of it. As a solid, glycine is sweet tasting, crystalline and has no color. Despite being non-essential, because it can be biosynthesized from the amino acid serine, glycine has several important physiological functions, besides being a precursor to proteins. It is a biosynthetic intermediate of purines and the D-Aminolevulinic acid and it is an inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the central nervous system.

L-Histidine- Histidine is one of the twenty amino acids that are considered to be the building blocks of proteins. This proteinogenic amino acid is believed to be non-essential to adult humans, because at some point, after reaching a certain age, they begin to synthesize it. On the other hand, histidine is an essential amino acid to infants, and needs to be part of their regular diet. The amino acid L-Histidine is identified as a precursor for carnosine and histamine biosynthesis. In research studies it has been proven that histidine supplementation can cause an elevated excretion of zinc in rats, up to six times the normal amount. Humans sometimes use histidine supplementation to artificially raise histamine levels. L-Histidine is identified as playing a role with several trace elements, such as iron, molybdenum, manganese, zinc and copper.

L-Isoleucine is one of the nine essential amino acids that is not produced in the body. It can be obtained from animal sources like liver, fish, eggs, chicken, meat and vegetable sources like rye, cashew nuts, almonds, lentils, chickpeas and soy proteins. The metabolism of L-Isoleucine takes place in muscle tissue. It is needed for the formation of hemoglobin and stabilizes and regulates blood sugar and energy levels. It is also known to increase endurance levels and helps in the recovery of muscles after exercise. It strengthens the immune system’s ability to fight off infections and increases the level of growth hormones and insulin to maintain the body’s balance. A deficiency leads to a number of physical and mental disorders with symptoms similar to hypoglycemia.

L-Leucine- Leucine is an essential amino acid that does not synthesize in humans and so must be ingested. It slows the degradation of muscle tissue and is used in the formation of sterols.

L-Lysine is an essential amino acid obtainable from daily food sources we consume. It has many medicinal properties which benefit us in our daily lives. While it is mainly used in the treatment of herpes, it also helps us become stronger by building our muscle tissues. It helps us to recover form injuries and surgeries besides absorbing calcium for building healthy bones. It also regulates the production of antibodies, enzymes and hormones which are required for healthy immunity level. L-lysine when consumed in high doses can lead to serious conditions. Although L-lysine is important for good health, we never really realize we are consuming it. Deficiency of L-lysine causes lethargy, amnesia, enzyme disorders, reproductive problems and hair loss. Generally, L-lysine is present in all vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. Fish and cereals have higher amount of L-lysine in them.

L-Methionine, an essential amino acid for the human body, acts as a building block for proteins. Since the body cannot produce it naturally, you need to take it through supplements and diet. This antioxidant is found in dairy products and meat and is essential for producing creatine. It is soluble in water and helps in breakdown of fats. You can also find L-Methionine in vegetables and fruits. Since it is a glycogenic amino acid, it helps in forming glycogen and D-glucose. On a daily basis, experts recommend only 13 mg of L-Methionine for adults. These supplements are not only effective in liver disease treatment but also beneficial for individuals who follow a vegetarian diet. You can enhance the quality of your skin, hair and nails by taking L-Methionine supplements.

L-Phenylalanine- The human body needs L-Phenylalanine for survival as it is an essential amino acid. It is found in food items that are rich in protein such as eggs, meat, dairy products, beans and fish. Since the body cannot produce L-Phenylalanine from other chemicals, you need to increase the intake of protein for fulfilling the nutritional needs. L-Phenylalanine is one of the chemical forms of Phenylalanine, an amino acid. It helps in building up of several proteins produced by human body. L-Phenylalanine supplements act as an appetite suppressant as it initiates the release of cholecystokinin, an intestinal hormone. Once this hormone enters the stomach, it signals your brain that you are not hungry anymore. According to experts, you should not take more than 500-1000 mg of L-Phenylalanine per day.

L-Proline is a proteinogenic alpha amino acid, one of only twenty amino acids that are DNA encoded for the forming of protein. It is not deemed essential because humans are able to synthesize it from the amino acid L-Glutamate. This unique member of the twenty protein building block amino acids is the only one of the group that is distinct as belonging to the secondary alpha amino group. L-Proline plays a role in the synthesis of collagen. Collagen is undeniably the most common protein in mammals, being found in skin, tendons, joints, ligaments, vasculature and bones. It is deemed good for the health of joints, when taken as a supplement. Low protein diets, vegetarian and vegan diets as well as malnutrition lead to diminished L-Proline levels.

L-Serine- Serine is an organic compound and a proteinogenic amino acid that is considered a building block for the creation of proteins. This member of the hydroxyl group and a polar amino acid is not essential and therefore it is not necessary to ingest it by means of diet. L-Serine can be synthesized from metabolites such as glycine. L-Serine plays a role in the biosynthesis of pyrimidines and purines, furthermore it is a precursor to many metabolites like sphingolipids and to amino acids like cysteine and glycine. It is also involved in catalytic functions of several enzymes. L-Serine can be transformed into D-Serine by the serine racemase, which functions as a neuronal signal and NMDA receptor activator in the brain, a vital glutamate receptor responsible for memory functions and synaptic plasticity.

L-Threonine optimizes the utilization of animals that you consume in order to deposit protein to the muscles and aides in weight gain.

L-Tyrosine, a non-essential amino acid that is used to build protein. It is a precursor dopamine, as well as a precursor to norepinephrine and epinephrine. The body makes L-Tyrosine from the amino acid phenylalanine. Since L-Tyrosine is a precursor of Dopamine, it may raise mental alertness, making it of great use in exercise programs.

L-Valine, an essential amino acid, promotes the smooth functioning of the body. It is derived from animal and vegetable proteins like seafood, poultry, meat, cottage cheese, sesame seeds, dry whole lentils and roasted peanuts. It regulates the immune system, assists protein synthesis and glucose metabolism. It also promotes growth of muscles and repair of tissues that get damaged due to stress, disease, surgery or injury. It maintains the body’s nitrogen level and energizes the muscles. L-Valine helps detoxify the body against ammonia and prevents muscle wasting in diabetics. It assists in correcting drug addiction related amino acid deficiencies, gallbladder and liver diseases and is linked with treating neurological conditions and brain damage due to alcohol intake. One should consult a physician before consuming the supplement.

Taurine is an amino acid that the body usually has lots of. It can be found both in the nervous system as well as the muscles. Its job amongst other things is to assist in the releasing of brain neurotransmitters.

Vitamin B6 allows the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, as well as lipids to take place, also aids in keeping skin vibrant.