• Converts glucose to energy
• Removes toxins / supports liver detoxification
• Helps regulate nitrogen / glucose balance in body

• Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant
• Methyl donor in many body processes, including detoxification and converting homocysteine to methionine (homocysteine involved in inflammation in the body, thus more cysteine, better regulation of inflammatory conditions)
• Sulfur donor in phase 2 liver detoxification sulfation process (hydrolysis of heavy metals)
• Helps synthesize glutathione (important for anti-oxidant defense and liver detoxification)
• Promotes health of connective tissue, joints, hair, skin, nails
• Best sources – meat, fish, eggs, dairy products

• Precursor for Glutamate
• Principle excitory brain neurotransmitter responsible for cognition, memory, movement, sensation and has interaction with specific neuronal receptors
• Requires calcium to induce excitory effect
• High levels of glutamate in brain over stimulates NDMA receptors leading to increased Nitric Oxide production leading to neurological disorders, stroke, dementia, epilepsy, Huntingdon’s, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Hypoglycemia, trauma
• Glutamic acid and glutamate act as amino acid precursors in synthesis of neurotransmitter GABA

• Preferred respiratory furl in GI tract
• Anti-inflammatory to GI tract
• Conditionally essential for stress states: injury, sepsis and inflammation
• Acts as nitrogen shuttle in blood; precursor for urinary ammonia
• Best sources – eggs, whey protein

• Main amino in collagen and needed in bone, skin and cartilage formation
• Needed for maintaining joints and tendons and for tissue repair and healing
• Can be formed from aminos Glutamine or Ornithine
• Best sources: dairy products and eggs

• Useful for stimulating growth hormone release
• Helps build immune system, promote wound healing and support liver regeneration
• Can be made from amino Arginine

• Required for brain and central nervous system
• Assists phospholipids in the body (in DNA and muscle building)
• Important component of SAMe cycle (s-adenosylmethionine) critical for processes such as detoxification, gene regulation, hormone production
• May act as neurotransmitter and modifier of nerve messaging processes, and regulation of cell cycles
• Best sources:

Meat and dairy, wheat gluten, peanuts, soy

• May be made in body from Glycine or Threonine (with support of B3, B6, Folic acid)

• Tyrosine is made from amino acid phenylalanine and is direct precursor to catecholamines epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenalin), dopamine and thyroid hormones (all stimulants of metabolism and nervous system)
• Needs folic acid, vit C, copper and S-adenosylmethionine for metabolism, into tyrosine, or into melanin, estrogen, and enkephalines (pain killers)
• May stimulate growth hormone, be anti-depressant, control anxiety, be mild appetite suppressant, is mild anti-oxidant
• Useful for smoker, highly stressed people, people exposed to chemicals and radiation
• Metabolism pathways – phenylalanine + folic acid, vit C, copper and S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)

• Sulfur containing – can be made from methionine or cysteine
• Trauma treatment – regulates heartbeat, prevents brain cell overactivity
• Free form – does not bond to form protein
• Required for phase 2 detoxification and bile acid conjugation reactions
• May act as anti-oxidant
• May regulate calcium in heart (and regulate heart beat), platelets and nervous system of pre-born children               end product of sulfur metabolism in body

Best sources

• Highest in animal products – cheese, wild game, pork, milk, yogurt, eggs, turkey, chicken
• High in wheatgerm, oats, chocolate   not commonly found in plants