The Relationship Of Amino Acids And Indigestion
Steve Pallovy
Seventy five percent of the body is made up of the building blocks of life, also known as amino acids, which are required for every bodily process. There are twenty necessary amino acids and ten of them are produced from what we eat, while the others are produced naturally.
Here are a few of the 20 amino acids with their functions: lysine helps with the absorption of calcium, histidine is essential for the re-growth of tissue, phenylalanine assists with nerve functions and memory, leucine controls the blood sugar levels, methionine is used to break fats down and tryptophan helps with sleep and the production of serotonin.
When the digestive system is not working properly, there are several ways in which we will become aware of this condition. Heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion are some of the more common effects which can cause quite a bit of discomfort. It has now been discovered that the underproduction of HCL acid can actually be the cause of indigestion.
Achlorhydria, which is the technical term for the underproduction of acid, results when undigested protein is sitting and is basically rotting away in the stomach. This in turn causes burping and bloating and is very uncomfortable when food is forced back up the esophagus. Telltale signs that your food is not being broken down properly and is not producing the amino acids that your body requires, are excessive burping, feeling heavy and nauseated, suffering with either diarrhea or constipation and bad breath.
There are several reasons why your digestive system may not function properly. Maybe your body is not receiving the signals of a chemical nature to encourage the removal of waste, the absorption of amino acids and protein and mineral usage.
Body chemical imbalance could be due to stress or a strong regime of physical exercises taking the whole of your body's attention away from other needs. Age is another factor to take into consideration. Hydrochloric acid production is much lower in an older person than in a younger one. Your digestive system can also be affected by an inadequate diet, eating disorders, or a lack of good sleep.
Prilosec, which is a top selling prescribed medication, promises to relieve the discomfort by stopping acid production. This however, does not treat the underlying issues of putting right what should happen naturally. Even though drugs such as Prilosec may provide immediate relief, it does not address the fact that improper digestion prevents the production of essential amino acids in the body.
For this reason many people take supplements of amino acids to control their digestive processes. These supplements can kick start the removal of wastes from the body and control the production of stomach acid and the absorption of minerals. We need to remind ourselves that our bodies will not perform as designed without the proper nutrition.
Steve Pallovy has done research and written articles on nutrition and dieting for several years. Learn more about http://simplygreatnutrition.com/2007/12/12/amino-acids) amino acid supplements at http://simplygreatnutrition.com/ Simplygreatnutrition.com
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