In the previous article, we discussed protein, as being one of the most important
molecules for the human body's health. This is so, because there is no metabolic
process devoid of protein involvement in various ways, and there is no cell in the
body either produced or functioning without protein. Therefore, it is crucial for our
nutrition to include the best possible quality proteins. We also need to ensure that the
digestive system is healthy enough to be able to dismantle the food-derived protein
into its basic amino acids.
As previously discussed, there are 8 "essential" amino acids and 12 "non-essential"
ones. However, as clarified in the previous article, the term "non-essential" does not
indicate that the body is able to function without it. Rather, it means that it is not
essential for this kind of amino acid to be food-derived, because the body can produce
it out of the other "essential" amino acids. Therefore, all amino acids of any kind are
essential in the sense that they are all vital "building blocks" for various metabolic
processes.
As said, the essential amino acids are termed so, because the human body cannot
produce them. Therefore, essential amino acids must be obtained from the food-
derived protein molecules, which are then dismantled into their basic units: the amino
acids. The amino acids are the "building blocks" from which the liver is able to
synthesized all the protein molecules needed for the body to survive and function,
including production and maintenance of all kinds of cells, muscles, bones,
connective tissue, skin tissue, etc., as well as production of enzymes, hormones and
neurotransmitters, which form the catalyzer for every bodily process.
A short review, herein, of the essential amino acids illustrates their vital role in all
bodily systems:
The essential amino acids Leucine and Valine are essential for muscle metabolism,
including maintenance and repair of their tissues. Leucine is also involved in
maintenance and repair of bone and skin tissues, as well as balancing sugar levels.
The essential amino acid Lysine is vital for calcium absorption and building bone
tissues (especially in children), as well as antibodies production for an efficient
immune system and a proper function of the digestive system.
The essential amino acid Threonine is also important for the immune system in
antibodies production. It also assists the liver in synthesizing collagen and elastin,
which are protein molecules crucial for the health and elasticity of the skin and blood
vessels. Threonine also functions in relation to the heart, the central nervous system
and the muscles and helps to prevent a fatty liver.
The essential amino acid Phenylalanine provides the basis for the production of the
important non-essential amino acid Tyrosine, reviewed below. It also affects appetite
and satiety sensations. Phenylalanine is the base for the production of all the
neurotransmitters activating the central nervous system and the hormonal system.
The essential amino acid Tryptophan is forming the basis for the production of two
vital hormones: serotonin for the sense of well-being and melatonin for sleep. It
should be noted that when there is a chronic protein deficiency (due to a deficient
nutrition and/or a disorder in the gut absorption), then two of the most common
symptoms would be depression and sleep disorders, and these symptoms indicate a
deficiency in serotonin and melatonin.
The essential amino acid Histidine assist in heavy metals' chelation and in myelin
sheet maintenance, crucial for a healthy nervous system. Histidine also assists in the
production of white and red blood cells, and is therefore, significant in anemia
prevention.
The essential amino acid Methionine is an important source of sulfur, as well as
crucial for maintenance of the tonus and flexibility of the skin, the softness of the hair
and the strength of the fingernails. It also chelates heavy metals and takes part in
various many other metabolic processes.
A review of the "non-essential" amino acids reveals their equal importance to the
proper function of the body. As discussed above, these "non-essential" amino acids
are synthesized by the body. This clarifies the importance of the proper function of
the digestion system in digesting and absorbing food-derived protein, and the ability
of the liver to synthesize these amino acids.
The amino acid Alanine has an important function in carbohydrate metabolism, the
source of energy in the body.
The amino acid Proline is one of the main components of collagen, responsible for the
structure of the tendons, ligaments, cartilage and joints, as well as the health and
flexibility of the skin.
The amino acid Arginine too has an important role in the production of collagen and
elastin and is, therefore, important for the health of the connective tissues, blood
vessels, the skin and more. Arginine strengthens the immune system too by
supporting the thymus gland in producing T cells. It also assists in the production of
hemoglobin, insulin and glucagon.
The amino acid Tyrosine is known for its important role in the production of the
thyroid gland hormones, as well as the adrenal gland hormones and dopamine. It has
also effect on the colour of the hair and the skin.
The amino acid Serine is important for lipid metabolism. It also helps in dismantling
homocysteine molecules, which have been connected to a heightened risk of heart
problems.
The amino acid Glycine assists with liver maintenance. It is also crucial for the
synthesis of DNA and RNA and the proper function of the nervous system.
The amino acid Taurine contains sulfur as well, which is crucial to the health of the
brain and nervous system. It also constitutes the basis for the synthesis of many
protein molecules important for various bodily systems. It assists with the
maintenance of the blood vessels, the various processes of lipid metabolism and
attaches to zinc, a mineral with many vital functions in the body.
The brief review emphasizes how crucial it is for health maintenance to ensure a
constant supply of quality protein in good quantity and in the most accessible way.
The entire array of amino acids, both essential and non-essential, is contained in all
animal-derived foods (meat, fish and eggs). Plant-derived foods contain only parts of
the amino acids and this requires vegetarians to be vigilant and punctilious in food
combinations to ensure a supply of complete protein. Moreover, animal-derived
protein molecules are simpler in constitution with less complex peptide bonds,
making them much more accessible to the digestive system. In contrast, plant-derived
protein molecules are much more complex in constitution and peptide bonds, and this
makes their digestion process difficult and therefore, less accessible to the body. This
is even more significant for those who suffer from a weakened digestive system to
begin with, which unfortunately is all too common in the modern age due to various
reasons.
One of the most common causes for the digestive system depletion is a chronic
deficiency in protein, whether due to a lacking and deficient nutrition, or due to a
weakness in the digestion function and/or in the gut absorption, or the accumulation
of all the said reasons. One of the most frequent results of the chronic protein
deficiency is a decrease in digestive enzyme's production. This, in turn, deteriorates
even further the ability of digesting and absorbing food nutrients, creating a negative
circle of deterioration. Therefore, the said condition of chronic protein deficiency
requires an urgent medical attention, because if it remains undiagnosed and untreated,
it can cause a deterioration in all bodily functions and serious pathologies.
Vegetarianism is a humane and ideal aspiration. However, according to medical and
clinical experience, very few people today can maintain good health based on
vegetarianism without depletion, especially as age advances and the function of the
digestive system naturally decrease. More so, concerning veganism. Everyone is
entitles, of course, to choose the lifestyle they see fit for themselves, but we need to
remember that everyone has their own constitution they need to take into account. We
all need to be honest with ourselves and be aware if and when a bodily weakness
develops. Symptoms of chronic protein deficiency include: chronic weakness and
fatigue, anemia, a decrease in liver function, loss of bone and/or muscle tissues,
damage to the immune system, hormonal disorder including in the thyroid gland,
changes in the mental-emotional state, a decrease in kidney function, dismantling of
the cardiac muscle, and many other symptoms and pathologies initiated by the chronic
protein deficiency. The body is endowed with an exceptional inner wisdom, and can
activate many metabolic processes to "cover up" for the chronic protein deficiency in
order to maintain what is crucial for its survival. However, the price for this is over-
usage of the dwindling inner resources, like dismantling bone and muscle tissues to
extract the needed protein and a general decrease of healthy processes to the bare
minimum.
In this series of articles on weakness and anemia, we reviewed some of the most
common causes, and especially weakness of the digestive system and chronic protein
deficiency connected to each other. A weakness of the digestive system can develop
due to various physical and emotional causes, and every case should be analyzed on
its own merit. Therefore, a thorough and comprehensive medical analysis must be
performed to investigate the dominant root causes in each case, in order to befit it
with the most efficient and successful treatment strategy. Anyone wishing for
themselves good health and long life must exercise an immediate and serious concern,
when symptoms of weakness and anemia erupt.
