Amino Power, Protein Effectiveness and Nitrogen Balance
Human nutrition consists of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and minerals. While each of these components has a vital role in the body and its functioning, proteins are associated with all life forms.
Mulder first identified the proteins in 1838 and claimed that protein found in the body has several roles. These include proteins as enzymes, peptide hormones, antibodies, and proteins as structures forming the cell membrane.
What gives proteins their importance primarily is the amino acids that make them. These amino acids can further be divided into essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids. The essential amino acids are the type of amino acids which cannot be produced by our bodies and need to be consumed through external sources. The eight amino acids that every adult requires for a healthy body include:
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Lysine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Threonine
- Tryptophan
- Valine
Amino Power – A Product With The Perfect Ratio's Of Essential Amino Acids
Frontier Supplements has come up with a new amino acid composition, known as Amino power, that is based on the research conducted in 1998 that initially discovered the master amino pattern. This may provide the body with similar nitrogen contents as that found in a hen's egg. This amino acid composition consists of essential amino acids, as studies have found these to have a higher net nitrogen utilization as compared to non-essential amino acids. This may prove to be beneficial for individuals who have been affected by certain health conditions where a restricted nitrogen intake is required. These may include kidney and liver disorders. Moreover, it may also prove to be beneficial for conditions like protein-calorie malnutrition.
To be more specific, the invention is made up of essential amino acids, which include leucine, isoleucine, methionine, lysine, threonine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and valine. Their unique combination allows the formula to provide the body with a net nitrogen utilization of at least 75%. It may also be as high as 95%. However, the invention does not only consist of essential amino acids but may also contain specific amounts of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids.
But What Makes Amino Power Truly Unique?
While the combination of the essential amino acids in the product makes it beneficial for the body, this ratio of these amino acids makes this product truly unique. The ratios of amino acids which have been taken in Amino Power.
These unique ratios of the amino acids incorporated in Amino power ensure that up to 99% or more of these amino acids are utilised and there is no waste!
How Does It Benefit Your Body?
The primary benefits offered by AminoPower, due to its unique combination of amino acids, include:
- Helping build stronger muscles
- Allow increased stamina and higher energy levels
- Promote a younger looking skin and healthier-looking hair and nails
- Promote memory and good mood
- Relieve Joint Pain
This combination of amino acids can also benefit infants, drug abusers, alcoholics and individuals with AIDS, cancer patients and psychiatric patients with protein-calorie malnutrition. It may also be given to individuals who have undergone recent surgery, patients with burns, individuals with kidney and liver disorders, people with diabetes, individuals with hypercholesterolemia and individual diagnosed with gout. It may also be used for the effective prevention of obesity.
Understanding The Concepts Of Nitrogen Balance And Net Nitrogen Utilisation
In order to estimate the nutritional value of proteins, the nitrogen balance in the body can be used. Nitrogen balance is a term used to calculate the difference between nitrogen intake and output. If the difference between intake and out is positive, it means the body is undergoing active growth. On the other hand, if it is negative, this means there is a loss of nitrogen from the body.
Another important term that is used to compare the nitrogen balance of different diets and food sources is net nitrogen utilization. It is beneficial to have a higher net nitrogen utilization, which means that majority of the amino acids are absorbed and used by the body, and no unused amino acid is left behind. On the other hand, a lower net nitrogen utilization would be indicative of a higher number of unabsorbed amino acids, which later get converted to blood nitrogen urea.
But Is Amino Power Truly Effective?
The effectiveness of this combination of essential amino acids has also been proven in a number of studies. One such study was conducted as a double-blind clinical trial on 66 individuals. This trial lasted over a period of 12 weeks, during which the net nitrogen utilization was determined after different diets in each of these individuals. The results of the study showed that the individuals who were given a combination of amino acids like isoleucine, leucine, lysine, valine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and tryptophan had a higher net nitrogen utilization than those individuals who were given other combinations. In addition, this formulation contained protein content higher than in a whole hen's egg.
Another similar double-blind study was conducted on 72 individuals over a period of 114 days. The study was conducted to investigate the nitrogen balance and weight loss in the participants over the 28 days after they were fed different diets. The results of the study showed that the individuals who had the highest net nitrogen utilization were the ones that received the diet consisting of essential amino acids like isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.
The effectiveness of these amino acids was once again proven in another research which was conducted as a double-blind study, including thirty individuals. The study was conducted over a period of 100 days with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of different food sources like a combination of essential amino acids, dried bovine milk, supplemented dried milk, soybean flour and supplemented soybean flour. The results showed the highest net nitrogen utilization to be achieved by the individual who was consuming the combination of essential amino acids, including isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. This utilization of nitrogen was much higher than that seen for other food sources and diets like dried bovine milk, supplemented dried milk, soybean flour and supplemented soybean flour.
