Fast facts about Amino acids

• Amino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and a side chain that varies between different amino acids.
• Amino acids are part of the enzyme and hormonal system
• The molecules in amino acids contain the key elements of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
• Just as the letters of the alphabet can be combined to form an almost endless variety of words, amino acids can be linked together in varying sequences to form a vast variety of proteins.
• The first amino acids were discovered in the early 19th century. In 1806, the French chemists Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin and Pierre Jean Robiquet isolated a compound in asparagus that proved to be asparagine, the first amino acid to be discovered.
• Amino acids carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle activity.
• Due to their central role in biochemistry, amino acids are very important in nutrition and are commonly used in food technology and industry.
• They are found to be extremely useful in weight control, depression fighting, muscle building, proper hormonal activity
• Amino acids are necessary for growth and cellular replication throughout the body.