Amino acids are best known as the building blocks of protein. As Dr. Eric Braverman states in his book,
The Healing Nutrients Within, proteins found in the human body are second only to water. A proper diet can go a long way in satisfying the body’s needs for essential and nonessential amino acids; however, the typical diet is less than ideal. For this reason, everyone should consider adding amino acids to his or her supplement regimen. Amino acids have a variety of applications for many bodily functions and ailments. Here are just a few examples:
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Tryptophan: Natural relaxant, sleep aid
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Lysine: Growth hormone stimulator, tissue repair, collagen producer
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Tyrosine: Regulator of moods, addictions, and attention span
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Arginine: Reduces heart disease risk, burns fat, releases growth hormone
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DLPA: Controls pain and appetite, increases endorphin activity
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GABA: Good for brain metabolism, stress reduction, and sex drive
This is great news for those who are seeking natural relief, and many take advantage of the benefits amino acids can offer. However, a major consideration should be made: not all amino acids are created equally. Big box retailers often have vitamin sections where customers can purchase an array of supplements at a fairly low price. However, if customers did more research on the origins of their favourite “bargain” supplements, they might be shocked bytheir findings. Did you know that most inexpensive amino acids are derived from human sewage, duck feathers, or human hair, and are chemically produced? And, even if that issue is avoided, there is another major issue--the issue of potency. Are the ingredient amounts enough to achieve a noticeable difference in the body, or are they just there for show? For that matter, are the listed ingredients even the same as the actual ingredients contained in the capsules? For these reasons and more, we recommend buying from a local health food store instead. Health food stores know their audience, and are more likely to research products before bringing them in. Still, customers should know how to delineate the best of the bunch—even in a health food store. The best amino acids are produced using the fermentation method. This is a natural production - similar to the method used in producing yogurt, beer, vinegar, miso, soy sauce, etc. Fermented amino acids start with nutrients (starches, cane sugars) which are converted to target amino acids using microorganisms and enzymes. Consecutive reactions by up to 30 kinds of enzymes yield various amino acids. Instead of breaking a protein into amino acid pieces and trying to clean it up with solvents and chemicals, fermentation uses optimized metabolic pathways and specialized complex enzymes in order to “build” the target amino acids. It is the same natural way our bodies make many amino acids. Life Choice amino acids are all produced by this fermentation process, and they begin with vegan-based sources, which are fermented for greater cellular delivery. For these reasons, especially if you are vegetarian, vegan, or are concerned with being Kosher or Halal, you should consider taking Life Choice products. We use the same process in all our amino acids—even amino acids used in specialty formulations, like Neurotransmitter Support. Because amino acids are so easy to come by, we try to set ourselves apart not only by our quality, but also by our formulations themselves. For example, our Tryptophan is formulated with B6 (P5P) to ensure it crosses the blood-brain barrier. These little extras make our supplements more effective. We use the purest possible pharmaceutical grade raw materials, purchased from proven GMP manufacturers, and manufacture in Japan, the USA, or Europe. Except for our raw tissue gland formulations and our Full Spectrum Digestive Enzyme, the entire line is vegan. All amino acids are free form, and purity must be 99.9% or higher. We also use vegetarian capsules, because the quality of every component is paramount. The result is professional, therapeutic medicine.
Eldon Dahl, DNM, Doctorate of natural medicine, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Life Choice Ltd. www.lifechoice.net. Did you know you can enjoy this kind of well written article every month by checking out Life Choice's newsletters
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