Essential, Nonessential and Conditionally Essential Amino Acids

Essential, Nonessential and Conditionally Essential Amino Acids

While there are about 500 amino acids, we rely on just 20 to produce all of the 20,000 distinct proteins we need to live. These 20 amino acids are classified into three groups: “essential amino acids,” “non-essential amino acids,” and “conditionally essential amino acids.” Despite all being vital for life, it may seem contradictory to label some as “non-essential.” This term just implies that our bodies can produce these amino acids internally.

There are 9 amino acids we cannot make. The remaining amino acids we can make for ourselves. Out of the amino acids that we can synthesize, 7 may not be produced in sufficient quantities under certain circumstances, leading to them being classified as “conditionally essential amino acids.” For instance, during pregnancy, some amino acids may not be produced adequately. Conditions like endurance training, severe infections, or cancer place a demand for some amino acids we cannot synthesize quickly enough. Tyrosine, an amino acid derived from phenylalanine can be considered “conditionally essential” as it requires an adequate phenylalanine intake; otherwise, tyrosine must be sourced from the diet or recycled from protein breakdown within the body.

Our bodies are in a constant process of building and breaking down proteins, a process that will be further explored in upcoming articles. The next article will delve into how we acquire amino acids from our diet.

Russ Coash