Asparagine quick review

• Description: beta-amido derivative of aspartic acid, produced within a cell through asparagine synthetase.

• Health benefits: serves as an amino donor in liver transamination processes, participates in metabolic control of the brain and nervous system.

• Sources & dosage: poultry, dairy, eggs, fish, lactalbumin, legumes, meat, nuts, seafood, seeds, soy, whey, whole grains, and beef.

• Deficiency symptoms: fatigue and immune system stress including autoimmune disorders, infections and severe allergies.

MaxAmino 1200 by Vitabase

Max Amino 1200 is a concentrated source of amino acids for use during periods of intense physical activity or stress. It contains a blend of free-form and di- and tri-peptide amino acids. This highest-grade enzymatic digest of Lactalbumin provides both essential and branched-chain amino acids and is formulated with supplemental amounts of L-Ornithine, L-Carnitine and L-Lysine as well as the metabolic cofactor, Vitamin B-6. Click here for more information.

Asparagine

Asparagine, the beta-amido derivative of aspartic acid, is one of the 20 building blocks of protein. Asparagine is nonessential to the diet since the body can synthesize it. Only the l-stereoisomer participates in the biosynthesis of mammalian proteins. Its structure is identical to that of the amino acid aspartic acid, except that the latter compound's acidic side-chain carboxyl group has been coupled with ammonia, yielding an amide. Asparagine has carboxamide as the side chain's functional group. Asparagine is the ß-amide of aspartic acid synthesized from aspartic acid and ATP (adenosine triphosphate). The first amino acid to be isolated from its natural source, asparagine was purified from asparagus juice in 1806; proof of the occurrence of this amino acid in proteins was finally obtained in 1932. Asparagine plays an important role in the biosynthesis of glycoproteins and is also essential to the synthesis of a large number of other proteins. Asparagine is normally available as a white crystalline solid which dissolves in water. Asparagine can be produced within a cell through an enzyme called asparagine synthetase or it can absorbed into the cell from the outside.

Asparagine functions, uses, and health benefits

Asparagine is one of the principal and frequently the most abundant amino acids involved in the transport of nitrogen. Asparagine is

an amino acid required by cells for the production of protein. Asparagine is an essential component of those proteins that are concerned with signalling, neuronal development and transmission across nerve endings. Asparagine is essential to all living cells for the production of many proteins. Cells can either internally produce asparagine or they can absorb asparagine from outside the cell, as it is obtained from a person's diet and made available through the bloodstream to all cells in the body. L-asparagine is an amino acid involved in the metabolic control of cell functions in nerve and brain tissue. Asparagine is very active in converting one amino acid into another (amination and transamination) when the need arises. Asparagine serves as an amino donor in liver transamination processes. In the liver, a function of asparagine involves converting one amino acid to another. Asparagine helps maintain an equilibrium of the central nervous system and has therapeutic properties, but is toxic when used in excess. It also participates in metabolic control of the brain and nervous system having some therapeutic uses in these areas. In the central nervous system, asparagine is needed to maintain a balance, preventing over nervousness or being overly calm. Like glutamine, asparagine is important in the metabolism of toxic ammonia in the body. The relatively unreactive, neutral amide group in the side chain of asparagine confers no special properties upon this amino acid once it is included within a protein by two peptide bonds. Both asparagine and glutamine are made with high-energy ATP and can return this energy when they metabolize back to aspartic acid and glutamic acid respectively. Both require vitamin B6 and enzymes for their formation. In plants, asparagine is a reversible combination of ammonia and aspartic acid. This is important in plant metabolism in order to preserve ammonia.

Dietary sources of asparagine

Asparagine is a nonessential amino acid, which means that it is manufactured from other amino acids in the liver. Asparagine is most commonly found in poultry, dairy, eggs, fish, lactalbumin, legumes, meat, nuts, seafood, seeds, soy, whey, whole grains, and beef.

Asparagine deficiency

Asparagine deficiency is rare. However, an asparagine deficiency could be a contributing cause of fatigue and immune system stress including autoimmune disorders, infections and severe allergies.