Amino Acids

AMINO ACIDS are molecules critical to life. They play many roles in metabolism and are the building blocks of protein.  

Eight aminos are considered essential amino acids, meaning that the body does not synthesize them, so they must be supplied in the diet. These include: phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, leucine, and lysine. Four others—cysteine, tyrosine, histadine, and arginine—are required for infants and growing children. 

Among the amino acids are some that have demonstrated an ability to markedly suppress appetite. For example: 

Phenylalanine

This amino acid, in a way similar to that of potato protein extract (see menu tab on this item), stimulates the release of the digestive satiety hormone cholecystokinin (CCK) when food is eaten, and this hormone signals a feeling of fullness. CCK tells digestion to slow down and sends a message to the brain that you are “full.” This process takes time—perhaps around 20 minutes.  

Phenylalanine is found in a variety of foods, including almonds, avocados, bananas, brown rice, cheese, corn, eggs, fish, lima beans, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and soy products. Now, these are all good foods, but to get enough phenylalanine from them to suppress appetite, you’d end up taking in a lot of extra calories, pretty much canceling out the beneficial effect.  

For this reason, it’s far preferable to take phenylalanine in supplement form.  

5-Hydroxytryptophan

A naturally occurring amino acid, 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), helps elevate levels of the “feel good” brain neurotransmitter called serotonin. By keeping your serotonin levels high, 5-HTP subdues your body’s craving for the foods that typically replenish serotonin (primarily, carbohydrates).

An important consideration—not only with 5-HTP supplementation for appetite suppression but for all amino acid suppressants—is that they act only so long as they are being taken. If you take these amino acids, they are likely to be noticeably effective. But once you stop taking them, their appetite-suppressing effects will end, and your appetite may return in full force.  

So be aware of this phenomenon, which can be largely offset if you are not relying entirely on the amino acids for suppressing appetite but on a wide variety of other natural suppressants such as those noted on this website. This said, many people have found amino acids a significant boost to their efforts to lose weight, using appetite suppression as one effective avenue.  

Other Amino Acid Suppressants

Other amino acids that help suppress appetite and are often included in weight-loss supplement formulations are L-Carnitine L-Tryptophan, and L-Tyrosine. 

Since every person’s body physiology is unique, it’s helpful to experiment with which natural appetite suppressants work best for you. Perhaps you’ll discover that phenylalanine works for you—but again, you may find that for you, it’s tyrosine or carnitine.  

The goal of a subdued appetite is worth the effort to find suppressants that truly do work for you!  

Great Source for Amino Acids
(Enter desired product name in the eVitamins search box)

eVitamins