Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why are amino acids important in human nutrition?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
nutrition
Vegetables are an important part of a balanced diet.
Amino acids are fundamental to human nutrition because they serve as the essential building blocks of proteins, which are vital for growth, health, and metabolic function. During digestion, dietary proteins are broken down into these constituent amino acids, which the body then reassembles into specific proteins required for various physiological needs.12
Beyond protein synthesis, amino acids are critical for the production of other essential nonprotein compounds, including:
- Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers like serotonin and GABA that regulate nervous system function.13
- Hormones: Regulatory molecules such as thyroxine.13
- Metabolic Intermediates: Compounds like creatine and those involved in the urea cycle, which helps remove nitrogenous waste.13
- Biological Cofactors: Precursors for molecules like heme, necessary for oxygen transport.3
Humans require 20 common amino acids. While the body can synthesize about 10 of these, the remaining 9—known as essential amino acids—cannot be produced in sufficient quantities and must be obtained through the diet.14