What are Amino Acids and why are they important?

Over the course of the next few articles, we are going to be taking a closer look at Amino Acids. Most regular gym-goers are fully aware of the importance of a protein rich diet for building muscle and gaining mass. For many, this is as far as their knowledge goes, but if you want to really make serious gains it is well worth spending a little time learning about Amino Acids.

Amino Acids are organic compounds that are vital for not just getting bigger, but our very existence. The human body needs a number of amino acids in substantial amounts to maintain good health, they are in every cell in our body and produce proteins which help with everything from digesting food to repairing body tissue. Proteins are comprised of hundreds of Amino Acids chained together by Peptide Bonds – you can think of Protein as a big beaded bracelet, each bead signifying an Amino Acid.

Amino Acids can be categorised into three separate groups – essential, non-essential and conditional. There are hundreds of them, however only some of these are naturally occurring,

Essential Amino Acids
The essential Amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. None of these can be produced by the body, therefore they must be sourced from our diet.

Non-Essential Amino Acids
The non-essential Amino acids are alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid. These Amino acids can be produced by the body, but may require supplementation in some individuals.

Conditional Amino Acids
Conditional Amino acids are arginine, cysteine, glutamine, tyrosine, glycine, ornithine, proline, and serine. These amino acids are usually not essential, but may be required or supplemented on certain conditions such as illness or stress.

Whilst stacking up your Amino Acids at every meal is not required, it is important to get a balance of them throughout your day.

Green Lipped Mussel Powder for Cats & Dogs

We hate to see our canine and feline friends suffering any discomfort, but unfortunately as they get older, they are just as prone to suffering from arthritis and rheumatism as humans. Although there is no cure for the aches and pains caused by sore joints, treatment is available to alleviate the problem in the form of Green-lipped Mussel powder.

Many veterinarians have now started suggesting treatment with Green Lipped Mussel powder rather than NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs) due to some of the side effects experienced with NSAIDs – these can include nausea and in some cases sickness and stomach ulcers. Green-lipped mussel powder is a natural remedy that can be sprinkled over food to assist in place or alongisde NSAIDs – depending on your preference and severity of the problem.

Green-lipped mussel powder is a natural anti-inflamatory that is commonly used in humans, cats, dogs and horses. It is an ideal source of Omega fatty acids that promote joint health as well as Glucosamine and Chondroitin – the building blocks for your bones.

More information on GLMP itself can be found on our product page here.

Green Lipped Mussel Powder for Horses

Natural Health supplements have been a big thing in the equine industry in recent years. One product which we have seen a lot of ‘buzz’ around is Green-lipped mussel powder – it contains amino acids, minerals, carbohydrates and omega-3 fatty acids that promote joint health and prevent swelling with it’s natural anti-inflammatory properties. Many of the mechanisms of how Green-lipped mussel carries these properties are still relatively unknown, however, it is thought to be due in part to the omega-3 fatty acids.

Green-lipped mussel powder is well tolerated by horses and can be supplemented to their diet as a natural alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in order to maintain pain free joints. It is often used to treat horses who are suffering with chronic fetlock lameness attributed to Osteoarthritis – clinical trials have shown that Green-lipped mussel powder when supplemented orally significantly reduced severity of lameness, improving joint response and reducing joint pain when tested against a placebo.

Green-lipped Mussel Powder is now becoming commonplace in the equine industry and your veterinarian may suggest you supplement your horses diet with it for the following conditions:

  • Arthritis
  • Tendinitis
  • Bowed Tendons
  • Chronic Lameness
  • Musculo Skeletal Conditions

Our Green-lipped mussel powder is produced in New Zealand and is of the highest quality – visit our Green-lipped mussel page here.

What should you look for when purchasing Vitamin C?

Vitamin C should be manufactured by an FDA approved factory. It should always be manufactured to British, American & European Pharmacopoeias. Country of origin has no bearing whatsoever on the product, providing it meets this criteria.
Sometimes the public are misled into believing that there is “a better or purer” form of Vitamin C than what we have just mentioned. This is absolutely impossible and is usually said by small  unregistered companies looking to make huge profits from vulnerable people. We regularly see companies selling Vitamin C powder at ridiculously highly inflated prices, for a product which is the same as ours or inferior to ours. There are numerous bogus companies making false claims and huge profits.