You've probably heard that around two-thirds of your
bodyweight is comprised of fluid, principally water. But
did you know that half of the remaining third (ie about 17%
of your total body mass) is made of protein. And this is
not just your muscles, important though they are. Protein
also forms your skin, hair and nails; the collagen that
literally holds your cells together is a protein, as are
many of the countless enzymes that govern your body's vital
biochemical reactions, and the antibodies that you need to
fight disease. In fact it's not too much to say that these
many thousands of different proteins are the very building
blocks of your body; perhaps even of life itself. And all
of these proteins are themselves formed of building blocks
known as amino acids, of which more than twenty have been
identified and isolated.
Phenylalanine is one of the 10 amino acids which are known
as essential because they cannot be manufactured within the
body, and must therefore be obtained from the protein
consumed in the diet. Dietary proteins are in turn divided
into two groups. Those known as first class, or complete,
which contain all of these essential amino acids, are
principally those from the animal sources - meat, fish,
eggs and milk etc. Second class proteins, typically
obtained from vegetables, grains, nuts and beans, contain
some but not all of the essential amino acids. Vegetarians
therefore need to be careful to combine these foods to
ensure they obtain an adequate intake of complete protein.
So important is dietary protein to the body that an average
adult is reckoned to need at least 56 g of a day to keep
the body in repair. This amount increases in proportion to
lean bodyweight and the stresses placed on the body. So
athletes in training may need as much as 1.5 g of protein
per kilogram of bodyweight. But weightlifters and other
strength and power athletes looking for rapid gains in
muscle mass may need considerably more; perhaps even twice
as much as this.
Dietary protein obtained through foods consumed is broken
down by the digestive process to release individual amino
acids into the blood stream, but there is some evidence
that taking these individual amino acids directly, in the
form of dietary supplements, may be beneficial in some
circumstances. These are often consumed by sports people
in training; weightlifters, bodybuilders and field athletes
in particular; and phenylalanine is one of the individual
amino acids most commonly used in this way.
In general terms phenylalanine is known to be required for
the manufacture of certain chemicals in the brain, and
research suggests it may help improve sex drive and mental
alertness, and even act as a natural anti-depressant. The
downside of these effects, however, can be an
over-stimulation of the brain which may lead to insomnia
and undue agitation during the day if an excess is consumed
for too long.
More specifically, phenylalanine is also known to be
involved in the body's production of the chemical,
norepinephrine, which has pain relieving, sedative and
tranquilising effects. Phenylalanine has therefore been
widely adopted by athletes as a way of relieving the pain
of injuries, particularly muscular strains sustained in
competition or training; and as a way of minimising the
necessary recovery time following such setbacks.
The usual recommended dose of phenylalanine is between 500
and 1,000 mg a day as capsule or powder for a period of
three weeks; taken on an empty stomach for maximum
absorption and optimum effect. Such supplements should not
be taken indefinitely, however, unless in conjunction with
a multi-amino acid supplement, because of the risk of
creating imbalances.
But those training with the intention of developing
increased muscular bulk and power will not wish to use
phenylalanine in this way in any event, because there is
also evidence that it has a role to play in the regulation
of the appetite, and may in fact be an appetite
suppressant. So it will be a matter of fine judgement in
each individual case as to the optimum length of time that
phenylalanine supplementation should be continued.
But as always, in any case, the body functions
holistically, and all nutritional supplements will function
best in the presence of optimum levels of all the nutrients
required by the body.
So if supplementing with phenylalanine for any of the
purposes described above, you should ensure you're also
getting a rich supply of good quality dietary protein, as
well as taking comprehensive multi-vitamin and
multi-mineral preparations. Plentiful supplies of vitamins
C and B6, however, appear to be particularly important to
get the best results from any program of phenylalanine
supplementation.
----------------------------------------------------
Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in
direct marketing and with a particular interest in health
products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/In
formation.htm
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