Amino Acids ⁽²⁾

Definition: Amino acids are basic units that, when arranged in a specific order, form proteins. Each amino acid gives the protein specific chemical properties, and the order of assembly gives it a very precise function. A protein is manufactured according to a code contained in the DNA, and each amino acid corresponds to a triplet, meaning three letters of the DNA code. In biochemistry, proteins are long chains made up of links: molecules called amino acids. They carry an acid group and an amino group.

Twenty-two amino acids serve as the basis for protein construction, and are the same for all living beings. They all have the same basic structure: carbon. Among these, 19 amino acids contain only four chemical elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. The human body is capable of producing some amino acids itself (about half), but the others (so-called essential amino acids) cannot be synthesized by the body and must therefore be supplied directly through diet.