Do Amino Acids Help Your Skin?
When it comes to antiaging nutrition, amino acids work behind the scenes to keep skin strong, smooth, and naturally wrinkle-free. These little building blocks support your muscles and energy levels, help hormone regulation, and play a huge role in keeping your skin firm and smooth.
As we age, our body’s natural production of certain amino acids slows down (along with many other things 😳), so understanding how they support skin structure and overall health is important
What Are Amino Acids in Simple Terms?
Amino acids are like the basic building blocks your body can’t do without. You’ve probably heard words like collagen, elastin, and keratin tossed around in skincare marketing.
Well, those all come from amino acids, but it doesn’t stop there! They’re also key players in keeping muscles strong, hair healthy, skin firm and plump, and even helping your digestion.
Oh, and they’re also the starting point for making hormones—so yeah, amino acids are kind of a big deal. It’s safe to say we need them for just about everything!
Amino Acids, Peptides, and Protein
A quick explanation of the difference between amino acids, peptides, and proteins since peptides are making quite a scene these days (Ozempic, is a semaglutide that mimics a natural hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 or GLP-1)…
Amino acids are like individual Lego blocks, the smallest units that make up proteins.
Peptides are short chains made by linking amino acids together (like putting a few Lego blocks in a row). Peptides are
Proteins are larger and more complex, made of multiple peptide chains linked together and folded into functional shapes (think of a whole Lego castle). When it comes to skin health, collagen, elastin, and keratin are names you’ll come across frequently.
What do Amino Acids Do?
Back to amino acids…they’re essential for a ton of body functions, which makes them a key part of antiaging nutrition and holistic skincare. Here’s how they’re working for you behind the scenes:
Build and repair: They help your body make proteins, which are key for building and repairing muscles, skin, hair, nails—basically, all your tissues.
Energy production: Some amino acids can be used for energy, especially when you’re low on carbs or fat.
Enzyme and hormone support: Amino acids are the building blocks for enzymes, which help with chemical reactions (like digestion), and hormones, which regulate everything from metabolism to mood.
Immune function: They help your immune system by producing antibodies that fight off infections.
Nutrient transport: Amino acids help move nutrients and oxygen around the body, helping everything function smoothly.
Essential vs. non-essential
There are 20 different amino acids. Your body can make some and some we need to get from our diet.
The non-essentials your body can make on its own, so you’re usually pretty good as long as you're eating a diet with enough protein.
The essentials, on the other hand, you gotta get from food, but non-essential and essential play well together and depend on each other to keep things running smoothly.
Essential Amino Acids
There are nine essential amino acids—these are the ones that need to come from your diet.
1. Histidine – this one’s a big deal for your immune system, digestion, and nerve function. It helps produce histamine (yep, that’s where it gets its name), which is important for fighting off allergens and regulating sleep-wake cycles.
2. Isoleucine – a powerhouse for muscle metabolism and immune function, isoleucine helps repair muscle tissue after a workout and keeps your energy levels steady.
3. Leucine – if you’re into building lean muscle, you’ll want to pay attention to leucine. It’s vital for muscle protein synthesis, helps heal wounds, and balances blood sugar levels.
4. Lysine – your body needs lysine for collagen production (hello, skin and joint health!), calcium absorption, and supporting the immune system.
5. Methionine – this amino acid is crucial for metabolism and detoxification. Methionine also helps your body process fats and prevent oxidative stress.
6. Phenylalanine – a mood booster! Phenylalanine is a precursor to neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, which are important for mood regulation and cognitive function.
7. Threonine – think of threonine as a repair crew—it supports healthy skin, teeth, and bones by helping in the production of collagen and elastin. It also plays a role in fat metabolism.
8. Tryptophan – ever felt sleepy after eating turkey on Thanksgiving? You can thank tryptophan. It’s converted into serotonin (the "feel-good" hormone) and melatonin, helping with mood, sleep, and relaxation.
9. Valine – Valine helps with muscle growth and tissue repair, but it’s also key for mental focus and emotional calm. It prevents muscle breakdown during exercise and supports the nervous system.
Non-essential Amino Acids: Your Body Makes
Non-essential amino acids are those that your body can produce on its own, so you don’t need to get them from your diet. However, they still play important roles in maintaining health. Here’s a breakdown of the 11 non-essential amino acids and what they do:
1. Alanine – Helps convert glucose into energy and remove toxins from the bloodstream. It's also vital for muscle tissue repair.
2. Arginine – supports immune function, promotes healing, and helps with the production of nitric oxide, which improves blood flow. It's often considered "conditionally essential," meaning in certain situations (like stress or illness), your body may need more than it can make.
3. Asparagine – plays a role in the production of proteins and supports brain development and function.
4. Aspartic Acid – involved in the Krebs cycle, which produces energy for cells. It's also important for synthesizing other amino acids.
5. Cysteine – helps in detoxification, forms part of the antioxidant glutathione, and is important for skin, hair, and nail health. Like arginine, it’s conditionally essential.
6. Glutamic Acid – acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, helping nerve cells send signals. It's also important for learning and memory.
7. Glutamine – critical for gut health and immune system support. It’s also a major fuel source for cells in the digestive tract and can be conditionally essential under stress or illness.
8. Glycine – involved in the formation of collagen (which is key for skin, bones, and joints) and also helps regulate immune responses and can help with sleep.
9. Proline – another big player in collagen production, proline helps with skin elasticity and tissue repair.
10. Serine – supports brain function, helps produce antibodies, and plays a role in the metabolism of fats and proteins.
11. Tyrosine – a precursor to neurotransmitters like dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, which influence mood and stress response. It’s also important for thyroid function.
Again, your body can make these amino acids, but it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet so that you have the building blocks to make them when needed, especially if you’ve got a lot of stress going on.
As we get older, protein becomes even more important, especially to help prevent sarcopenia (losing muscle). If you’d like to avoid the assisted living and stay strong and independent, you need to have enough protein in your diet.
What Foods are Complete Proteins?
In order to be considered a complete protein, a food needs to have all nine essential amino acids. Here’s a list of both animal and plant complete proteins…
Meat and Poultry - Beef, pork, chicken, and turkey are excellent sources of complete protein. They also contain important nutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.
Seafood - Fish and shellfish are another great source of complete protein. They are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for heart and brain health.
Eggs - Eggs are a versatile source of complete protein. They can be boiled, scrambled, or used in baking to add protein to meals.
Dairy - Milk, cheese, and yogurt are all sources of complete protein. They are also good sources of calcium, which is important for bone health.
Quinoa - This ancient grain is one of the few plant-based sources of complete protein. It is also gluten-free and a good source of fiber.
Soy Products - Tofu, tempeh, and edamame are all sources of complete protein.
Buckwheat - Despite its name, buckwheat is not a wheat grain and is gluten-free. It is a good source of complete protein. I love Buckwheat pancakes and soba noodles.
Hemp Seeds - These small seeds are a good source of complete protein, as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. You can add them to smoothies, yogurt, or in baking.
So, the answer is…yes! Amino acids play an important role in skin health by helping the skin repair and regenerate, promoting the production of collagen, and keeping it hydrated and so you have that sought-after healthy glow.
Whether you’re looking to age well, have more pep in your step, or just feel better, make sure you get enough amino acids. Basically, eat enough protein or supplement to fill in the gaps.
Next up... Peptides! These little gems are quite the buzzword right now, and for good reason. Keep your eyes peeled for my next blog post, where I’ll dive into what all the hype is about, along with a new line of natural peptides that I’m really excited to try.
References:
Solano F. Metabolism and Functions of Amino Acids in the Skin. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1265:187-199. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-45328-2_11. PMID: 32761577.