Lysine

What is Lysine?

Lysine is the amino acid which is found in different foods in the form of proteins. For example beans, cheese, meat, milk, brewer’s yeast, yogurt, wheat germ, and other animal proteins. It contains an α-amino group, an α-carboxylic acid group and a side-chain lysyl classifying it as a charged aliphatic amino acid.

It is essential for humans, meaning the body cannot synthesize it and thus it must be obtained from the diet. The availability of lysine has been, in general, reduced with different methods of preparation of food such as heating foods in the presence of a reducing sugar and heating foods in the presence of sucrose or yeast; and cooking without the presence of moisture at high temperatures.

Without this kind of amino acids, animals could not absorb calcium or make any collagen, nor can create any type of antibodies, enzymes or hormones and it is important in the growth  of animals and also eyesight. Lysine is said to be at the base of life on this planet.

Lysine Structure

Lysine Uses

• There are mainly two uses of lysine: traditional and general uses which are as given below-

1. Traditional (Ethnobotanical) Uses:
   

   Lysine is an essential amino acid as body can’t produce it. It must be taken in either as part of the daily diet or in the form of supplementation.

2. Other Uses:
   

   Lysine is used for the prevention and treatment of herpes infections and cold sores. It also increases the absorption of calcium and eliminates its excretion by the kidney.

Lysine-rich foods:

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Read more:

• Asparagine amino acids
• Glutamic acid