Calcium is a mineral that plays an important role in the development of the human body. It is common knowledge that calcium is important in preventing osteoporosis. However, calcium also provides structural support in the development of muscles. Deficiency in calcium could cause obesity because it triggers the release of parathyroid hormone that stimulates the production of fats in the body and inhibits its breakdown. It also reduces the blood pressure. Calcium also has the ability to fight colon cancer by binding itself with cancer cells to inhibit its growth and progression. It is also beneficial to women suffering from PMS or premenstrual syndrome such as depression, mood swings, anxiety, water retention, breast tenderness, and headaches.

Chloride is an electrolyte that works with potassium and sodium. Electrolyte dissolves in water and carries an electrical charge, and because human body is made up of water, the Chloride can easily move around the cells of the body. Chloride helps in carrying the nutrients in the body, ridding the body of excess water and regulating the acidity in the body. Chloride also plays an important part in process of metabolism and digestion. Chloride is an essential element that makes up Hydrochloric acid in the stomach that used for digestion. Chloride helps in losing weight safely because it promotes better metabolism and better digestion while ensuring the proper nutrients are distributed in the body.

Iron is a necessary mineral for humans, needed for example to help form red blood cells which transport oxygen around the body. Fortunately there are plenty of good sources available for both the omnivore and the vegetarian or vegan These include liver, meat, beans, nuts, dried fruit , also whole grains and many of dark green leafy vegetables, although some such as spinach also contain substances that prevent the absorption of iron as do caffeine based drinks such as tea and coffee. On the other hand the drinking of fluids containing vitamin C aids the body in its necessary task of absorbing iron.

L-Alanine is considered as a supplementary amino acid. The presence of carbon atom in its composition leads to the formation of L alanine, which is organic in nature. The best sources of L-alanine would be fish, beef, pork and poultry. The various protein sources which are animal based would consist of a good amount of l-alanine. The alanine levels increases with the contraction of muscles in the body. L- alanine is used by the body to build proteins. It also helps in the transfer of nitrogen from the tissues in our body. It helps to draw blood sugar and hence acts as a good energy resource producer. This would be best suited for those who want a reduction in extra body fat.

L-Arginine is an amino acid which helps our body oxidize glucose and fat and increase the body’s lean muscle mass. It is responsible for performing many numerous functions in our body. Our body produces L-arginine with the helps of other enzymes, but at a fairly inefficient rate. So patients with a history of cardiovascular dysfunction or any other heart disease are likely to get benefited from L-Arginine supplementation. Supplements of L-arginine prevent platelet aggregation and lowers blood pressure. L-arginine when taken in safe amounts can benefit men having sterility problems. Many body-builders also use it as a supplement because it improves blood circulation and stimulates the release of nitric oxide which in turn dilates the blood vessel. High protein food like nuts, dairy products, meat, seafood and chocolate are rich in L-arginine.

L-Aspartic Acid is a proteinogenic alpha amino acid, one of the twenty that are deemed the building blocks of proteins. L-Aspartic Acid is considered non-essential, because the human body can produce it from the organic compound oxaloacetate through a process called transamination. Despite L-Aspartic Acid being classified as non-essential, it is available through dietary sources such as luncheon meats, wild game meat, sausage meat, oat flakes, avocadoes, asparagus and various sprouting seeds. L-Aspartic Acid is also playing a role in the removal of ammonia, but also as a precursor and in the production and synthesis of various biochemical compounds such as arginine, isoleucine, threonine, asparagine, lysine and some nucleotides. In recent years studies have revealed that L-Aspartic Acid seems to raise the body’s resistance to fatigue, thereby boosting endurance.

L-Cysteine- If two cysteine molecules are bound together by a disulfide structural unit, the amino acid dimer L-Cystine is formed. It is deemed a vital component of proteins, where formations of the disulfide bonds are made between and within protein molecules. It seems that thereby L-Cystine is determining to a significant amount the three dimensional structure of a prominent number of proteins. For instance, it has been determined that human hair contains about five percent of cystine. In case that the non-essential alpha amino acid cysteine is required by the body, the disulfide link is apparently readily reduced. While cysteine can be derived from protein rich sources such as meat, poultry and dairy products, L-Cystine, although present in these, is most abundantly found in undenatured whey proteins.

L-Glutamic Acid- In the proteinogenic group of twenty amino acids, the group that is deemed the building blocks of proteins, L-Glutamic Acid is one of the more commonly known ones. The reason for this fame are the carboxylate anions and salts of the glutamic acid, the glutamates. Glutamic acid is present in many fermented or aged food sources, such as cheese and soy sauce, but also in yeast extracts. The sodium salt of glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate, is a very popular and widely used food additive. Glutamate is an extremely important molecule in cellular metabolism. Glutamate is also one of the most commonly occurring excitatory neurotransmitters. Glutamate has been also identified as a precursor to GABA inhibitor. Glutamic acid is deemed responsible for one of the five basic tastes, the human taste sense commonly called umami.

L-Glycine- Glycine is an organic compound and one of the 20 amino acids deemed as building blocks for proteins. This proteinogenic amino acid is not only the smallest but also the only amino acid of the group that is not chiral, which means there is no enantiomer of glycine. With the prominent exception of collagen, which thirty five percent are glycine, most proteins contain only small amounts of it. As a solid, glycine is sweet tasting, crystalline and has no color. Despite being non-essential, because it can be biosynthesized from the amino acid serine, glycine has several important physiological functions, besides being a precursor to proteins. It is a biosynthetic intermediate of purines and the D-Aminolevulinic acid and it is an inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the central nervous system.

L-Histidine is an amino acid that is essential to the body, but is not produced by the body. It is made available through various food sources. Histidine helps in the manufacture and repair of tissues in the body, and in the formation of red and white blood cells which help in the treatment of anemia. It is also used for the production of gastric juices by the stomach. A deficiency in Histidine can lead to cataract and rheumatoid arthritis. Besides this, it is also a well known component of the skin that protects it by absorbing the ultra violet rays of the sun. A variety of foods such as meat, legumes, seafood, nuts, poultry and dairy products are providers of the required amounts of L-Histidine.

L-Isoleucine is an essential alpha-amino acid that is considered both, a ketogenic and a glucogenic amino acid. Since that L-Isoleucine is an essential amino acid, it cannot be synthesized by the body, therefore it needs to be ingested. The primary source of L-Isoleucine is as a component of proteins. It has become a prominent component of nutritional supplements, mostly with the body building and similar athletic communities, where it is believed that L-Isoleucine has the capability to increase endurance, but also to repair muscle tissue. It has been observed that L-Isoleucine ingestion allows power athletes to recover easier from very tough trainings and exhausting activities. This branched chain amino acid is one of the three main BCAA in the body, the other ones being valine and leucine.

L-Leucine, is an alpha amino acid which is extremely essential in the everyday functioning of the body. Leucine is also an essential amino acid, meaning that the human body cannot synthesize it and it has to be ingested. And is found in brown rice, nuts and whole wheat bread products. L-Leucine as an essential amino acid increases the synthesis of muscle protein and thus slows the degradation of muscle tissue. L-Leucine is also utilised in the liver, adipose tissue and muscle tissue. Simply put, L-Leucine supplies the body with energy when engaging in an athletic activity, it preserves the glucose stored in muscle tissue and it works to heal bone, skin and muscle tissue. It is also a ‘limiting nutrient’ thus it helps the body make use of the proteins ingested. Leucine deficiency can lead to depression, muscle weakness, low energy etc.

L-Lysine- Lysine is an essential alpha amino acid that needs to be ingested and cannot be synthesized by the human body. Sources of L-Lysine include meat, particularly red meat, lamb, poultry and pork, but also cheeses, like parmesan, some fish like cod and sardines and eggs. Several plants are rich in L-Lysine, soybean, lentil, spinach and buckwheat, but also buffalo gourd, watercress, locust bean and many other bean variants, including the common bean. L-Lysine is deemed vital for the overall production of protein, as a structural building block. It seems that L-Lysine also plays a prominent part in the absorption of calcium. Further properties include playing a role in the production of enzymes, hormones and antibodies, but also in the recovery from sports injuries and surgeries.

L-Methionine- Methionine is a nonpolar essential alpha amino acid containing sulfur; one of only two proteinogenic amino acids besides cysteine. Methionine is vital to several biosynthesis processes of phospholipids as an intermediate, the prominent list includes taurine, lecithin, carnitine, phosphatidylcholine and cysteine, just to name a few. This water soluble antioxidant assists in the lipid breakdown and works against free radicals. Just like many such amino acids, it can be obtained through ingestion of dietary proteins, such as meat, eggs, cheese, fish and poultry, but some levels are also available from spinach, sesame seeds and Brazil nuts. It has been found that an inadequate conversion of methionine may cause atherosclerosis. This glycogenic amino acid is also part of other biochemical reactions, like the creation of S-adenosylmethionine, which in turn is a part of the synthesis of epinephrine, melatonin and creatine, among others.

L-Phenylalanine- The human body needs L-Phenylalanine for survival as it is an essential amino acid. It is found in food items that are rich in protein such as eggs, meat, dairy products, beans and fish. Since the body cannot produce L-Phenylalanine from other chemicals, you need to increase the intake of protein for fulfilling the nutritional needs. L-Phenylalanine is one of the chemical forms of Phenylalanine, an amino acid. It helps in building up of several proteins produced by human body. L-Phenylalanine supplements act as an appetite suppressant as it initiates the release of cholecystokinin, an intestinal hormone. Once this hormone enters the stomach, it signals your brain that you are not hungry anymore. According to experts, you should not take more than 500-1000 mg of L-Phenylalanine per day.

L-Proline is a proteinogenic alpha amino acid, one of only twenty amino acids that are DNA encoded for the forming of protein. It is not deemed essential because humans are able to synthesize it from the amino acid L-Glutamate. This unique member of the twenty protein building block amino acids is the only one of the group that is distinct as belonging to the secondary alpha amino group. L-Proline plays a role in the synthesis of collagen. Collagen is undeniably the most common protein in mammals, being found in skin, tendons, joints, ligaments, vasculature and bones. It is deemed good for the health of joints, when taken as a supplement. Low protein diets, vegetarian and vegan diets as well as malnutrition lead to diminished L-Proline levels.

L-Serine- Serine is an organic compound and a proteinogenic amino acid that is considered a building block for the creation of proteins. This member of the hydroxyl group and a polar amino acid is not essential and therefore it is not necessary to ingest it by means of diet. L-Serine can be synthesized from metabolites such as glycine. L-Serine plays a role in the biosynthesis of pyrimidines and purines, furthermore it is a precursor to many metabolites like sphingolipids and to amino acids like cysteine and glycine. It is also involved in catalytic functions of several enzymes. L-Serine can be transformed into D-Serine by the serine racemase, which functions as a neuronal signal and NMDA receptor activator in the brain, a vital glutamate receptor responsible for memory functions and synaptic plasticity.

L-Threonine- 2-amino-3-hydroxybutanoic acid, or L-Threonine, an enantiomer of Threonine, which is an essential amino acid, needs to be ingested by way of diet, predominantly through Threonine containing proteins. There are two ways how Threonine can be metabolized, namely conversion into pyruvate by utilizing Threonine dehydrogenase, whereby an intermediate can thiolyze with CoA, producing acetyl-CoA and glycine; and the second possibility, where Threonine is changed into alpha-ketobutyrate, utilizing serine dehydratase, towards becoming succinyl-CoA. Succinyl CoA is a CAC intermediate, which means that it is a part of the citric acid cycle. The citric acid cycle is a vital part of the metabolic pathway which is securing the conversion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats towards usable energy. Foods containing Threonine are meat, poultry and fish and related products, cottage cheese, sesame seeds and lentils.

L-Tryptophan is the L-stereoisomer of the essential amino acid tryptophan. All amino acids consist of a basic structure which is different only in their special groups called functional groups. The amino acid tryptophan has an indole functional group. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. This means that it must be ingested from an outside source. An example of a food item rich in this amino acid is banana. Basically, all amino acids are important for the body because they are the building blocks of proteins. Amino acids also possess some special features which vary according to the type of amino acid. Tryptophan also serves as a biochemical precursor of various substances in various reactions. It is a precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin which is involved in regulating mood and gut movements. It can also act as a precursor of niacin.

L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that may be found in foods such as meats, dairy products, wheat, fish, and oats. It plays an important role in the production of neurotransmitters such as L-dopa, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine that aids in the proper functioning of the brain. It prevents feelings of anxiety, irritability, frustration, sadness and depression. It also helps in losing weight because it aids in suppressing appetite and cravings. It also has the ability to enhance the libido. L-Tyrosine also protects the skin from UV light rays by being converted into melanin. It also benefits people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

L-Valine, an essential amino acid, promotes the smooth functioning of the body. It is derived from animal and vegetable proteins like seafood, poultry, meat, cottage cheese, sesame seeds, dry whole lentils and roasted peanuts. It regulates the immune system, assists protein synthesis and glucose metabolism. It also promotes growth of muscles and repair of tissues that get damaged due to stress, disease, surgery or injury. It maintains the body’s nitrogen level and energizes the muscles. L-Valine helps detoxify the body against ammonia and prevents muscle wasting in diabetics. It assists in correcting drug addiction related amino acid deficiencies, gallbladder and liver diseases and is linked with treating neurological conditions and brain damage due to alcohol intake. One should consult a physician before consuming the supplement.

Phosphate (Phosphorus) is the chemical element with the atomic number 15 in the periodic table. It is not found as a free element anywhere in the world. In biology and biochemistry it may be the most important element, being present in all living cells of living species. It is present in the DNA, in the RNA, in ATP, but is also found in cell membranes in form of phospholipids. It is also present in the bones, where it builds calcium phosphate salts, responsible for strong bones. Apatite is a collection of phosphate minerals which are generally found in bones and teeth; namely bromapatite, fluorapatite, chlorapatite and hydroxyapatite. Several phosphates are being added to body building supplements and powders, intended to aid in skeletal and cellular strength improvement.