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Benefits and functions of valine, essential amino acid
What is valine?
Valine is an essential amino acid that the body can not synthesize and therefore must be provided by the diet.
Valine is an indispensable amino acid for tissue formation, muscle regeneration and healing.
The deficit of this amino acid is responsible for sickle cell anemia, a hereditary character form of anemia that occurs because valine becomes part in the hemoglobin of the blood instead of glutamic amino acid.
The abbreviation for this amino acid is Val.
Along with leucine and isoleucine, valine is one of the 3 BCAA (Branched-chain amino acids)
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Properties of valine
Its regulatory action on nitrogen levels of our organism, such as lysin, promotes the formation of muscle tissue, and remedial action is activated in conjunction with two essential amino acids, isoleucine and leucine.
These three amino acids are called branched-chain amino acids. they serve as energy substrate for muscle. These amino acids have been widely claimed as a sports supplement for strength exercises and supplements for bodybuilders.
These properties are adequate in preventing muscular dystrophy, especially after a traumatic process as operations, fractures, sprains, strains or other abnormality where muscle regeneration is necessary.
Its remedial action not only focuses on the muscle, but it is very useful in healing wounds, bruises or fractures.
Although with lesser effects than tryptophan, it also has a calming effect on the central nervous system that helps keep the nervous balance. It keeps our mind in good condition, achieving greater relaxation and decreasing anxiety, nervousness, stress or depression.
It is necessary to maintain good health of the liver and gallbladder to prevent the degeneration of these organs by the emergence of diseases such as cirrhosis, liver failure, fatty liver or gall stones.
Valine participates in balancing sugar levels in the blood, so it is helpful in preventing diabetes.
Contraindications of valine
– Pregnant women or people suffering from liver and kidney should not take supplements of valine
– Maple syrup urine disease: A diet with foods that contain valine is not suitable for people with maple syrup urine disease, so called because the urine of patients remembers the smell of this syrup, but also other symptoms such as vomiting, refusal to eat, drowsiness, seizures, etc.
This is a condition in which patients who suffer it can not metabolize leucine, isoleucine and valine which determines that these amino acids accumulate in the blood can cause serious damage to the body, even death.
It is a disease of genetic character to be discovered in time in infants. Treatment is based on avoiding these patients to ingest the aforementioned amino acids for life.
Foods containing valine
Animal foods are those that contain more valine, especially cheese and protein supplements made from milk powder (whey protein)
Within plant foods, we include, for example, sesame seeds or peas
* More information: Foods rich in valine
Valine supplements
Although you can take supplements of valine, it is recommended to meet the needs of this amino acid through a balanced diet. If supplementation is necessary, consult with the specialist before taking it.
* Related information:
– How to combine vegetable proteins
List of amino acids in food | |
Essential amino acids | Nonessential amino acids |
Phenylalanine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Valine | Aspartic acid, Glutaminic acid, Alanine, Arginine, Cysteine, Cystine, Glycine, Hydroxyproline, Proline, Serine, Tyrosine |
More information on amino acids.
