Losing weight: the influence of age and diet of amino acids

Published: 03/16/2010 - Updated: 02/23/2018

What is the main cause of obesity? Why is it easier to gain weight and harder to lose at a certain age? What amino acids are concerned with excessive weight? The fat may be due primarily to two causes: to an imbalance or organic abnormality, or inadequate diet, high in bad fats, sugars, calories, etc. One of the most popular remedies are weight loss diets, there are all kinds of them and many ways to carry them out, however, it would be of great help to know what happens in your body, as this may be the key point of failure or success in the goal that they desire.

Hormones and overweight

In the body we have two hormones: one is insulin, secreted by the pancreas when the body goes into energy as sugar, flour, bread, etc. (what is known as carbohydrates). Generally, these foods are stored in the body as fat deposits, causing the bulge. Moreover, the hormone responsible for muscle growth (pituitary), which, among other functions, has the task of collecting the accumulated fat by insulin and dispose of it, metabolized and eliminated, so that the balance of body is maintained. The pituitary also has a role in stimulating the muscle so that it will stand firm and shape.

A person of good weight remains balanced operation of these two hormones. However, when this balance is broken, you start to accumulate more fat than normal, and results in being overweight. As time passes, the body makes weaker the ability to produce growth hormone, therefore, as we get old, the more it seems that the body gains weight, and more difficult to remove the accumulated fat.

Compensation of the hormonal balance and amino acid diet

Taking into account age is an important factor for a diet to be effective. An older person will have to rely on certain maneuvers to keep the weight in proper proportion. And it is not about losing pounds indiscriminately. The intent is that the body maintains or regains its harmonious proportions and reset your body weight.

The amino acid diet is a diet designed to achieve hormonal balance to make this happen. It is a simple method, discovered by a Japanese group of nutritionists, who discovered that by eating certain amino acids, the secretion of hormones is stimulated and thereby the elimination of accumulated fat in the body begins to increase.

What is an amino acid?

An amino acid is an organic molecule that is part of a protein. They are crystalline substances, taste sweet, almost always acidic, are chemically carbonic acids, 20 different amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. When you eat protein, your body breaks them down into amino acids to be utilized.

Plants can synthesize all amino acids, but the human body synthesizes only 16 from the recycling of dead cells and the intestinal tract, catabolizing proteins within the body. Amino acids are the "small bricks" with which the body continually builds its proteins, which are eaten by the single act of being alive.

There are 20 known protein amino acids of which 8 are essential for human life, while 2 are "semi-essential". These are the 10 amino acids the body needs to be incorporated into mealtime, because body cannot synthesize for itself. The most difficult essential amino acids to obtain are tryptophan, lysine and methionine. Note that the missing of any of these essential amino acids prevents protein synthesis that is required. Note that only a relatively small proportion of amino acids in every meal become part of the protein in the body. The rest of the amino acids used as energy source, and becomes fat if not used immediately.

In addition to form proteins, amino acids meet basic and essential functions in the body, Arginine, for example, is an amino acid that is involved with great importance in the production of growth hormone, involved in tissue growth and muscle and in its maintenance and repair, while lysine (which is one of the most important amino acids, because amino acids is associated with many more to intervene in various roles) helps release growth hormone, aids in tissue repair and helps in the synthesis of hormones.

Amino acids and weight loss

Lysine, arginine and tryptophan are amino acids responsible for growth hormone release. Tryptophan is the most powerful of them. The diet of amino acids consists in adequate doses of these amino acids to activate the counterparts in growth and fat levels can be covered. The doses required to fulfill that role depends on the individual, so it is recommended to start slowly and be measured doses.

One advantage of dietary amino acids is that it is a natural and very effective way to lose weight, and in comparison to other diets, it doesn’t "eat" the muscle, but only remove the remaining fat, which allows the body to maintain its anatomical proportions. Plus:

  • Controls anxiety by eating carbohydrates and sweet foods.
  • It is helpful in treating conditions such as anorexia, bulimia and alcoholism.
  • Stabilizes mood, fights depression and soothes the symptoms of menopause or andropause.
  • Helps to combat insomnia and reduces headaches and migraines.

How to do the diet?

Consuming an adequate amino acids dose of: arginine, lysine and tryptophan. There are some dietary supplements that can be used for this, although it is notable that there are natural foods that already contain these amino acids. For example:

  • Lysine can be found at: carrots, lettuce, avocados, figs, avocados, celery, papaya, cabbage, corn, grapes, bananas, etc.
  • Tryptophan: in eggs, soybeans (tofu, tamari, millet, etc.), fish, nuts, banana, pineapple, avocado, etc.
  • Arginine in: garlic, asparagus, onions, cabbage, peaches, lettuce, bananas, oats, etc.

About the author
  • K. Laura Garcés G

    Writer, therapist and lecturer. She is a lover of natural medicine and the power of mind and emotions in body and life. In addition, he has studied nutrition and develops appropriate diets to support this healing process.She has written more than 1500 articles in magazines in Spain and Mexico, winner of two literature contests. Linkedin.