Amino Acids are complex building block molecules. They are critical to life and have many functions in metabolism. One very important function is as the building blocks of proteins.

Amino acids get together and form peptides or polypeptides. It is from these groupings that proteins are made. There are several types of amino acid - infact there are 20.

The type of amino acid determines the shape of the proteins formed. Commonly recognized amino acids include glutamine, glycine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine. Three of those — phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine — are essential amino acids for humans. Amino acids make up 75% of the human body. They are essential to nearly every bodily function.