Amino acids are small molecules that combine to form proteins and enzymes. Some amino acids are synthesized within your body, while others must be obtained by consuming them in your diet. The amino acids that your body can't create on its own are called essential amino acids, meaning that it is essential that you obtain them through dietary sources. Glutamic acid is an amino acid that your body is capable of creating even if you do not consume it in your diet, thus it is referred to as a non-essential amino acid.
Biosynthesizing Glutamic Acid
Your body's potential to create chemicals rivals that of any chemistry lab. Glutamic acid, for instance, is created in your body through the combination of other substances such as ornithine and arginine, according to the University of Florida's National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. It is commonly found on the surface of protein molecules and is important for the synthesis of other substances, such as glutamine.
Dietary Sources of Glutamic Acid
Even if your body couldn't create glutamic acid, you'd probably have no trouble obtaining it through dietary sources. As Dr. Jeremiah Stamler of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University explains, glutamic acid is the most prevalent amino acid found in dietary sources. It is present in vegetable proteins and is found in plant-based foods such as peanuts and kidney beans. Salts created from glutamic acid are used to make the flavoring agent known as MSG, or monosodium glutamate.
Nerve Function
Glutamic acid is the central nervous system's most common excitatory neurotransmitters, according to the National Center for Biotechnological Information. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that bridge the gap, or synapse, between one nerve cell and another. Neurotransmitters such as glutamic acid allow your nervous system, which is your body's communications department, to transmit information between nerves, allowing your brain to detect messages from your senses and deliver responses that keep your biological processes functioning.
Blood Pressure
According to the American Heart Association, glutamic acid may also have a regulatory effect on blood pressure. In the 2009 edition of "Circulation," the AHA published research indicating that glutamic acid and other amino acids found more prevalently in plant-based foods may be partially responsible for the blood pressure--lowering effects of vegetable protein. Those who consume a predominantly vegetarian diet consume a higher percentage of their total protein from glutamic acid than do those who consume meat, the study states.
References
- University of Arizona; The Chemistry of Amino Acids; September 2003
- University of Arizona; Glutamic Acid E; September 2003
- American Heart Association;Glutamic Acid, the Main Dietary Amino Acid, and Blood Pressure; Jeremiah Stamler, et al; 2009
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; L-Glutamic Acid; October 2006
- Florida State University; The Amino Acid Collection; Michael W. Davidson; February 2004
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Glutamic Acid - Compound Summary
Member Comments