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| lysine |
| Lysine is one of numerous amino acids that the body needs for growth and tissue repair. It is classified as one of the nine "essential" amino acids because you need to get it from outside sources such as foods or supplements--in other words the body can't make it on its own. Like all amino acids, lysine functions as a building block for proteins. It's also a key player in the production of various enzymes, hormones, and disease-fighting antibodies. Lysine has many functions. It is concentrated in muscle tissue and helps in the absorption of calcium from the intestinal tract, the promotion of bone growth, and the formation of collagen. Collagen is an important body protein that is the basic matrix of the connective tissues, skin, cartilage, and bone. Vitamin C is needed to convert lysine into hydroxylysine, which is then incorporated into collagen. Lysine is also metabolized by transaminase enzymes in the liver; its metabolism depends on vitamins B6, B3, B2, and C and on iron and glutamic acid. Lysine is found in most protein food sources but is not as readily available from the grain cereals or peanuts. Lysine is particularly high in fish, meats, and dairy products and higher than most other amino acids in wheat germ, legumes, and many fruits and vegetables. Dietary needs for lysine are estimated to be 750–1000 mg. daily. Side effects are rare with lysine supplements, although a few cases of abdominal cramps and diarrhea have been reported with very high doses (more than 10 grams a day). Don't drink milk at the same time you take lysine. In very large doses (10 to 30 grams a day), lysine increases the toxicity of aminoglycoside antibiotics, such as gentamicin, neomycin, and streptomycin. |