Latest news with #aminoacids
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
You're Ruining Your Gains If You Skip These 8 Recovery Foods
You're Ruining Your Gains If You Skip These 8 Recovery Foods originally appeared on Men's Fitness. Men's Fitness aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. After an intense workout, the body needs to repair damaged muscle tissue. Pick the right food and you can jump-start that recovery process without ruining the gains you made in the gym. Amino acids—the building blocks of protein—are essential to bolstering recovery. And to ensure you get adequate amino acids, you need to eat protein. Your body also needs glycogen, found in carb-rich foods, since stores gets depleted during training. Eating a combo of protein and carbs is key to workout recovery, and foods that are good sources of both should become staples in your diet. Add these eight healthy eats to your diet to maximize recovery after a workout. Best Post-Workout Recovery Foods Lean Meat Although our bodies produce non-essential amino acids, we also need essential amino acids, ones that are not made in the body and must be consumed from our diets. One of the best sources of essential amino acids is lean meat such as chicken, turkey, and ground beef. According to the FDA, a 'lean' meat contains less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams. Choose meats that are at least 90 percent lean to ensure you're not getting too much saturated fat and cholesterol. Quinoa One cup of cooked quinoa contains about 8 grams of protein and 40 grams of carbohydrates, making it a nutrient-packed post-workout dish. Unlike other grains, quinoa is a complete protein since it contains all nine essential amino acids, which results in better muscle recovery and more energy. Plain Greek Yogurt Greek yogurt has 15 to 20 grams of protein per 6 ounces compared to 9 grams of protein in an identical serving of regular yogurt. The protein in Greek yogurt is predominantly casein, which digests slower than whey and boasts a full essential amino acid profile. Opt for plain Greek yogurt since it has substantially less sugar than flavored Greek yogurt. To really capitalize on the benefits of casein, eat it before bedtime for extended amino acid digestion. Smoothies Smoothies make a great post-workout recovery drink because of the instant absorption of a custom assortment of nutrients. Just be mindful of how much sugar you add—piling on the fruit can quickly turn a post-workout "nutrition shake" into a secret sugar bomb. Bananas Nature designed the humble banana to be a post-workout recovery machine. One serving includes about 27 grams of carbohydrates, an essential energy resource to ignite your body's muscle repair systems. Additionally, a potassium-packed banana replenishes the depleted electrolyte stores in your muscles, reducing soreness and speeding up the recovery process. The best part is that bananas are naturally sweet, which means it's an ideal addition to a post-workout protein shake or smoothie without adding any refined sugar. Low-fat Chocolate Milk The perfect recovery ratio of carbohydrates to protein is 4:1, according to a growing collection of studies. Chocolate milk matches this ratio better than any sugary sports drink, turning the lunch box staple into a powerful recovery option. A study from Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism also found exercisers are able to retain more than twice the amount of fluid in chocolate milk than in a sports drink after a workout, meaning the body is able to absorb more protein with less volume. Avocados Bananas get all the attention when it comes to potassium, but avocados actually have an average of 35 percent more per serving. The fruit is also full of monosaturated fats, which have been linked to reducing cholesterol levels. With an additional 3 grams of protein, vital for muscle growth, the avocado is a filling addition to a post-workout meal. Sweet Potatoes Another potassium powerhouse, the sweet potato contains 448 milligrams in one serving. Because of its orange hue it also comes packed with carotenoids—compounds that aid cell repair, which is vital during the recovery process after a workout. The starchy carbs from sweet potatoes also help restock energy stores, while the fiber will keep you full and encourage you not to spring for something less healthy later in the Ruining Your Gains If You Skip These 8 Recovery Foods first appeared on Men's Fitness on Aug 1, 2025 This story was originally reported by Men's Fitness on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amino Acids Market Size to Hit USD 66.35 Billion by 2034
The global amino acid market is experiencing robust growth driven by rising consumer health awareness, increasing dietary supplement use, demand from pharmaceutical and animal feed industries, and government-backed nutritional initiatives. Asia Pacific dominated in 2024 due to large-scale production and policy support, while Europe is set for rapid growth amid regulatory shifts favoring amino acid use over antibiotics in livestock. Ottawa, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Towards chem and Materials consultants, the global amino acids market size was valued at USD 29.21 billion in 2024 and is expected to hit around USD 66.35 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 8.55 % from 2025 to 2034. A study published by Towards chem and Materials a sister firm of Precedence Research. The market is growing with rising consumer health awareness tapering, increased incidence of dietary supplement use, demand from pharmaceutical, and animal feed industries and nutritional initiatives backed by government, as well as innovation with amino acid-based products. The amino acid market refers to the manufacturing and selling of organic compounds that are the building blocks of proteins that appear in many different sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, animal feed, and cosmetics. The role of amino acids is crucial as they are biomolecules involved in metabolic processes and the base of dietary supplements and therapeutics. The market is growing driven by the increased demand for protein in diets and the outset of more nutraceutical applications and health and wellness awareness. The increases in efficiency from the developments in fermentation processes and synthetic biology are also being translated into the production capacity of amino acids across the end-use industries, making this once specialized compound available for general consumption, accessible through an array of different products. Get All the Details in Our Solutions –Download Sample: What are the Major Trends in the Amino Acid Market? Growing Demand for Plant-Derived Amino Acids- Increasing veganism and plant-based eating habits is forcing companies to make amino acids from non-animal sources, ultimately for food supplements and sports nutrition. This demand will continue to foster novel and diverse products in the overall market segment. Growth in Personalized Nutrition- Personal health diets and individualized health solutions are all growing sectors of the food ingredient industry. The new emphasis on personalized nutrition has created demand for amino acid based nutrition products. This is particularly true with respect to controlling metabolic disorders, muscle recovery, and health through personalized supplements. Technological Advances in Fermentation- Innovations in biotechnology in the area of microbial fermentation are making amino acids affordable, scalable, and sustainable. Companies are able to use fermentation as an alternative to traditional chemical synthesis routes and in the continual need for non-animal-based feedstock. How Artificial Intelligence is changing the Amino Acid Industry Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to increase efficiency of production in the amino acid market, optimize fermentation, and use predictive quality control. In May 2024, the company Evonik will adopt AI-based modelling to improve accuracy in amino acid synthesis, leading to a decrease in carbon waste and energy consumption. AI can also be used to model demand signals and patterns as it pertains to food additives for animal feed and dietary supplements, all signals useful to companies like Ajinomoto and ADM as they work to stabilize supply chains. Additionally, start-up companies are using AI to streamline the discovery of new amino acid formulations to develop personalized nutrition. The amino acid sector is positioned for a new intelligence and more accessibly sustainable future given the integration of AI. Growth Factor Is the Increased Demand for Protein-Rich Diets Driving a Growth in Amino Acids? A key factor for the amino acid market is the worldwide shift to protein-rich diets, endorsed by government and health organizations. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) stresses the importance of consuming protein to reduce under nutrition, especially in developing areas. In the U.S., the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2020-2025) state that people will benefit from protein intake across age groups. India's Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently implemented an "Eat Right India" initiative that promotes protein in daily food. The growth in demand for amino acids is especially being felt for use in nutritional supplements, functional foods, and fortified beverages, which are primarily for athletes, older adults, and vegans who want to acquire essential amino acids. Market Opportunity Is the Growth of Plant-Based Nutrition Creating New Opportunities for the Amino Acid Market? The plant-based nutrition market offers significant opportunities for the amino acid market. As consumers embrace more vegan and vegetarian lifestyles, there is rising demand for amino acids derived from plants to assertively fill product nutritional gaps. According to the Good Food Institute 59% of U.S. households purchased plant-based foods in 2024, like the prior year, which is creating a variety of new opportunities for product innovation in the plant-based and fermented amino acid formulations. Companies like ADM and Evonik have expanded fermentation-based production to meet the growing demand for fermented, plant-based alternatives. Innovations in precision fermentation have expanded the availability of environmentally friendly and clean-label amino acids that affordably meet both consumer and market demand. This is an important trend aligned with the expanding consumer concerns for health, sustainability, and ethical procurement of sourcing all of which is positioning plant-based amino acids for sustained growth in the food, nutraceutical, and personal care markets. Limitations and Challenges in the Amino Acid Market Raw Material Price Volatility- Amino acid purchasing largely depends on agricultural products, especially soybeans and corn. Variations in crop yield due to local weather conditions or global trends can create unsteady raw material availability and ultimately higher production costs, affecting overall profitability. Stringent Regulatory Standards- For many regions, the food safety and pharmaceutical standards are stringent and in fact can often delay product feature approvals. Companies must ultimately conform to various standards established as authorities to like the FDA or EFSA, which also postpones product delivery to the market and adds costs. Limited Awareness in Underdeveloped Regions- Many developing countries may still have limited awareness of amino acid supplementation and its benefits - especially in human health/nutrition, leading to limited market support in these regions and trailing developed economies in adoption. Explore Strategic Figures & Forecasts – Access the Databook | Immediate Delivery Available: What are the different types of amino acids? Your body needs 20 different kinds of amino acids to function correctly. These 20 amino acids combine in different ways to make proteins in your body. Your body makes hundreds of amino acids, but it can't make nine of the amino acids you need. These are called essential amino acids. You must get them from the food you eat. The nine essential amino acids are: Histidine: Histidine helps make a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) called histamine. Histamine plays an important role in your body's immune function, digestion, sleep and sexual function. Isoleucine: Isoleucine is involved with your body's muscle metabolism and immune function. It also helps your body make hemoglobin and regulate energy. Leucine: Leucine helps your body make protein and growth hormones. It also helps grow and repair muscle tissue, heal wounds and regulate blood sugar levels. Lysine: Lysine is involved in the production of hormones and energy. It's also important for calcium and immune function. Methionine: Methionine helps with your body's tissue growth, metabolism and detoxification. Methionine also helps with the absorption of essential minerals, including zinc and selenium. Phenylalanine: Phenylalanine is needed for the production of your brain's chemical messengers, including dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. It's also important for the production of other amino acids. Threonine: Threonine plays an important role in collagen and elastin. These proteins provide structure to your skin and connective tissue. They also help with forming blood clots, which help prevent bleeding. Threonine plays an important role in fat metabolism and your immune function, too. Tryptophan: Tryptophan helps maintain your body's correct nitrogen balance. It also helps make a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) called serotonin. Serotonin regulates your mood, appetite and sleep. Valine: Valine is involved in muscle growth, tissue regeneration and making energy. Your body produces the rest of the 11 amino acids you need. These are called nonessential amino acids. The nonessential amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine and tyrosine. Some nonessential amino acids are classified as conditional. This means they're only considered essential when you're ill or stressed. Conditional amino acids include arginine, cysteine, glutamine, tyrosine, glycine, ornithine, proline and serine. Functions of Amino acids Functions of Essential Amino acids Phenylalanine helps in maintaining a healthy nervous system and in boosting memory power. Valine acts as an important component in promoting muscle growth. Threonine helps in promoting the functions of the immune system. Tryptophan is involved in the production of vitamin B3 and serotonin hormones. This serotonin hormone plays a vital role in maintaining our appetite, regulating sleep and boosting our moods. Isoleucine plays a vital role in the formation of haemoglobin, stimulating the pancreas to synthesize insulin, and transporting oxygen from the lungs to the various parts. Methionine is used in the treatment of kidney stones, maintaining healthy skin and also used in controlling invade of pathogenic bacteria. Leucine is involved in promoting protein synthesis and growth hormones. Lysine is necessary for promoting the formation of antibodies, hormones, and enzymes and in the development and fixation of calcium in bones. Histidine is involved in many enzymatic processes and in the synthesizing of both red blood cells (erythrocytes) and white blood cells (leukocytes). Functions of Non-Essential Amino acids Alanine functions by removing toxins from our body and in the production of glucose and other amino acids. Cysteine acts as an antioxidant and provides resistance to our body; it is important for making collagen. It affects the texture and elasticity of the skin Glutamine promotes a healthy brain function and is necessary for the synthesis of nucleic acids – DNA and RNA. Glycine is helpful in maintaining the proper cell growth, and its function, and it also plays a vital role in healing wounds. It acts as a neurotransmitter. Glutamic acid acts as a neurotransmitter and is mainly involved in the development and functioning of the human brain. Arginine helps in promoting the synthesis of proteins and hormones, detoxification in the kidneys, healing wounds, and maintaining a healthy immune system. Tyrosine plays a vital role in the production of the thyroid hormones -T3 and T4, in synthesizing a class of neurotransmitters and melanin, which are natural pigments found in our eyes, hair, and skin. Serine helps in promoting muscle growth and in the synthesis of immune system proteins. Asparagine is mainly involved in the transportation of nitrogen into our body cells, formations of purines and pyrimidine for the synthesis of DNA, the development of the nervous system and improving our body stamina. Aspartic acid plays a major role in metabolism and in promoting the synthesis of other amino acids. Proline is mainly involved in the repairing of the tissues in the formation of collagen, preventing the thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries (arteriosclerosis) and in the regeneration of new skin. Market Segmentation Product type Insights Which Product Segment is Dominating the Amino Acid Market in 2024? The non-essential amino acids segment dominated the market in 2024, due to extensive usage in food additives, some dietary health supplements, and various pharmaceutical formulations. Amino acids such as glutamic acid and aspartic acid are extensively utilized in flavoring agents and other products for metabolically enhanced products. As they can be produced by the body, they are commercially viable for large scale production leading to common usage. The essential amino acids segment expected to grow significantly amino acid market during the forecast period, owing to increasing awareness of balanced nutrition and muscle health. Essential amino acids such as leucine, valine, and lysine play an important role in both sports nutrition and medical diets as they can't be produced by the body and have to be consumed from food or supplements. Source Type Insights Why is Plant-Based is the Leading Application Segment? The plant-based sources segment will dominate the market in 2024, still benefitting from expanding global trends of veganism and plant-based nutrition. Soy, peas, and other legumes yield large and efficient supplies of amino acids naturally and cleanly, and consumers are largely expecting their protein products to be natural and clean label. Plant-based production is also associated with lower environmental impact, helping explain why said manufacturers and consumers have favored these foods if reduced impact is a factor. Animal-based sources segment are expected to grow at fastest rate during the forecast period, with increased amino acid density and superior bioavailability. This category comprises amino acids harvested from meat, eggs, dairy, etc., and overwhelmingly utilized in clinical nutrition and infant formula. The increase in interest towards high-protein diets and the growing presence of functional food and therapeutic nutrition segments justify the strong growth in animal-based sources. Grade Type Insights How Pharma Grade Segment Dominate Amino Acid Market in 2024? The pharma-grade segment is the largest in 2024 owing to the critical role it plays in clinical formulations, metabolic therapies, and the medical nutrition market. Pharmaceutical-grade amino acids with the highest purity are administered to patients, via intravenous feeds, in chronic disease treatment, surgery, and to patients suffering from protein deficiency or impaired digestion. The segment is the most important to healthcare systems around the world due to the rigorous quality standards and regulatory approval. Feed-grade amino acids segment are predicted to grow the fastest rate during the forecast period, owing to their increased use in livestock and poultry nutrition. Products such as lysine, methionine, and threonine have been shown to aid with animal growth and feed efficiency and overall improve animal productivity. Furthermore, the global imperative to produce antibiotic-free meat as well as the rising importance of sustainability in farm animal production will drive the growth of amino acid-based feed additives. End User Insights Which End-User Segment Dominates the Amino Acid Market in 2024? The food and beverage segment led the market in 2024. This was due largely to a surge in consumer interest in functional foods and dietary supplements. Amino acids are used for flavor enhancement (like monosodium glutamate), nutrition enhancement, and as a texturizer. Amino acids have become more important in daily foods due to increasing demand for protein and wellness-focused diet trends. The pharmaceutical segment expects the fastest growth during the forecast period, as more applications for amino acids are becoming accepted in the medical market, such as metabolic disorder therapies, tissue repair, and chronic disease management. In addition, their use in intravenous nutrition is on the rise, especially with patients with chronic gastrointestinal disorders or recovering from surgery. The evolution of amino acid-based drug delivery systems and therapeutic formulations is also accelerating the growth of this segment. Invest in Premium Global Insights Immediate Delivery Available @ What Makes Asia Pacific a Global Amino Acid Leader? Asia Pacific dominated the amino acid market in 2024, which was fuelled by very significant capacity additions and pro-development policies. Adisseo's new methionine plant in Fujian province, China was commissioned in August 2023, which demonstrates the regional level of investment in feed-grade amino acids. On top of this, Google's collaborators have seen significant traction in the stake of fermentation-derived high-purity ingredients in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors due to increasing protein consumption and urbanization. This combination of major initiatives solidified the Asia-Pacific marketplace as the world's production hub supported by alternative protein research and governmental support. Market Trends China China continues to be at the very centre of Asia Pacific region dominance. The government's feed reform is a policy-driven effort to reduce the percentage of soymeal in animal feed to 10% (from 13%) by the year 2030, which has accelerated the adoption of synthetic amino acids by large farms in China. ) These trends further reinforce China's ability as the region's powerhouse where companies are broadening their capabilities in fermentation and bio-manufacturing to exploit the new demand. Is Europe's Regulatory Revolution Driving an Increased Demand for Amino Acids? Europe expects the fastest growth in the market during the forecast period. The demand for amino acids in Europe is witnessing a dynamic shift, largely influenced by much stricter regulations limiting the use of antibiotics in livestock. As the EU has an absolute prohibition on 'prophylactic' (preventative) and group level treatment with antibiotics. In the face of these regulations, farmers may be looking to amino acids, such as lysine and methionine, as alternatives to support animal health and performance. Major organisations such as BASF are already onboard with this movement, with facilities in Germany and Belgium producing amino acid intermediates from 100% renewable electricity and effectively reducing approximately 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. As new regulations combine with environmental responsibility, we are witnessing unprecedented market growth across the whole region. Germany Market Trends Germany is set to take advantage of this rapidly evolving landscape in terms of amino acids—we see a unique combination of industrial innovation and willingness to comply with regulations. BASF's Ludwigshafen plant has shifted its amino related intermediate production to an operation powered entirely by renewable energy. In terms of livestock, German farmers are increasingly reliant on amino acids to achieve productivity targets while adhering to strict EU regulations specifically aimed at antibiotics. More Insights in Towards Chem and Materials: Polyglycolic Acid Market : The global polyglycolic acid market size was estimated at USD 6.19 billion in 2024 and is predicted to increase from USD 6.79 billion in 2025 to approximately USD 15.72 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 9.77% from 2025 to 2034. Polymer Denture Material Market : The global polymer denture material market size accounted for USD 2.49 billion in 2025 and is forecasted to hit around USD 4.11 billion by 2034, representing a CAGR of 5.75% from 2025 to 2034. Polyethylene Wax Market : The global polyethylene wax market size was valued at USD 2.35 billion in 2024 and is expected to hit around USD 3.56 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 4.25% from 2025 to 2034. Specialty Polymer Market : The global specialty polymer market volume was estimated at USD 17.71 million tons in 2024 and is predicted to increase from 19.25 million tons in 2025 to approximately 40.7 million tons by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 8.67% from 2025 to 2034. Bio-Based Textiles Market : The global bio-based textiles market size reached a size of 54.21 billion in 2025, the market is further projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.55% between 2025 and 2034, reaching a size of 113.43 billion by 2034. Competitive Landscape in the Amino Acid Market Adisseo- Major producer of methionine for animal nutrition, particularly poultry and swine. ADM- Supplies soy-based amino acids and blends for food and feed industries. Ajinomoto Co., Inc.- Pioneer in industrial production of amino acids like glutamate and lysine via fermentation. AMINO GmbH- Specializes in high-purity amino acids for pharmaceuticals and biotech research. Bill Barr & Company- Distributes amino acids and related ingredients for food, feed, and pharma markets. DAESANG- Produces MSG, nucleotides, and amino acids like lysine via fermentation. DSM- Offers amino acid-based nutritional solutions for animal and human health. Donboo Amino Acid Co., Ltd.- Manufactures bulk essential amino acids (e.g., leucine, valine) for various industries. Evonik Industries AG- Leading global producer of DL-Methionine for animal nutrition. Fermentis Life Sciences- Produces fermentation-derived amino acids and peptides for food and pharma. Global Bio- Chem Technology Group Company Limited Produces corn-derived amino acids like glutamic acid and lysine at scale. IRIS BIOTECH GmbH- Supplies custom amino acid derivatives for drug delivery and peptide synthesis. What is Going Around the Globe? In January 2025, TRI-K Industries launched Fision® GlowPlex which is an amino acid ingredient for skin aids to increase radiance and even skin tone. TRI -K's sustainable innovation will represent both a functional and sustainable approach to a new class of active ingredients in cosmetics. In September 2024, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and Danone launched a strategic partnership that aims to reduce greenhouse emissions in the dairy industry utilizing amino acid-based feed formulations to encourage a low-carbon food system. For more information, visit the Towards Chem and Materials website or email the team at sales@ +1 804 441 9344 Amino Acids Market Top Key Companies: Adisseo ADM Ajinomoto Co., Inc. AMINO GmbH Bill Barr & Company BI Nutraceuticals Blue Star Corp. CJ CheilJedang Corp. DAESANG DSM Donboo Amino Acid Co., Ltd. Evonik Industries AG Fermentis Life Sciences Global Bio-Chem Technology Group Company Limited IRIS BIOTECH GmbH KYOWA HAKKO BIO CO., LTD. Novus International PACIFIC RAINBOW INTERNATIONAL, INC. Sichuan Tongsheng Amino Acid Co., Ltd. Taiwan Amino Acid Co., Ltd. Sigma-Aldrich Wacker Chemie AG Wuxi Jinghai Amino Acid Co., Ltd. Wuhan Grand Hoyo Co., Ltd. Hebei Huayang Group Co., Ltd. Amino Acids Market Report Segmentation This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2019 to 2034. For this study, Towards Chem and Materials has segmented the global Amino Acids Market Type Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2020 - 2034) Essential Histidine Isoleucine Leucine Lysine Methionine Phenylalanine Threonine Tryptophan Valine Non-essential Alanine Arginine Asparagine Aspartic Acid Cysteine Glutamic Acid Glutamine Glycine Proline Serine Tyrosine Ornithine Citrulline Creatine Selenocysteine Taurine Others Source Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2020 - 2034) Plant-based Animal-based Chemical Synthesis Fermentation Grade Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2020 - 2034) Food Grade Feed Grade Pharma Grade Other Grades By Regional North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East Africa Immediate Delivery Available | Buy This Premium Research Report@ About Us Towards Chem and Materials is a leading global consulting firm specializing in providing comprehensive and strategic research solutions across the chemical and materials industries. With a highly skilled and experienced consultant team, we offer a wide range of services designed to empower businesses with valuable insights and actionable recommendations. USA: +1 804 441 9344 APAC: +61 485 981 310 or +91 87933 22019 Europe: +44 7383 092 044 Email: sales@ Web: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
RNZ News
06-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
What's protein, why do we need it, and how do you get more?
Photo: 123RF Distinguished professor Paul Moughan from The Riddet Institute is an expert in all things protein related. The Riddet Institute is a Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) focusing on fundamental and advanced food research. It's hosted by Massey University on the Palmerston North campus. Dr Moughan answers some questions from the Country Life team. Protein is a very important component for the human body. It's central to body function and therefore to nutrition. We get proteins from the foods we eat - we don't need protein itself but rather the amino acids that are the building blocks of protein. When we eat protein, it gets broken down to amino acids and it is those that are absorbed. There are nine essential amino acids. Some foods can supply all nine of those amino acids readily, while others might be deficient in one of those essential amino acids. Follow Country Life on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts. The amount of protein we need depends on a persons age and weight. The average adult needs about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight - so a person who weighs 80kg needs about 65g of protein per day. Again though it comes back to the quality of the protein and the amino acids you can get from it. From a lesser quality protein you might need more to get the same benefit. We also need more protein as we age - about 1.5g compared to 0.8g. Generally there's no such thing as too much protein for most people. Distinguished professor Paul Moughan from the Riddet Institute. Photo: Supplied There are major differences between proteins. Consumer information is pretty poor. Looking at the protein content on a product's label is a good starting point but it doesn't speak to the quality of the protein. As a general rule, animal-based proteins - so milk, dairy- based proteins, egg, meat, fish - are all very high quality. They have all the amino acids you need and they're highly digestible and highly available. Soyabean-based foods like tofu and tempeh are also high quality. Peas and beans tend to be high in protein but the quality is not always high. A lot of the vegetable-based proteins are less good quality so you would need to consume more of them. Pea and potato-based proteins can be good for vegan or vegetarian diets though. In the past it didn't matter too much because we generally consumed mixtures of proteins. Now there's a movement worldwide to go away from animal-based proteins more towards vegetable-based proteins and as we do that we need to be more careful. There have been studies of vegan and vegetarian diest which have found people were not meeting their total protein requirements in terms of quality. Protein quality is going to become more of an issue. When we look at future world food needs, because the world population is growing, it's also ageing, protein is going to become a major consideration. I personally think it shouldn't be vegetable or animal. It needs to be vegetable and animal. It may be very appropriate to move towards more vegetable-based foods but I think people who completely exclude animal-based foods may well be entering into the territory of nutritional inadequacy and problems with their diet. It's all about balance.
Medscape
23-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
EMA Recommends Treatment for Maple Syrup Urine Disease
The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted an exceptional circumstances positive opinion for Maapliv, a solution of amino acids intended for the treatment of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) in patients presenting with an acute decompensation episode from birth and who are not eligible for an oral and enteral branched-chain amino acids (BCAA)-free formulation. MSUD is a rare genetic disorder of BCAA metabolism. In this condition, buildup of toxic metabolites from BCAAs produced from protein breakdown leads to significant and potentially irreversible developmental effects. It may cause metabolic derangements, cerebral edema, seizures, coma, and respiratory failure, and it may be fatal. It affects fewer than 0.1 in 10,000 people in the EU, equivalent to fewer than 5000 people. This is below the ceiling for orphan drug designation (5 in 10,000). In 2020, the EMA granted orphan designation to a solution of amino acids not containing any BCAAs, intended to be given by infusion to replace other sources of amino acids. At the time, the EMA said, there were no suitable treatments authorized in the EU for MSUD, and patients were managed with strict diets to control the amount of BCAAs taken in from proteins. Some forms of the disorder also responded to vitamin B supplements. Some patients needed hospitalization for enteral feeding or procedures to filter BCAAs directly from the blood. Other patients were judged suitable for liver transplantation, which restores the ability to break down BCAAs. Medicine Reduces Harmful Amino Acids Maapliv, manufactured by Recordati Rare Diseases, is a combination of amino acids free of BCAA. It is used as a solution for infusion in combination with carbohydrate and lipid supplementation to prevent or reverse protein catabolism and promote anabolism in patients with MSUD decompensation, thereby reducing harmful alpha-keto acid levels. The CHMP said that leucine normalization had been shown in patients with MSUD decompensation who are given Maapliv in five scientific publications that reported on parenteral use of BCAA-free solutions with the same formulation as Maapliv. Treatment with Maapliv should be initiated under the supervision of a physician experienced in the management of MSUD disease. Detailed recommendations for the use of Maapliv will be described in the summary of product characteristics, which will be published on the EMA website in all official European Union languages after the marketing authorization has been granted by the European Commission.
