NUSC 1165 Lecture 16: Nusc 1165: Lecture 16 Amino Acids
Document Summary
Amino acids are building blocks of proteins. (macronutrients) Dietary proteins start digestions and then finish digestive in the small intestine. The enzymes used to digest polypeptide chains into smaller dipeptide, tripeptide and single peptide chains are brush border enzymes, pepsin, pancreatic enzymes. Can then be taken up by the absorption cell of the small intestine. Amino acids can be used in citric acid cycle to get energy from phosphorylation, can synthesize glucose or other fatty acids, can synthesize non-protein molecules that contain nitrogen (dna, rna, atp). They provide energy in the amount of 4 kcal/gram. Your body uses more energy to metabolize amino acids. Carbs and fats are more efficient energy sources. When energy intake is deficient your body breaks dispensable proteins to be used for energy and it leads to loss of less than 30 percent of your body protein (general loss of organ function and death).
