What is L-lysine?

Amino acids are an important part of how your body functions. These amino acids are split into two categories: essential and nonessential. Both are important but essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body and need to be consumed daily as part of your diet. L-lysine is an essential amino acid and must be consumed in the proper quantities on a regular basis. L-lysine can be found in hundreds of different foods we consume everyday but are more abundant in meat products.

L-lysine is the essential building block of all protein in the body. If you are concerned about muscle mass or weight loss, L-lysine is an indispensible component of your diet since muscle needs protein to grow. L-lysine also plays an important role in calcium absorption which not only helps to build strong bones but has an effect on proper cell function throughout the body. These same properties also make L-lysine an important element when the body is trying to recover from surgery or injury.

Dietary Sources

A healthy diet must include the right amount of L-lysine in order for cells to function properly and the body to produce muscle protein. The proper amount will vary from person to person but the average adult must consume 12 mg of L-lysine per day to maintain proper health. Since the body cannot make L-lysine, it’s important to know what foods provide good amounts of the essential amino acid. A food is considered to be a good source of L-lysine if the protein is at least 5% L-lysine. Some of the best sources of L-lysine include:

Meats:

• Catfish: 9.19% of the protein is L-lysine.
• Chicken: 8.11% of the protein is L-lysine.
• Beef: 8.31% of the protein is L-lysine.

Beans

• Soybean: 7.42% of the protein is L-lysine. (spouting decreases L-lysine content to about 5.74%)
• Navy Bean: 5.73% of the protein is L-lysine when raw.

Legumes

• Lentil: 6.97% of the protein is L-lysine. (sprouting increases the L-lysine content to 7.95%.)

Other

• Eggs: 7.27% of the protein is L-lysine.
• Parmesan Cheese: 7.75% of the protein is L-lysine.

Meat is one of the best sources of L-lysine but some people, because of culture or choice, do not consume a lot, or any, meat. In order to make up for the lack of good protein in the diet, vegetarians can combine certain cereal grains with a good source of L-lysine like legumes or beans. Almost all cereal grains contain small amounts of L-lysine and can be combined with higher protein meat substitutes for a more balanced diet.

Final Word

For those trying to build muscle or lose weight, diet will be the biggest determining factor in your success or failure. L-lysine is specifically important to these individuals because it is the essential amino acid responsible for muscle growth. More L-lysine does not necessarily mean more muscle but it is important to get the right amount on a daily basis if you want to build muscle or if you just want to stay healthy.