Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, stimulate greater activity in cells associated with wakefulness and energy use, in a lab animal model.

Drinking a leucine-enriched protein drink whilst taking part in endurance exercise may boost muscle synthesis by a third.

Daily supplements of L-carnitine, an amino acid, may improve how the body handles glucose, and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.

Japanese researchers find that L-theanine, an amino acid found in tea, may help people with anxiety focus on their daily activities.

S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAMe) may be an effective adjunctive treatment for adults with depression who do not respond to antidepressants

Study of 400,000 participants finds that those with higher blood levels of vitamin B6 and the essential amino acid methionine are at a lower risk of lung cancer.

Temple University (US) scientists report that a diet low in methionine, an amino acid, may help to slow or reverse the early-to-moderate stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, in an animal model.

Among men ages 50-plus, antioxidant vitamins combined with L-arginine, an amino acid, boosts athletic performance.

Concocting a blend of precursors to fatty molecules that comprise brain cell membranes, Massachusetts institute of Technology (MIT, US) researchers find the nutrient blend boosts verbal memory in Alzheimer’s patients.