L-Asparagine is a non-essential amino acid which means It is created in the body’s liver from other amino acids to aid the body in creating proteins that plays the body’s essential functions role. It is also derived from aspartic acid.
Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins. Amino acids and proteins are the building blocks of life. When proteins are digested or broken down, amino acids are left. The human body uses amino acids to make proteins to help the body.
L-Asparagine supplemented by athletes to promote performance concentration and improve mental sharpness by aiding the CNS(central nervous system) create proteins in order to develop neurons inside brain to promote the transmission of signaling, mostly by bringing equilibrium and homeostasis(balancing fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest) inside brain. It also helps body absorb iron easier and aid body synthesize ammonia which helps to protect the liver and fight fatigue. That is why it is a vital compound for people suffering from ADHD, Dementia, senility, and Schizophrenia.
Not only asparagine helps bring balance or homeostasis inside brain, it also balances our nitrogen input/output by helping body convert amino acids to each other and help prevent acidosis and alkalosis and maintain healthy PH levels. This is one of the reasons scientists believe asparagine deficiency(although rare) can cause severe allergies and infection, an unbalanced body is prone to allergies and infection easier and low PH means low immunity levels and low resistance towards allergies and infections and here we have our vicious cycle!
It also aids body generate fatty acids and proteins that the body needs to function(it is an important precursor to them for the Krebs cycle or the process of generating energy from food).
Deficiency in asparagine is rare, although people who are suffering from blood sugar problems. High glucose, prediabetes, insulin resistance and diabetes are more prone to deficiency. since It is one of the most abundant amino acids naturally and can be found in many sources of plants such as asparagus, licorice root, potatoes, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy, whole grains as well as in animal sources like dairy, whey, beef, poultry, eggs, fish, lactalbumin(whey), seafood.
Studies on asparagine are still ongoing and there are still a lot of things unknown from this amino acid.