Non-proteinogenic amino acids

Okay, kiddo, you know how we need food to grow and be healthy? Well, our bodies use a special kind of food called protein to do a lot of important jobs, like building muscles, making hormones, and fighting off germs.

Proteins are made up of tiny building blocks called amino acids. Most of the time, our bodies use 20 different kinds of amino acids to make proteins. These are called proteinogenic amino acids.

But did you know that there are other kinds of amino acids? They're called non-proteinogenic amino acids, and they don't get used to make proteins. Instead, they do other cool things in our bodies.

One example of a non-proteinogenic amino acid is called gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA for short. GABA is like a special messenger in our brains that helps us feel calm and relaxed. It's kind of like a brake pedal on a car - it helps slow things down when we're feeling stressed or anxious.

Another non-proteinogenic amino acid is called taurine. Our bodies use taurine to help digest fats, and it's also important for our hearts and eyes to work properly.

So, while proteinogenic amino acids are superheroes that help us build and maintain our bodies, non-proteinogenic amino acids are a little bit like sidekicks - they might not get as much attention, but they're still really important for keeping us healthy and strong.