How to Normalize Your pH with Histidine

Histidine: Protector of Skin, Remover of Mercury, Amino Acid.

That's quite a title.

Undoubtedly, you’re familiar with the collagen trend. From protein powders to facial wipes, collagen is widely considered a cult favorite product for athletes and beauticians alike. But what about collagen makes it so trend-worthy? Why did we opt for collagen when concocting our super-powerful Collagen Protein Powder? Short answer: Amino acids. Welcome back to high school biology: collagen protein is built up of numerous amino acids, each acid working to benefit your body and keep you operating the way a healthy body should on a day-to-day basis. There are 20 amino acids in the body, but we want to take a closer look at one in particular -- histidine.

Why Histidine?

The amino acid histidine is unique, with a laundry list of holistic benefits. Most amino acids can be considered either nonessential (the body produces it on its own) or essential (the body can’t produce it on its own, so food or supplements are necessary to obtain it). Histidine falls into the category of the nine essential amino acids (super science note here: there are very small amounts of histidine produced in the liver), making it important to obtain histidine from the foods we consume and the beverages we drink.

But what makes it so necessary? Why does the body need histidine? Think of it in terms of a pool -- you have to balance the pH level with proper chemicals and chlorine amounts to keep it from growing algae and turning weird colors. The same is true for our body; we need to introduce the proper amino acids into our system to keep things balanced and running properly. On a bodily function kind of level, it works to perform numerous tasks internally:

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  Histidine breaks down trace elements such as zinc, copper, iron and manganese so the body can use them for energy.

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  Histidine aids cognitive functions by helping form myelin sheaths. Myelin sheaths act as outer protective layers of the nerves to rapidly move signals to the brain.

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  Histidine regulates hemoglobin, the protein with the important task of dispersing oxygen from the lungs into the body’s tissues.

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  Histidine helps in protecting the skin from the unpleasant effects of UV (ultraviolet) radiation. It produces urocanic acid to absorb UV and keeps the skin cells from being drastically harmed.

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  It helps rid the body of heavy metals such as mercury.

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  It stimulates the production of gastric acid in the stomach in order to aid digestion.

Believe it or not, the list continues. It goes without saying that keeping regulated amounts of histidine in your body is vital for overall mental and physical health!

Where Can I Get My Hands On Some Histidine?

Histidine, as found in protein, can be obtained from a variety of sources, both in foods and supplements. As stated before, the liver will make what could technically be considered an adequate amount of histidine for an adult, but it’s especially important for children to obtain the necessary amounts of histidine as a deficiency in said amino acid could lead to eczema and other health issues. (Need help with those kids lunches? We got you.) A majority of the foods you probably eat already are good sources of histidine. Meat, fish, chicken and eggs, dairy and most whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, rye) are rich in histidine. Additionally, cauliflower, seafood, potatoes, citrus fruit, mushrooms and bananas will give your diet a nice histidine boost. It is worth noting that animal-based proteins contain higher levels of protein (and thus contain a greater amino acid content) than plant-based proteins, so if you’re sticking to an eating plan focused heavily on plant-based products, consider supplementing your diet with a protein powder in order to avoid unpleasant deficiency effects.

What’s the Easiest Way to Get My Histidine Fix?

At BUBS Naturals, we know how difficult it is to find supplements free of additives and flavorings, so we’ve made it easy for you. We simply don’t include anything in our Collagen Protein Powder aside from collagen protein. Yup - why bother adding supplements to your diet if they do more damage than good? That’s why we steer clear of anything other than hydrolyzed, grass-fed and pasture-raised peptides. We're even Whole30 approved and NSF Certified. Because of this, we can promise you’re consuming nothing other than pure collagen protein and all of its amino acids (and all of their glorious benefits). Collagen has many claims to fame, including improving skin appearance and condition and facilitating good digestive health. These benefits are primarily due to the amino acid histidine found within the collagen protein. When you pour a scoop or a handy travel-size packet of BUBS Naturals Collagen Protein Powder into your morning coffee or post-workout smoothie, your body immediately goes to work breaking down the protein to get access to the amino acids within. These amino acids, histidine included, then go to work within the body’s systems, helping with anything from removing heavy metals to glowing up your complexion to increasing workout stamina. And this is why collagen is such a trend - the benefits of adding Collagen Protein Powder to your daily life are undeniable!