The first amino acid to be isolated from its natural source was asparagine. The historical isolation of asparagine during the purification of asparagus juice occurred in 1806. The discovery was not immediately appreciated and the actual proof for the existence of this amino acid and its validation would not occur till the early 1930's when the need to identify each amino acid became apparent. Asparagine is a small bio-molecule and its nature and structure has recently been studied. Animal sources of protein seem to contain the highest amounts of this common non-essential amino acid. Asparagine structurally is a beta-amide derivative of another amino acid, aspartic acid and is mostly not required in the diet. The body biochemically synthesizes asparagine from aspartic acid if dietary sources of this amino acid are lacking. Chemically, the amino acid asparagine is similar in structure to aspartic acid. There is a slight difference from aspartic acid in the nature of the unique coupling of ammonia on the acidic side chain of asparagine. The presence of this side chain permits the metabolism of toxic ammonia resulting from metabolic waste in the human body. The significance of this side - chain tends to decrease when asparagine is part of a protein connected by two peptide bonds. Central nervous system balance is maintained by the presence of sufficient amounts of asparagine in the body. The presence of sufficient amounts of asparagine in the body prevents a person from suffering increased nervousness or too much sedation in daily life. In the liver, one important function of asparagine is in the promotion of the process by which certain amino acids are transformed into another form. Asparagine tends to be found in large amounts in meat and meat products. One of the most important functions that asparagine performs in the human body is to boost the liver's ability to transform one individual amino acid from one type to another type. There are no appropriate diets for asparagine, as the amino acid is normally never deficient in the body. Being readily synthesized by the body and need not be taken in the diet - it is one of the non-essential amino acids in the human body. Dietary requirements for asparagine are best fulfilled by eating some dairy products, meats like beef and poultry, eggs, and protein supplements from time to time - there is no deficiency connected to this particular amino acid. The greatest source for this amino acid is to be found in mammalian protein sources. The amount of the amino acid asparagine normally found in protein based foods undergoes degradation during the preparation process of foods - during cooking, storage, or on the application of an acid based compound to the protein source. Uses There is limited information concerning the use of asparagine inside the human body and more of its metabolic roles need to be studied. Concerning physical and mental health, there are indications that the presence or absence of sufficient asparagine may be of medical significance in some cases. Asparagine is important for certain specific processes affecting the central nervous system and the amino acid may be of significant use in the maintenance, proper functioning, and overall chemical balance in the tissues making up the human brain. Extreme mood swings seem to be mediated by the presence of asparagine and the amino acid seems to assists the body in the maintenance of mental equilibrium. The presence of asparagine guards the mental from being either too overly anxious or nervous, or being too calm or sedated to the external environment. Asparagine is also used in the body for physical processes. This amino acid is responsible for major amino acid transformations and all connected biochemical processes occurring inside the liver. The activation of metabolic pathways during the conversion of asparagine back to aspartic acid is probably this agency of biochemical importance. This process generates and releases metabolic energy for the maintenance of such important processes in the human body. Asparagine is additionally one of the major chemical precursor and facilitator involved in the synthesis of RNA, DNA, and the energy compound called ATP. The other biochemical processes that involve asparagine include the performance and functioning of anti-bodies, the bio-chemical conversion of aspartate to maintain cellular functioning and activity, the assembly of collagen and enzymatic activity, as well as cell to cell recognition in important cellular communication pathways.