Amino Acids and Their Benefits

Our body needs 20 amino acids in order to function correctly. Amino acids provide a critical role when it comes to healing, growth, digestion and energy.

The human body can produce only some of them, the rest of amino acids must be obtained from food – Essential Amino Acids.

Amino Acids are classified into 3 categories – Essential, Nonessential and Conditional. 

Essential Amino Acids – EAA

Our body cannot produce essential amino acids naturally. For that reason, we need to obtain them from food or supplements.

There are 9 essential amino acids – histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.


Nonessential Amino Acids

Our body produces them naturally. Nonessential amino acids are alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid.


Conditional Amino Acids

The human body produces them only under a specific condition. It means for example they are released when we experience stress from injury or illness. Their function is recovery. 

Conditional amino acids are arginine, cysteine, glutamine, tyrosine, glycine, ornithine, proline, and serine.

Glutamine 

Glutamine is an important amino acid that builds a block of protein and supports the immune system.

It exists in two forms – L-glutamine and D-glutamine

Glutamine protects intestinal health. Therefore, it prevents harmful bacteria and toxins from your intestines.

Apart from that, it can also help with a leaky gut. 

It has been tested that glutamine might improve exercise performance and muscle gain. However, from the research, the main benefit is faster recovery and less fatigue. 


What Amino Acids Do?

Maintain and build muscles

Recovery after workout, training

Support of immune system 

Performance enhancement

Promote healthy skin, hairs and nails

Healing 

Enhance metabolism


Brached Chain Essential Amino Acids (BCAA)

The Brached Chain Amino Acids – BCAAs contains 3 essential amino acids – leucine, isoleucine and valine.

We have to obtain them from food or supplements. 

BCAAs can be found in rich protein food such as meat, eggs, dairy. Besides that, we can find them in dietary supplements and protein powders. 

Leucine

Leucine activates muscle protein synthesis and muscle cells. For this reason, it supports building muscles and regenerates them.

In other words, when we take them after a workout, it helps break down the muscles and rebuild them.

As a consequence, it stimulates muscle growth.

Isoleucine

Isoleucine stimulates muscles to absorb glucose. As a result, it helps to create better endurance and help with recovery. 

Valine

Valine prevents the breakdown of muscles. Besides, it supplies muscles with extra glucose. It leads to support of stress release and reduction of hunger.


As mentioned earlier, BCAAs are found in food and also in some protein powders.

If you are in rush and not have time to eat, it is better to take amino acids supplements.

That way, it will help you to grow your muscles and not waste all the effort you just made in the gym.

For instance, when you have some plans after your workout and have no time to eat, then amino acids supplements are the quickest solution.

Another case can be when you workout in the evening and don’t want to eat too much. That way you can just take amino acids and eat a very light meal.

Essential amino acids can help you grow your muscles faster.


The Benefits of Essential Amino Acids

Muscle grow

A recommended dosage of amino acids before a workout – 3-6g (30-60min) and after a workout also 3-6g

Regeneration for your muscles

The same amount in the morning and evening in a rest day.

Better endurance

Reduction of fatigue

Better performance

When to take them?

Before workout

Within 30 min after workout


Summary

Amino acids play a significant role in our body including muscle growth, regeneration, energy production and support of the immune system.

The deficit of amino acids might include problems with your nervous system, immunity, reproduction, digestion.

Surely, if you have a nutritionally rich diet you might cover them. However, if your diet is poor and you workout often, then it might be highly beneficial to consider taking supplements.

As a consequence, you will get faster recovery and muscles growth.

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