Benefits of Amino Acids

Amino Acids

Protein is believed to be the Holy Grail of nourishment for the fitness freaked people. Amino acids are the building blocks of the body. Amino acids are vital nutrients that the body obtains from proteins found in food, meat, dairy products and legumes. They include leucine, isoleucine and valine. Amino acid is a nutrient decisive for muscle maintenance, tissue repair, immunity and control on all body’s processes. You should consume amino acids in the form of whole food proteins preferably through supplements. Amino acids supplements offer health and fitness benefits. There are 20 different amino acids in various combinations present in human body. Supplements which contain all the amino acids can serve as a substitute for this macronutrient. These supplements can be beneficial in illness or when one is recovering from an injury and the need of protein are eminent. Now a day branched-chain amino acid supplements are in trend into the bodybuilding and fitness community. BCAA is a really helpful in maintaining muscle mass on a calorie free diet.

Benefits of Amino Acids

Catabolic Crisis

Catabolic Crisis: Dieting is catabolic, which can lead to muscle breakdown. The muscle loss occurs as the body increases protein breakdown (catabolism) in order to release muscle amino acids for fuel. The muscle mass of the body is amalgam by the levels of protein synthesis will also decrease due to reduced energy intake. You can calculate the muscle mass by

Muscle Mass= Rate of protein synthesis – Rate of protein breakdown

Rate of protein synthesis

According to this equation if the rate of synthesis is equal to the rate of breakdown then you don’t gain or lose muscle. If the rate of synthesis is greater than the rate of breakdown, you gain muscle and when the rate of breakdown is greater than rate of synthesis, you lose muscle. The metabolic effect of dieting is compounded by the work out.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids

Branched-Chain Amino Acids: BCAA is a supplement that contains protein subset, particularly amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. These three amino acids form most of the skeletal muscle and they play an important role in exercise efficiency and muscle recovery, while and after the work out. Whey protein is found in milk which is a rich source of leucine, isoleucine and valine. These fitness benefits are also provided by Branched-chain amino acid supplements. Some people use BCAA to prevent fatigue and improve concentration. Athletes use it to improve exercise performance and reduce protein and muscle break down during exercise. BCAA inspire the building of protein in muscle and reduce muscle breakdown.

BCAAs and Whey

BCAAs and Whey: BCAA has various benefits, people suggested it but they are worried about its price. They are overpriced and so people prefer whey protein. You should consume more whey to get BCAA as it is less effective. Whey protein is fast in digestion but it still takes time for all the amino acids to be progressive and absorbed into the bloodstream.  Instead of that BCAA supplement is free form, need no digestion and are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.