Why take amino acids supplements?
Although amino acids are found in a range of food sources, some can not be synthesised by the body, and some play a more specific role in biological processes that assist with adding lean muscle mass. In recent years supplements have progressed so that amino acids can be delivered in a form that your body can easily ingest, and thus they can go to work assisting your body add muscle, avoid muscle being lost when working out and repairing at a cellular level. Most body builders are now convinced that amino acid supplements play a vital role in building, and keeping, muscle and most supplement brands have amino formulations designed for maximum efficacy.
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Amino Acid Overview
These days body builders often sound like scientists talking about complex chemistry. This is because research into what makes the body add muscle has been intensive, as different supplement companies vie to out compete each other in an increasingly competitive market place. One thing often mentioned is ‘ amino acids’ and they have come to take on an almost legendary role in body building circles.
What are amino acids?
In the context of chemistry an amino acid is a molecule containing both amine and carboxyl. And whilst there is no point getting too technical there are a few basic points about amino acids which should be of interest to all body builders, namely:
- Amino acids are critical to life
- They play a variety of roles in human metabolism
- Of most interest to body builders is the fact they form the building blocks of protein which is the most basic component of muscle
- Proteins are linear chains of amino acids
- Amino acids also play a large range of other roles such forming parts of other biological molecules
- They can also act as ‘pre cursors’ triggering synthesis of other materials required by the body
- It is for these reasons that amino acids are very important in nutrition
- There are aminos that are considered essential to life and those which although not essential certainly are important to healthy functioning
It will be clear to anyone who takes body building seriously that amino acids play a pivotal role in helping to build lean muscle mass, and therefore their availability to the body is of critical importance.
What amino acids do body builders take?
Amino acids are vital to general wellbeing, however some are essential and some are not, and some play a greater role in the biology of muscle creation. The essential aminos are vital not only for life but for the addition of muscle. In recent years amino acids supplements have come a long way with greater ‘bio availability’ (the ability for your body to actually absorb them and use them) and more advanced research. Some aminos used by body builders include:
- Isoleucine which is a branched chain amino acid readily taken up and used for energy by muscle tissue and essential in the formation of hemoglobin
- Leucine is used as a source of energy and also helps prevent muscle protein breakdown and can help with healing of skin and bones
- Lysine levels can affect protein synthesis and inhibits viruses and thus is used as a treatment for herpes. Lysine and Vitamin C together form L-carnitine, a biochemical that enables muscle tissue to use oxygen more efficiently, delaying fatigue
- Arginine can increase the secretion of insulin, glucagon, growth hormones and aids in injury rehabilitation through formation of collagen and immune system stimulation
This is only a few and it should be noted that it is not only the ‘essential’ amino acids that are taken by body builders, as all of them play a role in healthy physiology, whilst some have more specific roles in building muscle.