How Amino Acids can improve your Exercise Regime

There are thousands of proteins in the human body, and only 20 amino acids that aid in the production of these proteins. Of the 20 that we have identified, only 9 are essential. Essential amino acids are those that the body cannot produce by itself and are acquired from food or supplement sources. And of the 9 amino acids, 3 are Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). These BCAAs include leucine, isoleucine and valine. These 3 amino acids show potential in terms of muscle growth and protection.

The benefits of Branched-Chain Amino Acids

Branched-chain amino acids are 3 of the 9 essential amino acids, meaning the body cannot produce them naturally. These can be obtained from food or supplements. Some benefits include muscle protection and symptom management for liver disease.

Muscle Protection

Amino acids, muscle growth and muscle recovery are essential for the body. Supplementation with amino acids increases the rate of muscle growth as protein synthesis is more efficient and muscle breakdown is reduced. Branched chain amino acids are commonly used by high level athletes to improve performance.

Muscle Growth

Branched-chain amino acids have shown potential to increase muscle growth by stimulating the pathways that aid in muscle protein synthesis. In a recent study, scientists found that one can increase their muscle protein synthesis by up to 22% when consuming a drink high in BCAAs.

Muscle recovery

Most of us, after an intense workout, may feel stiff and sore a day or two after. This feeling is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It develops 12-24 hours after the workout and can be rather uncomfortable, and even set us off doing our next workout. Just as BCAAs help to grow muscle, they can also prevent muscle damage. Branched-chain amino acids decrease the breakdown of proteins and reduce the levels of creatine kinase, which is an indicator of muscle damage. 

Reduced fatigue

Our body’s use up BCAAs when exercising, causing the blood levels to decrease. When these levels decrease in our blood, it causes tryptophan levels in our brain to increase. This is converted to serotonin which is a molecule thought to contribute to fatigue. By supplementing more BCAAs, one adds to the blood levels and keeps the levels of tryptophan stable in the brain, thus decreasing fatigue.

Foods high in BCAAs

BCAAs are typically found in foods and whole protein supplements. Foods high in these amino acids are usually meat and eggs, meaning that those on vegan/vegetarian diets should be extra cautious about their amino acid availability. Some of these amino acid sources include:

• Beef (round)
• Chicken breast
• Whey protein powder
• Soy protein powder
• Canned tuna
• Salmon
• Turkey breast
• Eggs
• Parmesan cheese
• 1% milk
• Greek yoghurt

Summary

Branched-chain amino acids are extremely valuable for exercise, muscle preservation and growth. Not only can they reduce muscle loss and damage, they can also help grow and repair muscle. Consuming BCAAs can improve strength, endurance and reduce fatigue during exercise. Although most of us consume these amino acids in our diet already, it is important to ensure that we are getting enough of these essential nutrients, especially those who have stringent and intense exercise regimes.