Health Benefits of Amino Acids

by Kevin Cunningham - Posted 9 months ago

What are the Health Benefits of Amino Acids?


Amino acids, in particular, are typically safe to use daily as long as they are not ingested in large quantities. Because people's dietary demands vary so much, it's difficult to tell what the top limit for amino acids, in general, could be.

The optimal time to consume branched-chain amino acids is during exercises by adding 5-10 grams to your shake program, both pre-workout or post-workout, to nourish your body and rebuild your muscles.

Health Benefits of Amino Acids

Muscle Protector

Muscle tissue is mainly made up of proteins, and proteins are made up of amino acids. Amino acids have a significant impact on muscle building. As you may know, increasing your amino acid intake can help you gain muscle growth, strength, and function by boosting muscle protein synthesis or the formation of new muscle tissue.

However, did you know amino acids can also assist in preventing muscle breakdown during exercise or in between meals? In other words, they promote muscle growth and safeguard the gains you've fought to achieve.

When you exercise, your body uses glucose, lipids, and protein as fuel sources. If your body drives out of power, it will take protein from your muscles, reducing your overall muscle mass. Endurance sports, for example, rapidly deplete your branched-chain amino acid reserves.

Providing your body with other vital amino acids through dietary protein or supplementation is critical to minimize muscle loss. This maintains amino acid levels in your circulation steady and protects your muscles.

Energy Generator

Your body requires fuel to perform actions such as muscular contraction. The body, on the other hand, retains extremely little energy. Creatine phosphate is the kind of energy stored in your muscles.

Creatine comprises three amino acids: arginine, methionine, and glycine. The breakdown of creatine phosphate releases energy, which may be a primary fuel for muscular activity. It provides the energy boost we require for tasks such as running or lifting big weights.

Because our muscles can only store a limited amount of creatine phosphate at any given moment, we rely on a different type of cellular energy known as adenosine triphosphate (usually shortened to ATP) for
more persistent workout activities.


The breakdown of ATP, like the breakdown of creatine phosphate, generates energy that may be used for muscular power activity.  Adenosine diphosphate is formed when ATP is broken down (ADP).  Your body then restores ATP from ADP and phosphate in mitochondria, which are tiny organelles found in muscle.

The mitochondria include a variety of proteins that allow ATP to be produced from the oxidation of glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids. Enzymes are the name given to these specialized proteins.

The greater the number of mitochondrial enzymes, the more ATP may be created and energy available to power muscle action. Mitochondria and oxidative enzymes in each mitochondrion determine the number of mitochondrial enzymes.

Amino acids are essential for boosting the number of mitochondria accessible to generate ATP and the number of enzymes within each mitochondrion. Protein synthesis is responsible for producing new mitochondria and the enzymes they contain.

Increasing mitochondrial protein synthesis, a proportionally mixed amino acid supplement boosts the formation of new mitochondria and increases the number of enzymes in the mitochondria. Thus, dietary
amino acid availability is essential to providing the energy our bodies require to function and perform at their best.

Endurance Enhancer

Amino acids can aid in enhancing mental energy throughout a long workout and enhancing your body's ability to create physical power to fuel exercise performance. The balance of the inhibitory neurotransmitter serotonin (which causes calm emotions) and the excitatory neurotransmitter dopamine determines your mental energy
(which stimulates excitement).


These neurotransmitters are produced within the brain from amino acids in circulation. Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin synthesis, whereas tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine production.

During long, strenuous exercises, the equilibrium between tryptophan and tyrosine intake can be altered. The brain begins to absorb more tryptophan, and when serotonin production outstrips dopamine, you experience mental tiredness. You have enough physical energy to keep going but need more cognitive desire.

Taking an amino acid supplement containing a balanced ratio of necessary amino acids will help you work out for longer by lowering serotonin synthesis and postponing the mental impression of exhaustion.

Choosing a correctly balanced amino acid mixture that stimulates dopamine synthesis is vital, as the balance between serotonin and dopamine defines your mental energy level.

Mood Stabilizer

As previously stated, too much serotonin might cause weariness during exercise. On the other hand, serotonin deficiency has been related to sadness, anxiety, sleeplessness, and general moodiness.

While tryptophan, and therefore serotonin synthesis, is ideally down regulated during exercise, it can have a palliative effect when elevated in those suffering from mood disorders. Low tryptophan might be
especially problematic while you are dieting.

Dieting typically implies eating fewer calories, which means consuming less protein, even if you're on a high-protein diet. If you're on a diet, it's crucial to have enough tryptophan. There are two more notable amino
acids for fostering mood equilibrium.


The first is tyrosine which not only serves as a precursor for dopamine but also for the equally essential brain chemicals adrenaline and norepinephrine.
 
Increasing your tyrosine consumption has significantly increased energy, motivation, sexual function, and focus, all of which boost mood. However, the best way to boost tyrosine levels is to focus on the amino acid phenylalanine, which the body converts into tyrosine.

Immune Strengthener

Nutritional shortages, stress, and environmental pollutants can weaken our immune systems. Amino acid supplementation can aid in the maintenance of our immune systems.

People with weakened immune systems have lower quantities of cysteine, an amino acid that serves as a precursor to the master antioxidant glutathione.

Choose a balanced essential amino acid supplement that contains cysteine in the form of N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine to rapidly and effectively build your stocks of this crucial amino acid (NAC). 

Conclusion

To summarize, essential amino acids are critical for various metabolic activities within the body. They are required to produce other nonessential amino acids for activities such as gene control and ATP synthesis.