Whey Protein Blend

The Importance of Amino Acids

The jury is still out on whether or not you need to supplement with amino acids. If you were to conduct an informal survey of the first group of people you encountered at either a gym or health food store, you may discover a close to even split regarding who does or doesn’t consume amino acid supplements.

While that doesn’t provide much in the way of useful data, instead, we will take a closer look at what amino acids are and what they do for us. Hopefully, this will provide you with the details you need to make an informed decision when choosing supplements such as an amino recovery blend.

Amino Acids -What They Are.

Your body contains a variety of different proteins. These proteins are located everywhere from your bones and muscles to your skin, hair, and all other tissue and body parts that you have. These proteins are made of amino acids. Amino acids are smaller molecules that are joined into long combinations and it is the unique sequences of these combinations that control the way proteins function within your body.

 Amino Acids – Some Are Essential

There are a total of twenty amino acids. Out of that number, only nine of them are considered essential. What that translates to mean is that your body is unable to create them without some help. That help is usually available from the foods we eat. When that doesn’t work, then supplementation aids the body to manufacture the essential amino acids.

 Amino Acids – The Essential List

Here is a list of the essential amino acids that your body cannot make on its own without dietary or supplemental assistance:

Histidine

Isoleucine

Leucine

Lysine

Methionine

Phenylalanine

Threonine

Tryptophan

Valine

 Amino Acids – The Non-Essential List

The other eleven amino acids are considered non-essential. This means they are regularly produced by your body. All it needs is other nutrients that already exist. Your body can make them without outside assistance. They include:

Alanine

Arginine

Asparagine

Aspartic Acid

Cysteine

Glutamic Acid

Glutamine

Glycine

Proline

Serine

Tyrosine

Amino Acids – How Your Body Gets Them

Typically, your body fills up on amino acids as you fill your stomach. This means that the foods you eat give your body what it needs to manufacture amino acids. It works like this: you eat food, that food gets broken down by your digestive system. Part of that process is the creation of amino acids.

 The amino acids that come from your digestive system are absorbed by your circulatory system feeding them into your bloodstream. The bloodstream transports the amino acids to where they are needed. Those amino acids help build or repair proteins. The proteins are then used to perform various tasks that make your body function.

Amino Acids – Foods With High Concentrations

Because your diet regulates amino acid production, certain foods contain more than others. Here is a list of the foods at the top of the scale:

 Meat (this includes beef, chicken, and pork)

Fish (this includes any kind of seafood)

Eggs

Dairy Products (this includes milk, cheese, and yogurt)

Legumes (this includes lentils and beans)

Nuts, Seeds

Soy Products (this includes tempeh and tofu)

Amino Acids – Other Sources

Although amino acids are found in food, you may opt for supplements when your diet does not provide what you need. Supplementation is effective if you have a restrictive diet, are suffering from health conditions that have altered your diet or just happen to be someone too busy to prepare and eat well-balanced meals.

 Supplementation is also effective if you lead an active lifestyle or are in recovery following an accident or illness. Taking amino acid supplements feeds your body with amino acids quicker than it takes for your digestive system to break down food consumed to release them. For example, the body takes up to four hours to absorb amino acids from foods. Supplementation takes a fraction of that time.

Amino Acids – Roles and Benefits

As we noted above, there are twenty different amino acids. Nine of them are considered essential and cannot be produced by your body without help from the foods you eat. But did you know that each of those amino acids performs specific tasks in your body?

Let’s look at some of the things they do for you.

Muscle Repair and Recovery

Three of the amino acids in your body (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are known as branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s). These three are vital to the repair and recovery of muscle tissue. 

This makes them important in post-workout recovery.

Muscle Growth

Protein synthesis is the process that creates new muscle proteins. This is not possible without amino acids.

Immune Function

Your immune system functions with the help of a few amino acids. For example, glutamine helps keep your gut lining healthy and supports immune cell activity. Cysteine keeps your cells protected from oxidative stress.

Energy

Your energy levels are controlled by many different amino acids. BCAAs such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine, all provide you with energy when you exercise. Arginine and citrulline help produce energy by increasing blood flow and the delivery of oxygen to muscle tissue.

Cognitive Function

There are two amino acids that support mental health and cognitive performance. Tyrosine produces the neurotransmitters known as norepinephrine and dopamine. Tryptophan impacts your mood and how you sleep. Other amino acids that contribute to brain health include glutamine, histidine, and phenylalanine.

Skin and Hair

Collagen is the protein that produces healthy skin and hair. Two amino acids, glycine and proline, make collagen.

Other Functions Requiring Amino Acids

Amino acids are responsible for several more bodily functions including:

 Hormone Regulation (tyrosine, arginine)

Digestion (glutamine)

Hydration Balance

Detoxification (cysteine)

Who Could Benefit From Amino Acid Supplementation?

Individuals with specific dietary requirements or lifestyles can benefit greatly from supplementation of amino acids through products like Amino Recovery Blend.

Vegans and Vegetarians

Although soy products, which are the primary protein source for vegans and vegetarians, contain amino acids, there are examples of plant-based diets that do not contain complete profiles of some essential amino acids. Remember, the essential ones require food to help the body produce them. Supplementation can provide the missing nutrients required for proper amino acid production.

Illness and Injury Recovery

Your body’s storage of nutrients gets a severe picking over when you are recovering from a sickness, injury, or surgery. One way to strengthen that reserve to speed the healing process is with supplementation.

Chronic Fatigue

The production of energy is one of the most important roles of amino acids. By adding to your body’s existing supply with Amino Recovery Blend, you will benefit from a boost of energy which can help improve your overall health.

People With Malabsorption Issues

If you suffer from celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or other similar conditions, you know that your body may have issues absorbing nutrients from the food you eat. Amino acid supplements can be an effective option to consider.

Caloric-Restricted Diets

If you are in a calorie deficit situation due to your diet, there is a chance that the food you eat is not providing enough amino acids to your body. Left unchecked, this could result in fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, and possibly muscle loss. Supplements can increase the volume of nutrients you consume to prevent issues from developing.

Athletes and Active Lifestyles

Muscle repair and growth cannot be complete without the assistance of amino acids. If you are an athlete or lead an active lifestyle, supplementation delivers amino acids to your system far quicker than it takes digestion to do the same.

Seniors

The aging process impacts how efficient our bodies are in the absorption and use of nutrients such as amino acids. Supplementing with an amino recovery blend provides the amino acids required for cognitive function, muscle maintenance, and immune function, and helps keep energy levels high.

High-Stress Lifestyle

Just like healing from an injury, illness, or surgery, stressful situations can deplete the essential nutrients your body needs to regulate specific functions. Increasing the amount of amino acids you have in your body in stressful situations with supplementation can help regulate your emotional and mental response.

 In Conclusion

Amino acids are the building blocks for protein production. However, the human body cannot produce all of them without some help. That assistance comes from the food we eat. Depending on your diet, you may or may not be providing your body with what it needs to produce an adequate volume of amino acids. Fortunately, you can correct that problem through amino acid supplements.

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