You may also be wondering whether certain amino acid preparations with a group of amino acids could support your health. You may have read something interesting on this topic or come across it in connection with a recommendation for a reduced calorie diet.
There are many different opinions on the topic of amino acid supplements and protein in general. This can be very confusing. Because there are very committed advocates for these products and equally stubborn opponents of amino acidnutritional supplements .
We have compiled the relevant information about amino acid products for you in the following article. We would like to give you an overview.
The most important thing in brief:
Individual amino acids provide no benefit to your body. Rather, it is the combination of all 8 essential amino acids that, for example, benefit muscle building. Amino acids act in combination and require each other for production.
Foods rich in protein include fish, meat, dairy products, legumes or nuts. An increased need for proteins and amino acids arises especially when your body is exposed to a lot of stress (competitive sports, physically demanding jobs, after an operation, in old age)
There are hardly any known side effects of amino acids. Consuming too much protein can upset digestion and lead to diarrhea.
Amino acids: What functions do they have for our organism?
Amino acids are also known as protein or protein building blocks. They are the basis of protein in chains of different lengths. Depending on the length of the chains, we speak of proteins or peptides. You probably know protein as one of the 3 essential macronutrients alongside carbohydrates and fats.
The protein building blocks have different functions in the human organism:
She…
are the building material for all tissues such as muscles, skin and organs.
are converted into other substances such as nerve messengers and neurotransmitters.
are starting materials for the formation of hormones, enzymes and other proteins.
What all amino acids have in common is the following: They are constantly changing as they undergo multiple conversion processes.
Many reactions and processes are inconceivable without the presence of certain amino acids . You can e.g. B. think of the formation of an important thyroid hormone or other processes in the human immune system.
Our ability to enjoy a restful night's sleep depends, among other things, on the protein building block tryptophan.
According to scientific research, this protein building block not only forms the messenger serotonin. It also directly intervenes in various functions of the sleep-wake cycle. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that makes us relaxed, calm and calm.
The different types of amino acids
Not all amino acids are the same. Protein building blocks can have a wide variety of properties.
You may come across the term “ proteinogenic amino acids ” more often. These protein building blocks are the building materials in the human body. Of the approximately 20 representatives of this group, eight cannot be formed by our organism itself.
These are the essential amino building blocks .
They include
Threonine
Methionine
Valine
Phenylalanine
Leucine
Isoleucine
Tryptophan
and lysine.
We have to constantly add them to our food.
There is also a group that we call semi-essential amino acids . They are essential in certain phases of life or under certain circumstances.
Further properties of protein building blocks
Protein building blocks are also differentiated accordingly
what pH value they have,
whether they can be converted into sugar and thus into quickly available energy,
whether they contain sulfur or
their underlying structure is clockwise or counterclockwise.
They can also be branched. That's why they are also called branched-chain amino acids . These include leucine, isoleucine and valine. In English, this trio is referred to as “ Branched-Chain Amino-Acids ,” abbreviated BCAA.
Many athletes find preparations with BCAA to be a useful support for performance and muscle building.
The amino acid pattern
Perhaps you have concluded from what has been said so far that protein building blocks and protein are important for health and well-being . Some scientists have taken this idea further. They consider the essential amino acids to be particularly valuable.
Over 99% of essential protein building blocks can be converted into the body's own protein.
Because of this, the essential amino acids seem to shape the amino acid pattern typical for humans. The concept of the amino acid pattern assumes that all of these building blocks must be present in certain quantities at the same time. Only then can it be converted into the body's valuable protein.
Consequently, you are probably asking several questions at this point:
It is precisely these questions that spark the many discussions on the subject of protein and protein building blocks. On the one hand, it is believed that we tend to consume too much protein in our Western diet. Other people see lack in abundance.
Who is right?
Amino acid preparations: requirements and requirements coverage
The need for protein can vary greatly for each individual person.
Factors at play here are:
Stress,
Health status,
sporting activity and
the age
a role.
Your own body weight also plays a significant role in determining your individual protein requirements. A general requirement is assumed to be 0.8 g/kg of body weight.
The requirement increases with age to at least 1.0 g/kg of body weight. In infants and small children up to 2.5 g per kilo of body weight. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have a lower increase in their needs, meaning they need between 7g and 23g more protein than the average person.
Athletes often cover a potentially increased protein requirement with protein supplements. Not all nutrition experts and doctors think this makes sense.
They believe that protein needs can be met at every stage of life with a balanced diet. However, countless reports from athletes and some studies seem to confirm the positive effects of additional aminos.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set minimum daily requirements for the essential amino acids.
Here are the WHO recommendations in mg per kg of body weight:
Phenylalanine - 25
Leucine - 39
Methionine - 15
Lysine - 30
Isoleucine - 20
Valine - 26
Threonine - 15
Tryptophan - 4
From these recommendations you can see that these aminos can be present in very different amounts. If we follow the theory of the amino acid pattern ( amino acid complex ), there is a very specific relationship between the individual amino acids.
The core question is therefore : Will we always be able to meet this need with food in the appropriate ratio and in the required quantities?
Nutrition and protein supply
The daily requirement for essential building blocks does not initially appear to be very high given the milligrams required per kilogram of body weight. You may now think that you can easily meet your needs if you eat reasonably sensibly.
However, there is a challenge : these specific protein building blocks are almost exclusively present in animal foods in the appropriate proportions.
As a vegan or vegetarian, the supply of the valuable essential protein building blocks is not always guaranteed. So if you need essential amino acids vegan , a nutritional supplement is definitely recommended.
Vegans, for example, cannot get enough vitamin B12 with their purely plant-based diet. It is therefore quite common for vegans to use preparations containing the vital vitamin as a dietary supplement.
The trend is that more and more people are supporting their diet with the help of amino acid supplements .
With a calorie-reduced diet, the supply of proteins and amino building blocks is also not consistently guaranteed.
Maybe you've been on a strict diet yourself. You strictly regulated your food intake and in the end you found that the infamous yo-yo effect had caught up with you.
If you weighed more shortly after the diet than before, this could also be due to an amino acid deficiency .
Our organism uses the body's own protein, for example. B. in our muscles if they are not sufficiently supplied with the valuable building material.
Since our muscles are responsible for energy consumption, fewer muscles mean less energy consumption and therefore increased weight gain.
Example: Protein in old age - is everything the same as when you were young?
If you are already older, you may have already noticed many changes in your body. You may have the impression that some processes are different or slower than in previous years.
Maybe you often feel tired and exhausted, and you miss your usual vitality.
The human organism changes with age, including conversion processes and reactions slowing down. Various micronutrients such as vitamins are no longer absorbed as well as they were when we were young. This is particularly true for substances absorbed through the intestines.
This may also have something to do with the fact that the composition of their intestinal flora has changed somewhat as they get older. It has been proven that protein requirements also increase with age .
When we are confronted with the typical aging processes such as wrinkles and skin changes, it may have something to do with proteins. For example, the collagen content in the skin decreases. Collagen is also a protein. Amino acids against wrinkles can be helpful.
If we're honest, we may not eat a balanced diet all the time. This can jeopardize our supply of proteins and aminos . According to the theory of the amino acid pattern, if one or the other amino acid is missing for a long time, this can already have an impact.
Many people, especially older people, report increased vitality when they take amino acid supplements. If you remember the diverse functions of protein building blocks in the human body, this experience probably doesn't surprise you.
Especially when, as we get older, our organism no longer processes basic substances as well and effectively as it used to, protein is important. Here an additional supply of protein through amino acids proteins can make the crucial difference. This also and especially affects our performance and vitality.
Which amino acid preparations are particularly suitable for you?
Different preparations with protein building blocks and individual amino acids can differ. These differences relate, on the one hand, to the protein building blocks contained, but also to the further composition of the product.
Should you prefer to choose a product with one amino acid or a product that contains several amino acids? Is a product with all the essential protein building blocks perhaps particularly recommended?
There are no general recommendations as to which preparation is best and which amino acid is ideal for you. The selection depends, among other things, on what effect you are hoping for from one of the amino acid preparations.
Amino acid supplements containing an isolated amino acid, such as L-tryptophan or L-arginine, are chosen by people who have heard of specific scientific studies or reports on that amino acid.
For example, some people find that tryptophan helps them sleep. People who suffer from high blood pressure have positive experiences with the amino acid arginine.
Are you generally concerned with a supply of all essential protein building blocks? Then amino acid preparations are recommended that contain all of these building blocks in the right proportions to one another.
How do you recognize high-quality amino acid preparations?
You may find it difficult to make a targeted selection from the many preparations with special aminos on offer.
There are significant differences in quality between these preparations.
For example, particularly high-quality preparations do not contain any other additives .
Technical additives are added to many dietary supplements to make processing easier. However, such additives can hinder the absorption of aminos into the body.
The bioavailability is then reduced.
Bioavailability describes the intensity with which certain substances from dietary supplements are absorbed by the human organism. High-quality preparations with aminos have a high bioavailability and therefore no additives.
Please also pay attention to where the products are produced. Made in Germany is a quality feature because it indicates controlled production in Germany under laboratory conditions.
Conclusion: Protein building blocks can support your well-being
A sufficient supply of proteins and their building blocks, tailored to your living conditions, can support your vitality and performance . A preparation that contains all the essential protein building blocks in the correct proportion to each other appears to be particularly suitable for sufficient supply.
High-quality preparations do not contain any additives. At amino4u we pay attention to the highest quality of our amino acid products. Amino acid side effects are not to be expected with such a premium preparation.
Especially if you have recently noticed that your vitality and well-being are decreasing, it is worth giving the essential aminos a try.
With the appropriate dosage, standardized preparations cannot lead to an excess of protein in your body.
