Amino acids sport - how the protein building blocks help you
Maik Thies (Fitnessfachwirt IHK)
There are many claims about a potential positive amino acid effect in connection with exercise. How can you use amino acids to influence your regeneration, your performance, your fitness, endurance and muscle formation in your own way?
We have compiled the current state of knowledge for you here.
Amino acids: sport, fitness and endurance training - helpful?
Amino acids or amino acids form, among other things, the basis for building the body's own protein. This applies at least to the so-called proteinogenic protein building blocks. However, each amino acid also has other tasks to fulfill in the organism. There are 20 so-called proteinogenic amino acids .
8 of these are essential amino acids and must be consumed through food, while the rest are produced by the body itself.
The protein building blocks that can be supplied with your diet are called essential amino acids, the others are non-essential amino acids . A third group is located between these two. They are called semi-essential amino acids .
They can become essential in different phases of life while being produced by the organism in others. They are absorbed through food.
The essential amino acids are:
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Valine
Your organism needs every amino acid from this group, 99% of which can be converted by your body into its own protein. The essential aminos depend on each other in their function.
They work together and increase each other's effectiveness. This is referred to as synergy or a synergetic effect.
When building muscle, strength athletes have long relied on the additional supply of essential amino acids to support muscle regeneration and muscle growth . Endurance athletes also report increased performance with more protein.
Have you already had experience with taking amino acids in connection with your sports training?
Protein and protein building blocks as building materials of life
All tissues in the body, especially the muscles, rely on the supply of protein as a building material. The body's own protein is made from amino acids. Strict diets show how a lack of proteins and protein building blocks can affect you.
Perhaps the following has happened to you while on a diet: despite strict calorie intake, you had little success in losing weight. Her physical performance declined rapidly. After the diet you gained weight again very quickly. The weight gain was probably even higher than before.
What have you experienced here?
There are many indications that you did not pay attention to sufficient protein intake when restricting calories . Your body has attacked and partially broken down the body's own protein.
That's why you end up achieving the opposite of what you want to achieve with low-protein diets. Energy and fats are burned through the muscles. If this is reduced, losing weight becomes even more difficult . Conversely, there is a sufficient or generous supply of proteins and protein building blocks for tissue building.
The need for proteins varies. Nutritionists set the value for total protein at 0.8 g/kilogram body weight per day. Under physical stress, the requirement increases to up to 2 g/kilogram of body weight.
Some experts even assume a requirement of 4 g-6 g/kg of body weight during physical exertion. Studies could not lead to clear statements.
These values also say nothing about how the protein supplied is composed and which protein building blocks it contains. But the increase in requirements during exercise clearly shows that as an athlete you definitely need a sufficient supply of protein. Otherwise, you will not be able to maintain the status quo in muscles and body tissues.
Not to mention building additional muscles. Losing weight with amino acids can work if you ensure you get enough of the essential building blocks.
The functions of amino acids
The human body copes with a multitude of structural and remodeling processes every second.These include, among others:
the functionality of the organs,
the formation and strengthening of bones,
the building of muscles,
the elasticity of the skin and
strengthening the immune system.
Your body needs amino acids as the basic building blocks for these processes. The body's own proteins are made from a total of 20 amino acids. Of these 20, exactly 8 are essential amino acids.You have to get these through food. The other 12 amino acids that are essential for survival are formed from the 8 essential ones themselves. It is important that they are available to the body in sufficient quantities.Amino4u is composed of these 8 essential amino acids. The highly pure composition and the optimal ratio of amino4u enables these construction and conversion processes to run smoothly and continuously.Convince yourself of the versatile benefits that amino acids have for your body! Use the code neu30 to benefit from a 30% discount on your first purchase at amino4u!
have a branched structure.
In medicine they are used for intensive care and for diseases that cause muscle breakdown.
There is also some scientific evidence on the effects of BCCA :
A scientific study from 2006 showed that BCAAs activate certain substances. These play a role in protein formation.
An anti-catabolic effect is discussed for BCAA. Anti-catabolic means that a metabolic situation that leads to muscle breakdown is prevented. Although many athletes associate this effect with BCAA, the studies are not clear.
Overall, as an athlete you should be able to benefit from BCAAs.
The essential amino acid arginine
You are probably familiar with the amino acid arginine if you already have problems with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Among other things, arginine influences nitrogen formation in the human organism. Nitrogen, in turn, plays a role in regulating vessel width . Arginine can dilate blood vessels.
When you exercise, this effect on blood vessels can lead to better blood circulation via the production of nitric oxide. This improves the supply of nutrients to the blood vessels.
Many strength athletes suspect that this means they can do more repetitions during intense training sessions.
There are some studies in the medical field for L arginine that prove its vasodilating effect. The effects in connection with sport have not been clearly proven. However, many athletes report performance-enhancing effects when taking L arginine.
Bodybuilders and strength athletes in particular often speak of an increased “ pump ” in connection with arginine.
The essential amino acid creatine
This substance is not an amino acid. However, it is formed from the amino acids L leucine, L arginine and methionine. Creatine (or creatine) is naturally present in 90% of skeletal muscle .
Creatine is believed to have an effect that delays muscle fatigue and increases the body's performance . This allows the intensity of short-term stress to be increased.
Creatine can therefore be used in sports, especially in weight training and when building muscle.
Glutamine
In a study, this non-essential amino acid was attributed, among other things, positive effects on regeneration after intensive sporting activity. Various mechanisms related to the body's own glycogen storage are touched upon. Glycogen storage is very important for your performance during sports.
It stores carbohydrates so that your body can access this quickly available energy when intensive performance is required.
The study showed that glutamine leads to a faster replenishment of this storage . In the example case, this had already been emptied during intensive training. This mechanism allows additional services to be requested in a short time. The more precise physiological background still needs to be researched.
Glutamine also plays a key role in other body functions. Among other things, your immune system benefits from glutamine. The rapid recovery may also have something to do with immune function.
Carnitine
Carnitine is also not an amino acid. The vitamin-like substance is formed from the amino acids lysine and methionine . It has an important function in energy metabolism and fat burning.
Carnitine is said to have a performance-enhancing effect. However, experts do not agree on whether this substance can actually influence fitness and performance. Various studies did not come to conclusive results. Nevertheless, many athletes report positive experiences with carnitine.
How are amino acids used and what should you pay attention to?
There are various approaches to using amino acids in sport. It is argued that a single amino acid as a mono product is better for use in sports. Other experts prefer mixed products that contain different amino acids for optimal support during exercise.
The opinions of active athletes differ just as much as those of sports experts.
Both possible applications have their advantages and disadvantages . There is a lot to be said for a combination product of all essential amino acids.
Advantages of products with all essential amino acids : Combination products ensure the supply of proteins even when there is increased need in everyday life and during sporting activity. Are easy to use without having to select a specific amino acid. They also ensure synergistic effects between the protein building blocks.
Amino Acids Sport: Can athletes benefit from protein building blocks?
There are still some unanswered questions about amino acids and sport. Nevertheless, we can draw a positive conclusion for an additional supply of amino acids .
You can find out for yourself which product and which amino acid supports you particularly well in your sport. Among other things, it depends on your level of training and your sporting goals.
It is undisputed that the need for protein increases as a result of intensive exercise.
Your body does “ recycle ” a certain amount of proteins in conversion processes. But as an athlete you cannot avoid the need for more.
How intensively your own needs increase during sport depends on the individual requirements of each individual athlete. Assume that proteins are the building blocks for all tissues in the body. You constantly need a sufficient amount of amino acids and proteins . Especially if you decide to build more tissue in the form of muscles .
With a combination product that contains all high-quality essential aminos, you lay the foundation for a supply of valuable protein in sport and fitness. You can also consume the optimal amount per day.
Your organism needs every amino acid from this group, 99% of which can be converted by your body into its own protein. The essential aminos depend on each other in their function.
They work together and increase each other's effectiveness. This is referred to as synergy or a synergetic effect.
When building muscle, strength athletes have long relied on the additional supply of essential amino acids to support muscle regeneration and muscle growth . Endurance athletes also report increased performance with more protein.
Have you already had experience with taking amino acids in connection with your sports training?
The essential amino acid arginine
