Amino acids: intake and dosage

Do you value a healthy diet? As an athlete or at an advanced age, would you like to specifically influence certain physical areas with your diet? Then amino acid intake and supply is an interesting topic for you. Maybe you already know one or two amino acids . Questions often arise about how and when Aminos should ideally be taken. In this article we give you useful tips on how to dose protein building blocks and which intake times might be right for you.

What are amino acids?

Amino acids are also known as protein or protein building blocks. Many of them form the smallest units of protein. You are probably familiar with egg white or protein as a macronutrient . In addition to fats and carbohydrates, you also consume protein in varying proportions with your food every day. A certain group of building blocks form the basis of the body's own protein. In addition, amino acids fulfill many other functions and tasks in the human organism. For example, they are the basis for the formation of certain messenger substances and hormones and are constantly transformed into other substances or other building blocks. They also play a key role in energy production and various metabolic functions .

Different types - essential and non-essential amino acids

Our body forms some of the protein building blocks itself. These are the non-essential protein building blocks. Others we have to put into our body every day with our food. This group is called essential amino acids . It's about:

• Methionine
• Isoleucine
• Phenylalanine
• Leucine
• Lysine
• Threonine
• Valine
• Tryptophan

Various other types of building blocks are differentiated according to their functions, chemical composition and structure. For example, the three protein building blocks leucine, isoleucine and valine are also known by the abbreviation BCAA. In the English language, this letter combination stands for branched-chain amino acids . The three building blocks play a special role in building muscle and increasing endurance for athletes. In addition to essential and non-essential building blocks, the semi-essential amino acids form a third group. They are alternately essential and non-essential in different phases of life. Building blocks also differ in their chemical structure. All building blocks have carbon atoms, but they are arranged differently. When individual building blocks are named in this article, the L-shape is meant. A distinction is made between L and D forms of the protein building blocks, which are mirror images of one another in their structure.

The usability of the protein building blocks

The essential amino acids proteins have one property that sets them apart from others: they are particularly well converted into the body's own protein. This has led some nutrition experts and scientists to speak of an amino acid pattern or an amino acid complex . This term largely goes back to the American scientist Professor Luca-Moretti. He believes that all living things on Earth have an amino acid pattern that is specific to their species. This involves protein building blocks that are almost 100% converted into the body's own protein. His idea is also based on the fact that 20 building blocks form the basis of all life via the genetic code in the body cells of animals and plants.

Individual protein building blocks with special functions

Some of the protein building blocks are better known than others. This is partly because they fulfill functions in many different areas of the human organism. A very interesting amino is arginine. This amino acid influences, among other things, nitrogen metabolism in the human organism. It also ensures relaxation in blood vessels. People with high blood pressure, men with erectile dysfunction and menopausal women, among others, benefit from an increased intake of this amino acid.

Crucial combinations

Even though building blocks like arginine often receive a lot of attention, aminos are overall indispensable for us. It doesn't matter whether these are essential or non-essential amino acids in this group of active ingredients. Since the non-essential building blocks are also formed from the essential building blocks, all building blocks are equally important. The constant dynamism that exists in the building blocks due to the permanent conversion processes makes it quite difficult to determine the individual needs of each person.

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 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!

The need for amino acids

When it comes to recommended requirements and the dosage of amino acids , different aspects have to be distinguished:

1. 1. There are recommendations for a person's total protein intake per day. It varies considerably.

      The recommendations here range from 0.8 mg/kilogram body weight to 1.4 to 1.8 mg/kilogram body weight. Among other things, body weight, stress, illnesses, age and overall living conditions play a role here. Athletes, for example, may have a significantly higher need for protein than other people. The amount of total protein does not say much about the combination and quantities of protein building blocks contained in this total protein.
   2. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued recommendations for the intake of the essential building blocks per day. She recommends per kilogram of body weight in milligrams per day:

1. 1. • Tryptophan - 4
      • Threonine - 15
      • Phenylalanine - 25
      • Leucine - 39
      • Methionine - 15
      • Lysine - 30
      • Isoleucine - 20
      • Valine - 26
      • Threonine - 15

Food

At this point you are probably wondering how you should correctly dose and take the protein building blocks in detail. This is especially true if you want to achieve a particular effect in your organism with a specific building block. To do this, let’s first look at what role nutrition plays in general protein supply. As a mixed diet who also eats animal foods, you have an advantage when it comes to protein intake. Animal foods usually contain the entire amino acid pattern - i.e. all the essential protein building blocks - in the right combination and quantity. Vegans and vegetarians must carefully put together their diet to ensure a supply of all essential amino acids at all times. That doesn't mean plant-based foods can't be high in protein. Almonds, legumes, soy flakes or hemp seeds are hardly inferior to many animal foods when it comes to the percentage of protein. Some even surpass them. However, it is also characteristic of plant protein sources that one or another amino acid is missing or is not contained in the right amount in relation to the other amino acids . For an optimal supply of essential protein building blocks and for an ideal conversion rate into the body's own protein, the eight essential representatives must all be present at the same time. When there is general talk about the protein supply to the organism, it is usually only about the essential building blocks. The WHO recommendations for daily intake provide guidance here. Not much can be derived from these recommendations regarding the dosage of individual building blocks or smaller groups such as BCAA .

Who takes how many amino acids and when?

Different groups of people have different needs when it comes to protein intake. The following groups are distinguished here: Seniors - many physical regeneration processes slow down in older people. This applies to the skin, but also to metabolic processes and many other areas. An additional supply of certain protein building blocks can help older people feel young and vital for longer. People who want to lose weight - to avoid the dreaded yo-yo effect when dieting, an adequate intake of protein is essential. If the body does not have enough protein available during a reduction diet, it resorts to the body's own protein. The result is a breakdown of the muscles. This leads to reduced combustion and thus a reduced calorie requirement. If more calories are consumed again after a diet, the organism's overall needs have decreased. In the end, weight gain is unavoidable because the muscles consume a large proportion of calories. Therefore, additional protein should be consumed when dieting. Athletes - they value appropriate endurance and, depending on the sport, appropriate muscle growth . Therefore, they have an increased need for protein. Only if the organism has sufficient building material for body tissue can additional muscles be built up. Stressed, unburdened people - physical and psychological stress leads to an increased need for protein. Certain stress hormones break down the body's own protein from the muscles. They break down muscles back into their individual protein building blocks. These stress hormones can also reduce some of the building blocks. The need for certain building blocks can be increased in a stressful situation because some protein building blocks form precursors for messenger substances in the brain. For example, tryptophan, a precursor to the messenger serotonin, ensures better nerves and good sleep. In the following section we will take a closer look at different target groups for conscious intake of certain aminos .

Amino acid intake - different people with different requirements

We have already seen that people at different ages and life situations can have an increased need for protein overall. Some people also want to use certain building blocks to create an effect in a specific physical area. They are particularly interested in how to dose a single amino . It is also interesting for them when and how they should take the building blocks in order to achieve an ideal effect. There are not yet scientifically proven recommendations for the dosage of protein building blocks in all areas. Dosage and intake recommendations are often based on the experiences of users . Further scientific studies are necessary here to come to a conclusive conclusion.

Take amino acids before or after training?

Athletes generally strive to ensure a good supply of protein in general. Many of them also consume BCAAs and the amino acid arginine . Strength athletes in particular associate arginine with a pumping effect during training by increasing blood circulation. Before training, the body needs energy - after training it needs building blocks to regenerate. Amino acids, especially branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), provide both. So when is the best time to take amino acids? In this sense, it doesn't matter whether you take amino acids in the evening, in the morning or just after your workout . Your body always needs it. However, those who do sports have higher needs. There are some particularly important amino acids for athletes. Due to the sporting effort and the necessary repair and construction processes, they are increasingly needed.

• L-Arginine : This is a semi-essential amino acid that is involved in blood circulation. As such, it can support the body in optimizing normal blood flow. This can better supply the muscles with oxygen and nutrients during and after training.
• Beta-Alain & Citrulline Malate : These amino acids or the combination of amino acid and organic salt support the organism in breaking down lactic acid and ammonia compounds. These arise during intensive training and are responsible for acidification and fatigue of the muscles.
• L-Taurine : You may know this amino acid from well-known energy drinks. Here they can be found together with stimulating substances such as caffeine and guarana. Taurine has a stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system. Therefore, it can prevent states of exhaustion and postpone fatigue during training.
• BCAA : The branched-chain amino acids L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine form the BCAAs. These can reduce muscle soreness , reduce fatigue during exercise, and even increase muscle growth by stimulating protein synthesis.

Take BCAA: How many amino acids per day ?

There are already some scientific studies that describe the basic effects of BCAA in connection with physical training, but there are no standardized dosage recommendations. Experience among athletes ranges from 5-10 g per day depending on training level and physical fitness. According to a study , a maximum intake of 35 g per day is still considered safe. High doses of BCAA can lead to side effects such as diarrhea and nausea.

Taking BCAA: When?

There is no consensus about when BCAA should optimally be taken. Some users recommend taking it on an empty stomach in the morning before exercise. Others see it as useful to take it during training or after physical exertion.

The ideal time to take amino acids

In most cases it makes sense for athletes to choose a combination product. This inherently has a balanced amino acid ratio. This ensures that you always have an optimal supply of amino acids. The question of whether you should take amino acids before or after training is an easy one for most athletes to answer. If you already eat a high-protein diet, you can just consume amino acids after training. This is where the protein building blocks have the greatest effect due to the body's increased absorption capacity. However, if you want to use individual amino acids to promote specific processes, you have to pay more attention to when you take them. Taking highly concentrated activating amino acids in the evening is not a good idea in terms of peaceful sleep and optimal regeneration. Amino acids such as beta-alanine, citrulline malate or L-taurine are therefore ideal half an hour before training. The amino acids that optimally develop their regenerative-supporting effect after training include:

• the BCAAs,
• L-glutamine as well
• L-arginine.

Amino acids for seniors

In an advanced age, the first thing to do is to provide a basic supply of individual essential protein building blocks. This basic supply is not reliably guaranteed for seniors because eating habits often change as they get older. Many older people no longer eat as regularly and eat smaller meals. In order to ensure a supply of the essential building blocks at all times, a nutritional supplement can be useful. The dosage of high-quality products is therefore geared towards the basic supply of building blocks. We got acquainted with the WHO recommendations above. Since well-designed products ensure that the protein building blocks are absorbed very quickly into the blood, it is recommended to take them on an empty stomach before the first meal. But seniors also benefit from one or two special building blocks with a specific effect. For example, if you suffer from high blood pressure in old age, you could use the amino acid arginine to help lower your blood pressure. Men with erectile dysfunction can also benefit from taking this amino acid . The same applies to women during menopause . People who are physically active take doses of arginine between 1000 mg and 3000 mg mainly in the morning on an empty stomach. These recommendations are based on experience, especially from strength athletes. Even for people with high blood pressure, a dosage of at least 3000 mg per day is usually recommended. High-dose preparations even assume an intake recommendation of 6000 mg per day. Standardized statements are very difficult to make because needs vary from person to person. When taking it, you can initially sneak up on your ideal personal amount. Start with a lower dosage and then increase the intake according to your individual feelings up to a maximum of 6000 mg per day.

men and women

Men are often interested in aminos because they have erectile dysfunction. In many cases , erectile dysfunction responds to additional intake of arginine. Similar to athletes and seniors, dosages between 3000-6000 mg per day have proven to be effective here. In the context of protein building blocks, women are mostly concerned with the effect of amino acids against wrinkles and the possible relief of menopausal symptoms. Various building blocks are interesting for women. Arginine is said to provide women with relief from hot flashes. The empirical values ​​are also at a dosage of 3000 mg per day and more. Women should take particular care when taking arginine and lysine together . Lysine and arginine work in harmony with each other. Lysine can help bones continue to store calcium after menopause. If you want to stay wrinkle-free for longer, you should ensure an adequate and increased supply of all essential amino acids.

Amino acid intake: ensure basic supplies

You won't go wrong when dosing and taking amino acids if you first ensure the supply of all essential building blocks with a high-quality product like amino4u . Good products are designed so that they are not overdosed. They are based on the general recommendations for the supply of essential building blocks . Since high-quality products also offer excellent usability of the building blocks they contain, there is no strain on the kidneys and liver. For individual building blocks as well as smaller combinations of different building blocks such as BCAA, it is recommended to start with a lower dose. If you have a sensitive stomach, taking protein with or after a meal may be better for you. You should consult your doctor before taking additional proteins and individual building blocks if you suffer from impaired kidney or liver function. The optimal time to take depends on the individual amino acids and the desired effect. This is especially true if you want to achieve a specific effect by taking it. For general care and the efficient running of regenerative processes, you do not have to stick to a fixed intake time. With a good combination product in combination with a protein-rich diet , you can take amino acids in the evening. You can also use the aminos in the morning or in the afternoon. The main thing is an adequate supply - including the amino acid pool in the liver. When taking amino acids after training and before training, please always pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions. These are often given in relation to body weight.