Amino acids are compounds that fuse to create proteins. Many also refer to them as the building blocks of proteins which are crucial in various vital processes, such as synthesizing neurotransmitters and hormones. Amino acids also help in building muscles, transporting nutrients and even preventing illnesses and digestive problems.
All amino acids play a pivotal role in the body. Conversely, lacking enough supply can have adverse effects on your body’s functions. To know more about it, let’s take a closer look at amino acids and how they affect your health.
How Do Amino Acid Supplements Work?
Primarily, amino acid supplements contain at least one of the nine essential amino acids that the body doesn’t create independently. Among these amino acids are histidine, valine, threonine, lysine and methionine.
While you can find essential amino acids in various foods, taking supplements also has several health benefits. Aside from carrying nutrients in different body parts, it also helps repair and grow new muscle fiber, which is vital when you’re engaged in a few muscle-building activities.
When dietary proteins get digested, only amino acids remain. The body then uses them to produce proteins that help the system repair body tissues and other body functions.
Is It Safe to Take Amino Acid Supplements?
Dietary supplements have long been utilised to increase strength and muscle performance. Most professional athletes even use various kinds of supplements to help boost their performance and endurance.
However, there are a few select sets of people that need to consume these products with ample caution. So, as with any other health product, it’s best to speak with your trusted doctor or healthcare provider to see if you can add the best amino acid supplements and include them as part of your health regime.
When Should I Take Amino Acid Supplements?
You can take the most out of amino acid supplements before or after doing a couple of exercises. Doing so helps provide your body with enough muscle protection and support, creating a protein balance that lets your body recuperate and build muscles. It’s also best to continue taking your supplements daily, even without doing any exercise.
Nevertheless, if you’re into sports, you can take high-quality amino acid supplements in Australia throughout the day, especially when there isn’t any food or shake available.
When you’re training or competing in sports, your body consumes protein at a high rate, leading to negative protein balance. Choosing the best amino acid supplements with additional electrolytes keeps your water levels regular while engaging in strenuous physical activities.
Top 10 Benefits of Amino Acid Supplements
Boosts sports performance
Amino acids are highly suited for athletes who are on a high-protein diet. Regular intake of essential amino acids can also increase body mass, particularly before or after exercise.
Improves sleep
Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids needed by the body, is necessary for serotonin production, a chemical that acts as a neurotransmitter in a person’s body. When serotonin levels are low, most people experience a depressed mood and sleeping problems. Taking tryptophan supplements can help alleviate the effects of low serotonin levels by boosting one’s mood and reducing sleep disturbances.
Prevents muscle loss
Muscle loss is prevalent among those with prolonged illnesses and bed rest, especially those in their golden years. Taking amino acids as part of your supplement can help prevent muscle deterioration and preserve your lean body mass. Also, having essential amino acid supplements is beneficial for both the elderly and athletes for body mass preservation.
Regulates digestion
A person needs histamine to help with one’s digestive system. It’s an essential hormone that your body needs to ensure that your digestive organs function properly. To produce such hormones, you need to have a regular intake of histidine to generate its production.
Generates neurotransmitters
Most experts call neurotransmitters as the body’s chemical messengers. These are the molecules that the nervous system uses to send messages across the body, primarily between neurons and muscles or between neurons. Taking amino acid supplements helps generate more neurotransmitters and can boost the production of other amino acids, too.
Stimulates hair, skin and nail growth
Both elastin and collagen are crucial in keeping your skin feeling soft and supple. These proteins are key to promoting nail and hair growth. Meanwhile, lysine helps boost your body’s collagen production, while threonine stimulates elastin.
Increases hormone production
The best BCAA amino acid supplement often contains lysine which is essential in producing healthy hormone levels in your body. For instance, norepinephrine and epinephrine help control your body’s response to stress. On the other hand, threonine is important for fat metabolism.
Encourages musculoskeletal system growth
Valine and isoleucine encourage ideal muscle function, while leucine promotes muscle repair. Additionally, lysine increases your body’s calcium absorption which is necessary for bone growth. These amino acids are critical to maintaining a person’s health, primarily his bones and muscles.
Strengthens immune system
Your immune system needs a lot of help that it can get, especially during these times. Taking amino acids that have lysine, threonine and histidine can help strengthen your immune system so that your body can better defend itself from viruses and harmful bacteria.
Alleviates your mood
Though some people associate tryptophan with drowsiness, it has various other functions that you might find beneficial. Tryptophan helps jumpstart serotonin production, a neurotransmitter that helps manage your appetite and mood.
The Bottom Line
Amino acids are essential to your well-being which is why it’s crucial to get your daily dose of these nutrients as part of your diet. And while these important amino acids are available in various foods, such as eggs, fish and nuts, you can also take these nutrients via supplements to ensure that you’re taking the prescribed intake.