First of all, let's understand what we're talking about when we say Amino Acids. An Amino Acid is a monomer which makes up a protein. You may have heard of BCAAs and maybe even EAAs around the health and fitness scene, but perhaps you're not yet familiar with these terms? There are 20 different Amino Acids in total, but as we're speaking in terms of Health and fitness, we'll be discussing Nine. In the fitness industry, there are two types of Amino Acids, Branched Chain Amino Acids, (BCAAs) and Essential Amino Acids (EAAs). If you're a regular gym goer and/or supplement taker, then you may well have heard of both, but what is the difference between them?
Let's make it a little more confusing, just for fun... All BCAAs are EAAs, but not all EAAs are BCAAs. Confused?..
Let me explain. BCAAs are named as such, due to their physical structure which (yep, you guessed it), is a branched chain. The three BCAAs are: Leucine, Valine and Isoleucine. Perhaps you even knew that? But do you know about the remaining Amino Acids: phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, methionine, lysine, and histidine? As a complete set of 9, these are the essential Amino Acids.
You may be aware, that in terms of Amino Acids, BCAAs dominate the supplement world, and are extremely popular with all kinds of athletes. This is because the three Branched Chain Amino Acids are the most important of the Eight, and therefore were popularised as such! Leucine is the first BCAA, and is understood as the king of all the Aminos, and so it demands the largest ratio in Amino Acid products. Taking BCAAs is certainly beneficial, (And I'll explain why very soon), but taking only three Amino Acids is like playing a game of Rugby with over half of your team missing! If you're serious about your Health and Fitness, don't deprive yourself of the other Essential Aminos which will enrich your workouts!
Let's take a look at the role of Amino Acids, and why you should be incorporating them into your diet and supplement in-take. Amino Acids play vital roles in the body, as they are quite literally the building blocks of proteins, as well as being key ingredients for a healthy metabolism. Had you wondered why Essential Amino Acids were named 'Essential'? Because they're essential! The human body is incapable of producing the Essential Amino Acids, and so it is important that they are delivered to your body through your diet. Of the 20 total Amino Acids, the human body is only able to produce 10, none of which are any of the nine essential Amino Acids! The great majority of us will not be able to source these essential Aminos through our diets, and without them, the body is prone to suffer muscular deterioration! Not only this, but without a healthy store of Essential Amino Acids, excess consumed proteins can be stored in the body as fat!
There may be some of you, who are possibly new to the supplement scene, who may be thinking, “Drinking Acid doesn't sound very good for me.” Just relax, not only do they certainly not taste like Acid... But they've also been studied in great depth, with multiple sources of scientific research supporting that they have an active role in the prevention of muscular deterioration, they increase your metabolism, and also protect the body's precious mitochondria! (An Organelle necessary for the respiration process, as well as production of energy.)
When to take Amino Acids? There is some level of controversy in the fitness world, in terms of the best time to consume Amino Acids. Some believe that taking them before a workout is best, as they have a significant affect on energy levels. Others argue that using them during a workout is most effective, as the soluble powders are fantastic for preventing dehydration. And finally, those who argue that Aminos should be consumed post-workout, often state that this is because this is when they are most necessary for repairing your sore and tired muscles. Due to all of these great factors, the truth is, there is no single correct answer. Amino Acids are beneficial for many reasons, and each benefit is optimized by different consumption times. My advice to you, would be to recognise the reason you are taking Amino Acids, and try to adjust your intake accordingly. For the average gym go-er, looking to build or tone some muscle, It would be most wise to consume them pre-workout, so as to maintain your hydration throughout the workout, as well as allowing time for the Amino Acids to enter the blood stream in time to work as an effective fuel.
