Recently I got asked this really interesting question that I think a lot of people should know about. He kept saying to me how he saw all this stuff about amino acids but he doesn't really know much about it. That's why I'm here, to clear up all the confusion.
What the hell are amino acids?
Well for starters, amino acids are in everyone's bodies because it's the very thing we're made out of. It helps create and build our muscles and tissues.
Now you're probably thinking, "If it's already inside my body why do I need it?" Well, here's the thing. Although it's inside your body, your body either can only make some of it or just can't make enough of it.
What do I mean by that?
There are 20 amino acids in our body, 11 of them we can produce but not a lot of it. Nine of them, we have to look to other sources to find them.
The best ones are beef and chicken, sorry vegans.
Even then that's not enough!
Why spend the rest of your days chowing out on steak, that you really don't have the time for, when you can take amino acid supplements.
Amino in supplement form is actually a lot better for you because it makes absorption a lot quicker, meaning there's a higher concentration of it in your blood; meaning you get to take advantage of all it's awesome benefits. What exactly are these benefits?
Well, let me tell you, there are four big ones.
1. Endurance Boost
The first one being is that it can help increase your endurance.
How?
Because it changes the way your body uses fuel, things like carbs and fats.
See, when you do a workout or do an intense physical activity, it depletes a lot of the glycogen stores and we need glycogen!
Because if we don't we just end up feeling tired and sluggish. Where do amino acids come into play?
Instead of reaching into our glycogen stores for energy, it uses fat as fuel.
This way, you actually get to keep your energy from being wasted.
2. Reduce Fatigue
Another big benefit of amino acids is that it reduces your fatigue, aka, it helps you to feel less tired.
See, when there's not enough aminos flowing in the brain it creates a chemical called tryptophan. Tryptophan, if you remember from high school, becomes serotonin in the brain. More serotonin equals the more exhausted you feel. However, amino acids prevent this from happening.
3. Grow your Muscles
One of the other important benefits of amino acids, especially with alanine and glutamine, is that it preserves muscle and it can help muscle growth. Most of you guys freak out when I say muscle growth but it's the good kind, not the body builder kind, that's just 90% steroids.
See, when we exercise, believe it or not, it damages our muscles so we can actually break our muscles own to use for fuel, that's a big no-no.
Amino acids preserve our muscles and protect it from any kind of damage like that.
4. Reduce Muscle Pain
The last benefit that you'll love is that amino acids reduce muscle soreness.
We always cry, no pain no gain but, really, being sore is so shitty. Amino acids though, they have this unique ability called protein synthesis.
Protein synthesis helps you recover a lot faster from your workouts, meaning it takes less time for the pain and soreness to settle in.
I know that's a lot to take in but, really, amino acids are one of the best supplements out there right now. It's reliable, it's safe, and most importantly, they work.
Comments