subject: Health products such as amino acids are must for muscle builders [print this page] Health products such as amino acids are must for muscle builders
As more and more health products like amino acid brands glut the shops, both online and offline, people should gain knowledge of not mere promotional ads by companies that trade. In fact more brands should raise more questions about amino acids and truth behind them.
Why should health products like amino acids be taken? This gives rise to more questions: Do amino acids play a role in exercising and work out? Do their concentration deplete after a work out? Does the performance of a person get affected should the levels of amino acids get lowered? What is the exact level of amino acids that should be supplemented? Does supplementation have any negative effects? Sadly majority of questions do not have convincing answers.
However to know if one needs supplementation of amino acids, one's amino acids levels after an exercise has to be considered.
Several scientific studies reported results of decrease in amino acids concentration after a rigorous physical exercise. The levels of amino acids would be measured before and after an extreme exercise activity in blood samples and severe drops in the levels will be over 50%.
Now that it should be clear in mind that amino acids depletion happens after work out or exercise, the immediate question that pops in our minds is if the performance will be affected with depletion of the amino acids.
See amino acid depletion as well as ammonia production increases due to intense working out and if the person still does working despite reduced concentrations of amino acids, there would be loss/decrease of muscle protein which is resultant of decrease in protein synthesis, increase in breakdown of the proteins and amino acids and/or both). While some amino acids will be oxidized some of them give substrates for the gluconeogenesis. After an intense physical activity, protein synthesis snaps back in 2 days times; however, the breakdown will remain high. This implies that the net balance will be positive only should the amino acids be replenished. While it should be noted that intense exercising doesn't call for increased protein requirement; but just that the protein metabolism becomes lot more efficient in those people.
Now how much of amino acids is enough
People who intensely exercise on regular basis may need increased protein. There were studies that reported increased intake of amino acids besides regular exercising would benefit to the muscle building and development as compared to just exercising with no amino acids supplementation. Taking 15-17% of diet as protein doesn't add stress to kidneys while leaving positive net balance and there are a few who ask to take 1.6-1.7 g protein per a kg body mass.
