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Sep 05,2008
Amino acids play three critical roles in athlete's body. First, amino acids are the main structural component of muscle. Second, all enzymes that catalyze many important chemical reactions in the body including those that produce energy during exercise are amino acids. And thirdly amino acids themselves can supply up to 18% of the energy used during long workouts.
Improve Athletic Performance
Amino acids' role in improving exercise performance is becoming increasingly recognized. In the past, sports nutrition research has focused on the benefits of carbohydrate and fluid supplementation during exercise. It has been well established that fluid replenishment can improve temperature regulation and reduce cardiovascular stress. Similarly, carbohydrate supplementation has been shown to delay the onset of fatigue and improve endurance performance. This has been the standard for almost 15 years.
However, research is now showing that amino acids can provide no fewer than 5 additional benefits when added in proper ratio with carbohydrate regiment.
Amino Acids improves muscle energy dynamics
Ingesting carbohydrate before exercise delays fatigue by increasing the amount of energy and slowing the rate of muscle glycogen depletion. The hormone insulin, released by the pancreas automatically in response to increasing glucose levels in the blood, is responsible for delivering carbohydrate to the muscle cell. Amino Acids also stimulate insulin release. When a balance ratio of amino acids is consumed, there is a stronger insulin response and glucose is delivered to the working muscles more quickly, resulting in greater glycogen conservation and endurance.
In a university study, amino acids can increase endurance by 24 percent as compared to a conventional sports drink without protein and by 57 percent as compared to water
Amino Acids Blunts rise in Stress Hormones
While most of the effects of long, hard workouts are positive, prolonged exercise results in the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which breaks down proteins for use as energy, leading to post-exercise muscle soreness. However, when blood insulin levels are kept high, cortisol levels remain low. By stimulating higher blood insulin levels, amino acids intake reduces cortisol release more than conventional sports drinks and thereby reduces protein breakdown.
Amino Acids Delay Fatigue
Amino Acids may offer two advantages in helping delay fatigue during exercise. The primary cause of fatigue has been shown to be depletion of muscle glycogen stores. By stimulating insulin, protein helps preserve muscle glycogen stores. In addition, protein may also affect other factors that play a role in the development of central nervous system fatigue, "central fatigue," which is associated with the breakdown of muscle proteins for fuel when carbohydrate fuel runs low. By reducing the breakdown of muscle proteins for energy, protein consumed during exercise could delay central fatigue as well.
Amino Acids Maintain Muscle Protein
During exercise, the normal process of muscle protein building is virtually suspended as required amino acids and energy are used to generate movement. In addition, protein can supply up to 15 percent of energy needs during the latter portions of long workouts. These two factors lead to significant net muscle protein loss during workouts and a reduced ability to rebuild muscle proteins after workouts. Amino Acids intake will make more amino acids available for protein synthesis during and after workouts, thereby reducing the need for muscle repair and accelerating what muscle repair is needed.
Amino Acids and Recovery
Following exercise, amino acids plays a powerful role in rebuilding and reenergizing muscle cells. Research has shown that consuming amino acids within an hour of completing exercise resulted in faster muscle glycogen resynthesis and faster muscle protein. In one study, Amino Acids decreased post-exercise muscle damage, increased post-exercise muscle glycogen synthesis, and extended next-workout endurance.
**All AmCaid Products are 100% USP grade material and are free of fillers and preservatives**
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