Amino_Acids_and_Bodybuilding

Jason Garris How Amino Acids Affect Bodybuilding Amino acids are the building blocksof protein and muscle tissue. There are twenty different amino acids that are derived from protein located in the human body. Nine of these are called “essential” amino acids, which mean theycannot be created in the body. Therefore, one must acquire these from food, primarily in grade A protein foods as in meat, nuts, and dairy products. As the amino acids are digested and absorbed into the liver, it is highly dependent on the body’s needs for that moment. Some amino acids enter the blood stream, where they join others that have been liberated during the constant breakdown and synthesis of body tissue. Other amino acids are used by the liver to manufacture many of the specialized proteins such as liver enzymes, lipoproteins, and the blood protein (Van Mol). The most reliable way to deliver specific amino acids is to administer the particular amino acids themselvesthrough free form amino acids. The value of free form amino acids is thatthey do not require digestion. They are free of chemical bonds to other molecules and move quickly through the stomach and into the small intestine, where they are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream within fifteen minutes. This quick absorption helps prevent muscle catabolism, which is the breakdown of muscle tissue. In 1990, the Bulgarian national weightlifting team began trials to determine if free form amino acids were actually a boost to muscular growth (Finnin). The work was so successful that part of the study was replicated on the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. Since then, top bodybuilders and powerlifters around the world today, including six time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, and “Mr. Powerlifting” Ed Coan have benefited from this new research. Branched-chained amino acids are metabolized directly in the muscle and can be converted into energy to prevent muscle catabolism. Using branch chained amino acid supplement enables your body not to break down muscle tissue to derive extra energy (Thomas). A study conducted at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, confirmed that the use of branch-chained amino acids during and after exercise could result in a significant reduction of muscle breakdown during exercise. Many misconceptions exist about the muscle contraction and the use of energy during heavy, high-intensity weight training. When you are engaged in a repetitive power workout, a substantial portion of your energy comes from sources other than carbohydrates. When muscle contracts, it uses its stores of ATP for the first few seconds (Thomas). The compound used to immediately replenish these stores is creatine phosphate. In fat loss, two major processes must occur, the mobilization and circulation of stored fats in the body must increase, and fats must be transported and converted to energy at the mitochondria (Thomas). Several nutrients can assist in the conversion of fat to energy, including lipotropic agents such as choline, inositol and methionine which, in sufficient quantities, can help improve the transport and metabolism of fat (Thomas). Amino acids are truly the building blocks of protein. How you eat protein and the length of time it takes the amino acids to be digested determines how great they are used in the body to build new muscle. As discussed, bodybuilders use amino acids in various ways including:to build new muscle, maintaining the structure of the body, promoting energy, and aiding to the loss of body fat. Works Cited Finnin, Barry. "Amino Acids and Bodybuilding." Muscle & Fitness Magazine April 1996. Thomas, Ricky. "Importance of Amino Acids in Bodybuilding." Bullfit. 2008. . 20 November, 2009.http://www.builtfit.com/build-muscle/importance-of-amino-acids-in-bodybuilding.htm. Van Mol, Peter. (2003). Amino Acids Guide. Bodybuilding.com . 20 November, 2009 from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/catamino.htm.