Unlocking 8 Benefits Of Amino Acid For Achieving Good Health And Fitness
Health
Published on: 13-Apr-2024
10 min read
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Lalita Vishwakarma
Unlocking 8 Benefits Of Amino Acid For Achieving Good Health And Fitness
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Hello readers! Have you ever wondered what makes amino acids a critical component in nutrition powders and drink mixes? Or why they are essential for your body to function optimally? These powerful biomolecules play a significant role in protein development and promote healthy tissue growth in muscles, bones, skin, and hair.
They also serve as precursors to enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters, vital in transporting messages between cells and regulating various bodily functions.
There are 20 different types, and they are categorised into essential and non-essential amino acids. Each amino acid has a unique set of properties and functions. For example, some amino acids can improve muscle growth and recovery, while others can boost brain function and reduce inflammation.
In this blog, we will talk about the benefits of amino acids and find out which foods are rich in them. To learn more, continue reading!
Table of Contents
Top 8 Health Benefits Of Amino Acid
9 Essential Amino Acids Foods
Why Are Amino Acids Important?
What Are The Main Functions Of Amino Acids?
What Foods Are High In Amino Acids?
How Many Amino Acids Do I Need?
Dietitian's Recommendations
The Final Say
FAQs
References
Top 8 Health Benefits Of Amino Acid
Studies have examined the benefits of amino acids, especially branched-chain amino acids benefits, in the body. These include:
1. Builds Muscle Mass
Muscles are vital tissues that require protection, especially during calorie deficit periods or longer training sessions. The balance between protein deposition and breakdown determines muscle gain, maintenance, or loss. Essential amino acids can prevent lean muscle loss and are particularly effective when your caloric intake is insufficient.
2. Stimulates And Helps Protein Synthesis
The evidence is clear that amino acids stimulate muscle protein synthesis, with leucine playing a vital role. Amino acids are an excellent tool for maintaining muscle mass because they spike the amino acid profile in the blood faster than any other performance enhancer. This means they promote healing and start the muscle recovery process.
3. Low In Calories
Calorie reduction is considered the most effective way to lose weight. If you plan to decrease your calorie intake to aid fat loss, amino acids can be helpful. They contain fewer calories than other full-chain workout supplements because the bonds have already released energy.
4. Reduces Muscle Pain
Scientific evidence shows that amino acids are powerful in limiting muscle damage and promoting protein synthesis, but the ability to perceive these effects is subjective. There is evidence that one of the health benefits of amino acid supplements is reducing muscle soreness, but this may vary from person to person.
5. Promotes Digestion
Free amino acids are easily digested and absorbed, making them ideal for athletes with digestive issues and muscle recovery. In situations where digestion is impaired due to a lack of blood flow to the digestive tract, such as during endurance training or team sports with intermittent sprinting, heavy protein shakes that take longer to digest are less effective and can cause stomach problems during exercise.
Also Read: Protein Digestion: A Process Of 4 Steps
6. Non-Inflammatory
One good thing about amino acids is that they do not cause inflammation. This property makes them an ideal choice for individuals dealing with health issues like irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases, Crohn's disease, or celiac disease.
7. Boosts the Immunity
The immune system plays a vital role in maintaining the health of the human body. However, when an individual increases the volume and intensity of their training, such as during intense workouts, this system can become disrupted. Amino acids are fundamental to all endocrine systems, significant hormones, and elements. Taking supplements can help prevent the immune system from collapsing during intense exercise.
8. Metabolic And Digestive Health
As we age, our diet may not provide enough support for our body's protein breakdown, leading to reduced digestion efficiency. EAA supplements can help improve metabolic and digestive health by providing essential amino acids. This is especially important for ageing individuals due to decreased hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes.
Poor absorption of proteins and amino acids can also prevent them from reaching the cells. Although amino acids can be used for energy, they cannot be used for growth and repair if other sources, such as fats and carbohydrates, are lacking.
Also Read: Top 6 Protein Foods And Their Health Benefits
9 Essential Amino Acids Foods
Your body needs 20 types of amino acids to function correctly. These 20 amino acids combine in various ways to form proteins in the body. The body produces hundreds of amino acids but cannot make nine. It is called an essential amino acid. You must get it through the food you eat. 9 essential amino acids:
Amino Acid | Function |
Histidine | A brain chemical (neurotransmitter) called histamine is essential in immune function, digestion, sleep, and sexual function. |
Isoleucine | Muscle metabolism and immune function. It helps produce haemoglobin and regulate energy. |
Leucine | They produce proteins and growth hormones. They help with muscle growth and repair, wound healing, and regulating blood sugar levels. |
Lysine | Hormones and energy production. It is important for calcium and immune function. |
Methionine | Tissue growth, metabolism, and detoxification. It helps absorb essential minerals, including zinc and selenium. |
Phenylalanine | Chemical messengers (dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine) are produced in the brain and are important in producing other amino acids. |
Threonine | Formation of collagen and elastin (structure to skin and connective tissue). It helps prevent bleeding by forming blood clots. Important in fat metabolism and immune function. |
Tryptophan | Maintain proper nitrogen balance. Produce a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) called serotonin (regulates mood, appetite, and sleep). |
Valine | Muscle growth, tissue repair, and energy production. |
The body produces the remaining 11 amino acids it needs, which are called non-essential amino acids. Some non-essential amino acids are classified as conditional amino acids. These are only considered necessary when one is sick or stressed. Conditional amino acids include arginine, cysteine, glutamine, tyrosine, glycine, ornithine, proline, and serine.
Why Are Amino Acids Important?
Proteins are a major nutrient required in adequate amounts to improve health and fitness. They are made up of amino acids, known as life's building blocks. Our bodies have thousands of proteins, each with a unique amino acid sequence. These proteins perform different bodily functions, and their structure depends on the amino acid sequence.
Amino acids come in two forms: essential and non-essential. Both are equally responsible for regulating bodily function. Your body produces non-essential amino acids efficiently, but you must focus on other sources to meet your needs. Each amino acid has its chemical structure and function.
The body uses these amino acids to create new proteins that help in various functions such as digestion, cell growth, tissue repair, and many other important tasks.
Also Read: Protein And Fibre-Rich Foods For Weight Loss
What Are The Main Functions Of Amino Acids?
The major functions of essential amino acids are:
Phenylalanine helps maintain a healthy nervous system and improve memory.
Valine acts as an essential ingredient in promoting muscle growth.
Threonine helps strengthen immunity.
Tryptophan helps produce vitamin B3 and serotonin hormones. Serotonin is important in maintaining appetite, regulating sleep, and improving mood.
Isoleucine plays a vital role in haemoglobin formation by stimulating the pancreas to produce insulin and move oxygen from the lungs throughout the body.
Methionine is used to treat kidney stones, maintain healthy skin, and fight the invasion of pathogenic bacteria.
Leucine is involved in stimulating protein synthesis and growth hormones.
Lysine promotes the formation of antibodies, hormones, and enzymes and is essential for producing and fixing bone calcium.
Histidine synthesises red blood cells (RBCs) and white blood cells (WBCs) in many enzymatic processes.
Also Read: Top 10 Plant-Based Protein Benefits
What Foods Are High In Amino Acids?
Ideally, a person needs about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for normal body functioning. There are various sources, both in plants and in animals, that can meet the required dose. Let's look at them one by one:
1. Seafoods
Eating seafood is good for your overall health because it contains omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, iodine, high potassium levels, low sodium levels, vitamins D, A, E, B12, and taurine. It also helps keep your heart and brain healthy. You can consume fish such as herring, mackerel, mahi mahi, salmon, and other shellfish to get the required protein dose.
2. Lean Meat
Chicken is an important protein source. It supplies the body with selenium, vitamins B3, B6, and choline. Because lean meat has fewer calories than whole meat, it may also help with weight loss. Eating poultry may also help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
3. Low-Fat Dairy Products
Calcium in dairy products is essential for strengthening bones and muscles and regulating blood pressure. Milk, yoghurt, and other dairy products are excellent sources of amino acids, calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, potassium, vitamins A and B12, zinc, and choline.
4. Eggs
Eggs are considered the complete food and are an excellent protein, magnesium, copper, iron, iodine, and zinc source. In total, egg whites and yolks contain 550 different proteins. It also has antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer properties. Egg white protein has also improved muscle strength and enhanced immune cell activity.
5. Legumes
If you follow a plant-based diet, legumes such as green peas, beans, lentils, and chickpeas are the best protein sources. Beans like black-eyed peas, cannellini, cranberries, Great Northern beans, kidney, lima, green, navy, pinto, and soybeans can be perfect food additions. These legumes help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure, ultimately helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
6. Grains
Including grains and pseudo-grains such as quinoa in your regular diet can provide your body with essential minerals, vitamins, and protein. Consuming whole grains has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon, pancreatic, and stomach cancers, among other health problems.
7. Nuts And Seeds
Rich in amino acids, fibre, and vital minerals, seeds including pumpkin, chia, flax, sesame, poppy, sunflower, and hemp can help lower cholesterol, manage blood pressure, and minimise the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
How Many Amino Acids Do I Need?
Consuming foods containing amino acids in every meal is unnecessary, but it's crucial to have a balanced intake of them throughout the day. For every 2.2 pounds of body weight, the following necessary amino acid amounts should be consumed daily:
Amino Acid | Milligrams |
Histidine | 14 |
Isoleucine | 19 |
Leucine | 42 |
Lysine | 38 |
Methionine | 19 |
Phenylalanine | 33 |
Threonine | 20 |
Tryptophan | 5 |
Valine | 24 |
Dietitian's Recommendations
Amino acids play many critical bodily roles, and their levels must be maintained to avoid negative effects. Essential amino acids can be obtained through food because the body cannot produce them independently. If recommended by your nutritionist, you can also take amino acid supplements. However, you should know the possible side effects of consuming amino acids and how they affect muscle growth and recovery. You also don't need supplements like protein powder to get the amino acids you need; you can also get them through food.
Dt. Aditi Upadhayay
The Final Say
The world of amino acids is vast and fascinating, offering a treasure trove of benefits for your overall health and fitness. From muscle building and repair to boosting immunity and even regulating your mood, the benefits of amino acids play a crucial role in your well-being.
Remember, incorporating a balanced diet rich in protein sources is the best way to ensure you get the full spectrum of amino acids your body needs. However, consulting a healthcare professional or registered dietitian can help determine if amino acid supplements might benefit your routine, especially if you have specific health goals or dietary restrictions.
FAQs
1. Is it good to drink amino acids every day?
No, it's not necessary or recommended to drink amino acids every day unless advised by a healthcare professional. A balanced diet typically provides sufficient amino acids, and excessive intake may lead to adverse effects.
2. Who needs to take amino acids?
Amino acids are essential for the human body, and everyone needs to take them in one form or another. However, certain individuals, like athletes, bodybuilders, and people with certain medical conditions, may require higher doses of amino acids to meet their specific needs.
3. What causes amino acid deficiency?
The main cause of amino acid deficiency is insufficient protein intake. Proteins are broken down to form amino acids. Therefore, consuming less protein reduces amino acid production. Other causes include antacids and ageing.
4. What will happen if I have too many amino acids?
Large amounts of amino acids can affect enzymes in the liver and the rest of the body, nervous system, diet and toxicity.
5. Why are amino acids important?
Amino acids play a role in almost every system in our body:
They store nutrients such as carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats, and water.
It prevents diseases such as osteoid arthritis, diabetes, insomnia, erection problems, and cholesterol problems.
They help heal wounds, repair tissues (especially muscles, bones, skin, and hair) and neutralise the adverse effects associated with metabolic disorders.
6. What are the health benefits of amino acid supplements?
The major health benefits of amino acid
Break down food.
Grow and repair body tissue.
Make hormones and brain chemicals (neurotransmitters).
Provide an energy source.
Maintain healthy skin, hair and nails.
Build muscle.
7. What are the benefits of amino acids for hair?
The benefits of amino acids for hair are:
Help to retain moisture in the hair shaft
Preventing dryness
Promoting softer
More manageable hair
8. What are the benefits of amino acids for the skin?
The benefits of amino acids for the skin are:
Wound healing
Sun protection
Skin microbiome
Water retention
Hydration
Antioxidants
Anti-ageing
Skin elasticity
References
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