Claire Brown, natural remedy consultant, writes:
So there’s a new sports drink on the market. You may have seen or heard of athletes and gym fanatics sipping away at it while they train up a storm. This new drink is an amino acid complex drink. If you or your husband or son is going to be training up a storm then you might want to give this drink a try.
Amino acids are small molecules that make up protein, a nutrient critical in muscle maintenance, tissue repair, immunity and control of all your body’s processes. When consuming protein, your body breaks it down to create a pool of single amino acids that your cells use to make new proteins as needed. Consuming amino acids in the form of whole-food proteins is preferred to taking them in through supplements, but certain amino acid supplements can offer health and fitness benefits.
The proteins in your body contain 20 different amino acids in various combinations. Each is structurally similar, but they also contain a portion that is different from one another. These differences allow the amino acids, and the proteins they make up, to function in different ways. Supplements can include those supplying all your essential amino acids, your body cannot manufacture, also as a protein substitute, those offering a subset of this nutrient and those available as individual amino acids.
Amino acids found in whole-food proteins can be especially beneficial during times of illness or when you are recovering from an injury and your overall protein needs are higher.
Single amino acid supplements – arginine and glutamine
?Arginine relaxes your blood vessels and may be of use in managing high blood pressure.
?Glutamine supplements can assist with wound healing and may help limit infection.
Branched-chain amino acids – leucine, isoleucine and valine
?These make up one-third of your skeletal muscle and play a role in exercise efficiency and muscle recovery after an intense workout session and are most commonly found in the amino acid drink.
What does this drink do for your body?
It helps to reduce muscle breakdown during training and/or dieting. It also helps support your energy and will help you with your diet loss plan. The major benefit to weight trainers is their ability to support muscle growth. It has the ability to activate a biochemical process which increases muscle protein synthesis and therefore muscle growth. It will also help you after your workout lessen feelings of fatigue associated with physical activity. Not only this but it will reduce your muscle break down and fuel muscle development and increase your lean body muscle mass.
So make this drink a part of your daily workout routine and reap the natural benefits.
