Adding supplements to your daily diet seems to be quite popular amongst just about everyone right now. While people of all backgrounds may choose to take supplements as part of their daily health routine, those who commonly take them tend to be people who are actively engaged in sports and fitness. This is very easy to explain why – if you are engaged in physically-demanding performances, you would want supplements that will help you boost your physical performance.
The most common of these supplements are protein powders. Protein powders, such as Orgain Protein and Designer Whey, help you in recovering faster, hence adding more endurance to your performance, or gains if you are working out. There are a variety of other supplements taken by physically active people as well, and one common one is amino acid supplements.
But, what are amino acid supplements? What are amino acids to begin with, and how do they help you?
We’ll start by sharing our top-rated amino acid supplements and then discuss how these supplements work and the benefits they provide.
Let’s get to it!
Best Amino Acid Supplements
PerfectAmino
Best Amino Acid Pills
PerfectAmino is an essential amino acid supplement that comes in pill form.
This supplement uses high-quality ingredients designed for maximum absorption.
PerfectAmino includes a 5,000 mg proprietary blend of 8 essential amino acids with no additional additives, sugars, gluten, or yeast.
PerfectAmino is ideal for people who want to take an amino acid supplement in pill form instead of a powder supplement.
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Bulk Supplements BCAA
Best Unflavored BCAA Powder
Bulk Supplements BCAA is a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) powder that contains 6,000mg of BCAA’s per serving.
The powder is filler-free, vegan, and gluten-free.
Bulk Supplements BCAA contains l-leucine, l-isoleucine, and l-valine in 2:1:1 ratio, making it ideal for people who want to build muscle.
Since Bulk Supplements BCAA is unflavored, it can be mixed into other drinks, such as pre-workouts, electrolyte drinks, and smoothies.
Huge BCAA
Best Flavored BCAA Powder
Huge BCAA is a BCAA powder that comes in great flavors like kiwi blueberry, watermelon lemonade, and more.
Each serving contains a blend of 8,000mg of BCAA’s as well as L-Glutamine and coconut water for post-workout recovery and rehydration.
Huge BCAA is ideal for people who want to use a flavored BCAA powder either before, during, or after exercise.
Naked EAAS
Best EAA Powder
Naked EAAS is an essential amino acid supplement that contains 8 essential amino acids.
Naked EAAs can support muscle growth, endurance, and post-workout recovery.
Since it is unflavored, this powder can be added to other beverages or taken on its own.
Naked EAAS is filler-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan.
What Are Amino Acids?
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. So, once you consume protein, either through your food or through supplementation, the protein content has to be broken down in its respective amino acid constituents.
Once the protein is broken down into their own amino acids, wonderful things happen – like the creation of neurotransmitters, regulation of your blood sugar levels, synthesis of new muscle tissues, and many more processes. This, in part, explains why amino acids are called the “building blocks of life” – but in totality, amino acids are actually one of the basic building blocks of the human body!
There are 20 different amino acids that the human body uses; they can be divided into two groups:
- Nonessential amino acids – amino acids that are produced by the body, so you don’t need to look for them elsewhere.
- Essential amino acids – amino acids that are not produced by your body, hence you need to take them through food or supplement sources.
There are 11 nonessential amino acids and 9 essential amino acids. If a food or supplement source contains “complete” protein, this means that the 9 essential amino acids are present in that protein. Good sources of this include animal-based and soy-based foods.
Now that you know what amino acids are and their role in our body, it should make sense why it’s a good supplement to take. Below, we are going to list down the benefits of amino acid supplements.
Amino Acid Supplement Benefits
1) Prevents Muscle Damage
Amino acid supplements will help you prevent muscle damage by increasing muscle repair and buildup through protein synthesis.
This is particularly helpful if you are an endurance athlete or currently working out in a fasted state, where you are prone to muscle breakdown as your body takes some of your muscle fiber for fuel.
To avoid this, take an amino acid supplement at least 30-60 minutes before you start your workout.
2) Helps Your Body Burn More Fat
BCAAs, a group of specific amino acids, are shown to help athletes burn more body fat – especially around the mid-section. So, if you’re an athlete or just working out on hopes to burning body fat, then amino acid supplements, especially BCAA supplements, could be a great help for you!
3) Decreases Your Muscle Soreness
Muscle soreness – or tearing apart of muscle tissues – is a concern mainly by bodybuilders, not because of the soreness itself (it eventually leads to growth) but because of the time, it will take them to recover from the process.
As a bodybuilder, you want to maximize your workouts as much as possible. This is one of the main reasons why they consume protein powders – it helps them recover faster, therefore giving them more endurance to workout longer for bigger gains!
But aside from protein powder, amino acid supplements can also help in faster recovery. Before you work out, take an amino acid supplement. This cranks up the protein synthesis in your muscles. Once you’ve torn your muscle tissues due to the workout, the repairing process will be done as soon as possible, leading you to faster recovery and longer endurance at the gym.
4) Reduces Mental Fatigue
Amino acid supplements not only help the body but the mind as well. When you are working out, your body increases the synthesis and metabolism of 5-HT, which can cause fatigue and performance impairment.
To counter this, take amino acid supplements. Amino acid supplements are shown to help you reduce mental fatigue so that, during and after you worked out, you are still in your optimal cognitive performance.
5) Improves And Increases Your Endurance
According to one study, BCAA supplements are shown to aid in decreasing fatigue by over 17%. This especially works well if you are depleted of glycogen, probably due to diet restrictions.
How To Take Amino Acid Supplements
Amino acid supplements mostly come in pill form, just like a typical medicine. There are a variety of supplements on the market, so we will share a few of our favorites below.
Of course, check the dosage that works for you whenever you take amino acid supplements to avoid negative side effects.
Do Amino Acid Supplements Really Work?
The short answer is: yes, amino acid supplements do work! But as always, check the label before you buy your amino acid supplement and don’t fall for promises promoted by the supplement seller. In fact, if the promises sound too good, and is not backed properly by science, then that could be a sign that you should avoid that supplement.
If you are buying amino acid supplements, you should check the label and see if you are getting the following:
- Threonine
- Methionine
- Lysine
- Valine
- Tryptophan
- Isoleucine
- Phenylalanine
- Leucine
- Histidine
If you are looking for BCAA, these are separately sold as BCAA supplements, but again, always check the label to make sure that you are really getting the ingredients that you are looking for.
A trustworthy recommendation is also one great way to know which supplements will likely be right for you and which aren’t.
Are Amino Acid Supplements Right For You?
An averagely healthy person can take amino acid supplements safely, so if you fall into this category, taking amino acid supplements should be safe for you.
If you are suffering from a medical condition like diabetes or kidney problems, taking amino acid supplements is not recommended – but to be sure, ask your doctor to know if taking such supplements would fit your situation and not cause any unexpected side effects.
Final Thoughts: Amino Acid Supplements And Your Health
If you are thinking about adding amino acid supplements to your diet, now is a great time to try it out. Amino acid supplements are easy and safe supplements to test that carry a variety of benefits with it. If you start taking amino acid supplements and experience any negative symptoms, contact a medical professional for help.
