What are amino acids? You might have heard of them but didn’t quite know what they were. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins. When food is digested in the body, it is broken down to its basic components for the body to use. In the case of protein that is amino acids.
Muscles use amino acids to repair themselves after the fibers are stretched and torn down. This is a regular occurrence when you lift weights. In order for the muscles to grow they have to be torn down through your workout. You can lift heavier weights or lighter weights and do a variety of exercises to create muscle confusion. This confusion keeps the muscle from adjusting and it is continually being rebuilt as a result.
Amino acids function in many areas of the body but they are found in higher concentrations in the muscles. The body gets amino acids either from supplements or foods. With foods, you are also getting other vital nutrients that the body needs. Some bodybuilders use supplements of amino acid complexes to replenish the amino acids needed for muscle mass without adding too much extra protein to their diet.
Here’s the big picture. The body uses carbohydrates for an energy source. Carbs are broken down into simple sugars that enter the bloodstream. Some of those sugars are sent to the muscles for fuel in the muscle-building process. In the muscle cells, glucose becomes glycogen when it is stored.
If the glycogen stores are depleted, the body will begin to use protein in the muscles as an energy source. This breaks down the muscle for the protein without repairing it. To prevent this from happening it is important to replenish carbs and proteins after a workout. Eating carbs prevent the body from stealing precious protein from the muscles.
Sources of protein are all around you. Usually when you are talking about body nutrients that are deficient in your system, protein is not one of them. Protein can be found in eggs, dairy products, lean meats, nuts, legumes, whole grains, green vegetables, fish and chicken. As long as a food source contains at least nine essential amino acids it is considered to be complete. Complete protein is what you want to eat to provide enough amino acids to repair your muscles and build more muscle mass.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They help repair the muscle fibers after a workout. Without them, you are losing instead of gaining muscle.
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