What are amino acids used for in the gym?

BCAAs or amino acids are one of the most well-known sports supplements. But do you know what amino acids are used for in the gym? Find out why they are suitable for athletes and how they can help you achieve your goals in the gym.

There are different types of amino acids that are part of proteins. The most important in sports supplementation are leucine, isoleucine and valine, followed by alanine, arginine and glycine, although they are not the only ones that are beneficial for athletes.

What are amino acids used for in the gym?

Taking amino acids at the gym is key for the body to function properly

Amino acids are precursors of enzymes and neurotransmitters , but also of hormones, and the proper functioning of the hormonal system is key to some of the most significant processes for athletes.

For example, to execute optimal metabolic processes , allowing you to obtain the energy needed to support demanding workouts and for proper recovery.

Not only digestion depends on metabolism, but also issues such as muscle contraction and even breathing.

Supplementation with sports amino acids helps to gain muscle mass and its maintenance

This is the most well-known use of these supplements. If you ask what amino acids are used for in the gym, most people will probably answer that they are used to gain muscle mass . Leucine contributes to protein synthesis, which is an essential step in the body to achieve muscle growth.

But not only that, this same amino acid contributes to increasing insulin levels in the body, favoring the stimulation of protein synthesis .

So, taking amino acids and proteins promotes muscle mass gain, but also contributes to its maintenance. Insulin levels increase and cortisol levels decrease, and since the latter contributes to muscle destruction and fat accumulation, its significant reduction is key to maintaining the muscle mass gained.

They help to postpone the feeling of fatigue

Another use of amino acids in the gym is their contribution to maintaining energy during training and promoting muscle recovery.

Taking valine pre-workout in a BCAA blend is what enables these amino acid benefits. Its job is simple: it competes with tryptophan for entry into the brain.

And why is it in the athlete's interest to have more valine than tryptophan delivered to the brain during training? Because tryptophan produces serotonin, which signals the brain that the body is tired and should stop to rest. Valine, on the other hand, delays the feeling of fatigue , allowing you to exercise in the gym for longer and more demandingly, postponing the feeling of exhaustion that leads to stopping the activity.

The amino acid isoleucine promotes fat burning and inhibits its formation

By improving protein synthesis, amino acids increase the body's energy expenditure . They actively help burn body fat, but isoleucine goes further, helping to eliminate fat deposits from the body and making them the fuel that the body uses when exercising.

How does it do this? By activating peroxisomal proliferator receptors (PPARs) that improve and increase the burning of fat deposits and at the same time inhibit the storage of fat in the body. In this way, they burn existing fat and prevent new fat deposits from forming.

Taking amino acids to promote and improve muscle recovery

Leucine is a branched chain amino acid (BCAA) that, together with L-glutamine and other amino acids, contributes to better and more effective muscle recovery . Muscle damage is less and repair is faster and more effective, promoting better muscle recovery.

Amino acids to maintain endurance and energy during training

In the phases of muscle toning and growth, as well as in endurance training and sports, the amino acids alanine and proline help maintain energy.

How? These amino acids help convert carbohydrates into glycogen, which the body stores in the muscles and liver, and increase their storage capacity. Thus, during exercise, the body has a greater capacity to maintain blood glucose levels for longer.

Now that you know what amino acids are for in the gym, all you have to do is establish the right dosage for you. Find AMIX™ essential amino acids in our online store.