A healthy and healthy diet is necessary for sports performance, and without a doubt, for the health of our body. For this, it is necessary to eat foods that contain, among other components, proteins, which are made up of amino acids.
Protein comes from the Greek term proteios which means “primary importance”. And this is fully true, since we need proteins for muscle development and preservation and to allow thousands of cellular processes in which hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitters, etc. are synthesized.
In this sense, essential amino acids play a fundamental role in the functions previously reported. Know what they really are, what effects they have on our body and where we can get them from.
What are amino acids?
Amino acids are molecules that are part of proteins to keep our structures such as bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, nails, hair, etc. in an optimal state.
There are 20 different types of amino acids that are classified into two large groups:
- Essential: they are 9 amino acids (valine, leucine, threonine, lysine, tryptophan, hestidine, felinanaline, isoleucine, arginine, methionine) and they are not synthesized by the body, so we need to ingest them through food. A clear example of the importance of ingesting these amino acids is tryptophan , which helps us fall asleep.
- Non-essential: they are amino acids that can be synthesized by the body (alanine, proline, glycine, serine, cysteine, arpargine, glutamine, tyrosine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid).
In addition to the amino acids mentioned, there is a group of amino acids known as ” branched chain amino acids ” or Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCCAs). These amino acids (valine, isoleucine, and leucine) are really important for muscle building.
What foods are richest in amino acids?
Those foods that contain all the essential amino acids are called complete foods and have mainly animal origin. Those foods in which an essential amino acid is missing are called incomplete foods and are mainly found in vegetable protein.
Despite the previous classification, you don’t have to complicate it if you really eat a healthy diet to obtain all the necessary amino acids through your diet . For example, making a meal like lentils with rice already contains all the amino acids, an option that would improve if in addition to this you add vegetables.
However, if you had to choose an excellent source of amino acids to help build muscle, it is the egg. This is because its biological value is very high, that is, the protein is used in large quantities, in addition to having a high leucine content.
However, the quality of the egg matters, it is not the same eggs from free-range hens than eggs from hens crowded on farms and fed very differently.
Should I take a BCAA supplement to supplement my diet?
Chances are you’ve heard of this supplement on occasion without really understanding what it is and what it works for. As mentioned before, BCCAs are 3 amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine) that are responsible for protein synthesis . In addition, they can improve aerobic and anaerobic performance and can even reduce the symptoms of muscle pain.
If you wonder if they really work for muscle building, studies with good methodological quality show that they do not increase muscle development compared to whey protein. In addition, a good diet in which there is enough protein is enough.
In this way, BCAAs can be a necessary supplement for athletes who perform high intensity activities very frequently, but without ever forgetting that the basis for muscle development must always be a good training and a correct diet. If these two factors are not met, it would not make sense to purchase a BCAA supplement.
Reference
- Amy Esinger. The only 4 things you need to know about amino acids. for Greatist [Revised August 2016].
- Williams, M. (1999). Facts and fallacies of purpoted ergogenic amino acid supplements. Clinical Sports Medicine, 18 (3): 633-49.
