Supplements DETAILS - leucine, isoleucine, valine, arginineIt’s all in the details - leucine, isoleucine, valine, arginine
It’s ironic that as the world shrinks, there’s added pressure to focus on the “big picture,” but sometimes, concentrating on the smallest details, the ABC’s, can lead to the most exciting discovery and interesting thoughts.
Researchers have long claimed that the body uses and needs more branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s) as exercise duration and intensity increases. New research says that the BCAA’s: leucine, isoleucine and valine are as important and effective for moderate exercisers as they are for strenuous exercisers, when combined with arginine, for repairing muscle and building lean muscle. Balancing rest with strenuous exercise is also important to muscle repair and growth. Big picture response to the new research is to make sure to adequately rest your muscles and take in leucine, isoleucine, valine and arginine after exercising. That leaves out some interesting details.
Skeletal muscles are attached to bone, and responsible for movement. Skeletal muscles are THE major sites for protein synthesis and degradation. BCAA’s in the blood minimize skeletal muscle breakdown. Abundant in whey protein, BCAA’s are also critical to skeletal muscles for protein synthesis, because unlike other essential amino acids, BCAA’s are metabolized directly into muscle tissue, and are the first ones used and depleted during exercise. The body requires higher amounts of BCAA’s during and following exercise to build and repair lean muscle. Low BCAA levels contribute to fatigue. Leucine, isoleucine, and valine determine exactly how well muscle can be replaced when you exercise, and how well you can build your lean body mass. Arginine regulates nitric oxide to activate cellular changes.
The body can mix and match up to 20 amino acids to build thousands of proteins necessary for every bodily function. It’s amazing that by combining these 20 simple carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen compounds into distinctive sequences and shapes, tiny amino acid units build proteins to act as bones, organs, tendons, ligaments, muscles, cartilage, hair, nails, teeth and skin, enzymes antibodies, hemoglobin , or hormones, among other things. Every protein is made by sequencing and intertwining strands of amino acids in a particular way, much like the form and structure of any sweater comes from strands of yarn intertwined into particular patterns, shapes and sizes.
Eight amino acids are essential (9 for infants) and must be gotten daily from food. Complete proteins have all the essentials. The body can recombine and recycle the essentials, including the BCAA’s, and produce all the non-essentials from them.
Whether this is the ABC’s of amino acids to you, or you know your BCAA’s, the details of how the body uses, makes, or takes in proteins give us a universe of food for thought!!
It’s ironic that as the world shrinks, there’s added pressure to focus on the “big picture,” but sometimes, concentrating on the smallest details, the ABC’s, can lead to the most exciting discovery and interesting thoughts.
Researchers have long claimed that the body uses and needs more branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s) as exercise duration and intensity increases. New research says that the BCAA’s: leucine, isoleucine and valine are as important and effective for moderate exercisers as they are for strenuous exercisers, when combined with arginine, for repairing muscle and building lean muscle. Balancing rest with strenuous exercise is also important to muscle repair and growth. Big picture response to the new research is to make sure to adequately rest your muscles and take in leucine, isoleucine, valine and arginine after exercising. That leaves out some interesting details.
Skeletal muscles are attached to bone, and responsible for movement. Skeletal muscles are THE major sites for protein synthesis and degradation. BCAA’s in the blood minimize skeletal muscle breakdown. Abundant in whey protein, BCAA’s are also critical to skeletal muscles for protein synthesis, because unlike other essential amino acids, BCAA’s are metabolized directly into muscle tissue, and are the first ones used and depleted during exercise. The body requires higher amounts of BCAA’s during and following exercise to build and repair lean muscle. Low BCAA levels contribute to fatigue. Leucine, isoleucine, and valine determine exactly how well muscle can be replaced when you exercise, and how well you can build your lean body mass. Arginine regulates nitric oxide to activate cellular changes.
The body can mix and match up to 20 amino acids to build thousands of proteins necessary for every bodily function. It’s amazing that by combining these 20 simple carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen compounds into distinctive sequences and shapes, tiny amino acid units build proteins to act as bones, organs, tendons, ligaments, muscles, cartilage, hair, nails, teeth and skin, enzymes antibodies, hemoglobin , or hormones, among other things. Every protein is made by sequencing and intertwining strands of amino acids in a particular way, much like the form and structure of any sweater comes from strands of yarn intertwined into particular patterns, shapes and sizes.
Eight amino acids are essential (9 for infants) and must be gotten daily from food. Complete proteins have all the essentials. The body can recombine and recycle the essentials, including the BCAA’s, and produce all the non-essentials from them.
Whether this is the ABC’s of amino acids to you, or you know your BCAA’s, the details of how the body uses, makes, or takes in proteins give us a universe of food for thought!!
