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Amino Acids Guide
The Complete Amino Acids Guide for Bodybuilding
Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle tissue and play an very important role in bodybuilding nutrition.
Here is your complete guide to the benefits of the essential and non-essential amino acids.
L-ALANINE
- Used as body fuel by tissues of the brain, nervous system and muscle.
- Important in converting energy to stored energy in the body's Kreb's energy cycle.
- Glycogenic[energy storage source of glucose by the liver and muscles].
- Important nitrogen quality for post-injury states.
- Builds up the imune system, producing immunoglobulins and antibodies.
- Metabolizes sugars and organic acides.
L-ARGININE
- Indispensable for optimum growth.
- Stimulates the release of growth hormone
- Important to muscle metabolism; acts as a vehicle for transport, storage and excretion of nitrogen.
- Increases muscle mass while decreasing the amount of body fat.
- Plays an important role in post-injury problems such as weight changes, nitrogen balance and tissue healing.
- Increases collagen, the main supportive fibrous protein found in bone, cartilage and other connective tissue.
- Stimulates the immune system.
- Combats physical and mental fatigue.
- Increases spermatogenesis.
- Used in the treatment of hepatic [liver] disorders.
- Transforms to L-Ornithine and urea.
- Promotes the detoxification of ammonia which is poisonous to living cells.
L-ASPARTIC ACID
- Increases resistance to fatigue.
- Involved in the formation of RNA and DNA, the chemical bases of heredity and carriers of genetic information.
- Salts of aspartic acid increase stamina and endurance.
- Protects the liver and promotes normal cell function.
- Builds up the immune system, producing immunoglobulins and antibodies.
L-CITRULLINE
- Helps recovery from fatigue.
- Stimulates the immune system; therefore, beneficial in the presence of any illness, disease, traumatic injury or wound.
- Metabolizes to L-Arginine.
- Detoxifies ammonia which is poisonous to living cells.
L-CYSTEINE
- Found to increase hair growth by as much as100%.
- Effective in preventing not only hangovers but brain and liver damage from alcohol.
- Helps prevent damages from the ill effects of cigarette smoke.
- Detoxifies many harmful chemicals.
- Helpful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
- Promotes healing and the immune system.
L-CYSTINE
- Essential for the formation of skin and hair.
- Promotes recovery from surgical operations and burns.
- Used in the treatment of respiratory disorders such as chronic bronchitis.
- Stimulates white blood cell activity in the immune system necessary for the resistance to disease.
L-GLUTAMIC ACID
- Especially important in brain metabolism.
- Functions as a brain fuel serving as an excitatory neurotransmitter.
- Transports potassium across the blood brain barrier.
- Combines to form L-Glutamine and in the process picks up ammonia radicals. This is the only method the brain has of detoxifying ammonia.
- Instrumental in the metabolism of other amino acids.
- Metabolizes sugars and fats.
- Increases the blood sugar level; used in the treatment of hypoglycemia.
L-GLUTAMINE
- Sustains mental ability.
- Involved with brain metabolism.
- Along with L-Glutamic Acid is used as a brain fuel.
- Used in the treatment of alcoholism; can protect against alcohol poisoning.
- Has been used in the treatment of schizophrenia and senility.
GLYCINE
- Of special value as a source of creatine which is essential for muscle function, breaking down glycogen and freeing energy.
- Produces glucogen which mobilizes glycogen [a stored energy source of glucose] from the liver.
- Builds up the immune system, producing immunoglobulins and antibodies.
- Acts as a nitrogen pool for the synthesis of non-essential amino acids.
- Effective for hyperacidity [used in many gastric antacid agents].
L-HISTIDINE
- Used in the treatment of allergic diseases.
- Used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
- Effective in the treatment of ulcers of the digestive organs.
- Important in the production of red and white blood cells; used in the treatment of anemia
L-ISOLEUCINE (essential amino acid)
- Primarily metabolized in muscle tissue.
- Essential to the formation of hemoglobin.
- Should always be in well balanced proportion with L-Leucine and L-Valine.
L-LEUCINE (essential amino acid)
- Metabolized in muscle tissue.
- Promotes healing of skin and broken bones.
- Lowers elevated blood sugar levels.
- Should Always be in well balanced proportion with L-Valine and L-Isoleucine.
L-LYSINE (essential amino acid)
- Inhibits the growth of viruses.
- Used in the treatment of herpes simplex virus.
- Produces L-Carnitine which improves stress tolerance and fat metabolism and has an anti-fatigue effect.
- Promontes bone growth by helping to form collagen, the fibrous protein which makes up bone, cartilage and other connective tissue..
- Aids in the absorption of calcium.
L-METHIONINE (essential amino acid)
- Is lipotropic, preventing excessive fat buildup in the liver.
- Helps prevent premature hair loss.
- Interacts with other body substances to detoxify harmful compounds.
- Is included in nutritional supplementation as an anti-fatigue agent.
L-ORNITHINE
- Stimulates the release of growth hormone which increases muscle mass while decreasing the amount of body fat.
- Helps build up the immune system.
- Promotes liver function and regeneration.
- Important in the formation of urea, detoxifying ammonia which is poisonous to living cells.
- Promotes healing.
L-PROLINE
- Extremely important for the proper function of joints and tendons, as well as good heart muscles.
- Glycogenic [energy storage source of glucose by the liver and muscles].
- A major constituent of collagen, the main fibrous protein found in bone, cartilage and other connective tissue.
L-PHENYLALANINE (essential amino acid)
- Produces and maintains an elevated and positive mood, alertness and ambition.
- Enhances learning and memory.
- Produces neurotransmitters which control impulse transmission between nerve cells.
- Is involved in dopamine transmission.
- Used in the treatment of certain types of depression.
- Suppresses appetite.
L-SERINE
- Glycogenic [energy storage source of glucose by the liver and muscles].
- Builds up the immune system, producing immunoglobulins and antibodies.
TAURINE
- Found in high concentrations in the tissues of the heart, skeletal muscle and central nervous system.
- Used to treat some forms of epilepsy by Controlling seizures.
L-THREONINE (essential amino acid)
- Is lipotropic, preventing fatty buildup in the liver.
- Glycogenic [energy storage source of glucose by the liver and muscles].
- Essential to normal growth.
- Generally low in vegetarian diets.
- Builds up the immune system, producing immunoglobulins and antibodies.
- Is an important constituent of collagen and elastin proteins.
L-TRYPTOPHAN (essential amino acid)
- Used by the brain to produce the neurotransmitter serotonin which results in a calming effect.
- Used in the treatment of insomnia, Stress, anxiety and depression.
- stimulates the release of growth hormone which burns body fat and acts as an aid in weight control.
- used in the treatment of migraines.
L-TYROSINE
- Plays an important role in the function of the adrenal, pituitary and thyroid glands.
- Generates red and white blood cells.
- Elevates mood.
- Is used in the treatment of anxiety, depression and insomnia.
- Produces Melanin, the skin and hair pigment.
- Produces norepinephrine, an appetite inhibitory neurotransmitter that suppresses appetite.
- Stimulates the release of growth hormone which causes muscle growth and reduces body fat.
L-VALINE (essential amino acid)
- Glycogenic [energy storage source of glucose by the liver and the muscles].
- Metabolized in muscle.
- Should always be in well balanced proportion with L-Leucine and L- lsoleucine.
- Used in the treatment of severe amino acid deficiencies caused by addictions.