Aminosäuren: alles, was Sie wissen müssen
- Reading time: 9 min.
Strength athletes and bodybuilders often pay close attention to their total protein intake. It's important to consume enough protein to promote recovery after an intense workout. Your body breaks down these proteins into their small building blocks, called amino acids. There are different amino acids, each with a specific function in our body. The use of amino acid supplements is therefore very popular among athletes. At XXL Nutrition, we are happy to explain more about what amino acids are, why they are important for athletes, and we’ll also take a closer look at the most popular amino acids!
What are amino acids?
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, each with its own function. There are many forms of amino acids, such as (semi-)essential amino acids like Leucine, Arginine, and Glutamine. Other amino acids, like Taurine, Beta-Alanine, or L-Carnitine, can also be valuable additions. You can also choose a carefully formulated blend of amino acids, with the most well-known being BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids).
A unique advantage of amino acids compared to protein is that they are already isolated. This makes their absorption much faster than with a complete protein product. This makes amino acids particularly suitable when timing is more important, such as around strength training, but also before or after your cardio workout.
Amino acids are available as powder, in capsules, and even as ready-to-drink supplements. Everyone has their own preference, so check out our full range of amino acids and discover which one best fits your fitness goals.
Essential amino acids
We distinguish 3 types of amino acids, namely essential, semi-essential and non-essential amino acids. Your body can produce the non-essential amino acids itself and is also capable of producing the semi-essential amino acids. Only in special cases, such as illness, can your body not produce them.
You should always get the essential amino acids from your diet, since your body does not produce them itself. Are you not getting enough of these amino acids? Then a deficiency can occur, which has negative effects on the functioning of your body.
These are the essential amino acids:
- Phenylalanine is converted by your body into tyrosine, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.
- Histidine is used to make histamine.
- Isoleucine belongs to the BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) and plays a role in muscle mass building.
- Leucine is a BCAA that is important for protein synthesis.
- Lysine plays a role in protein synthesis.
- Methionine is a sulfur-containing amino acid and is used for protein synthesis.
- Threonine is a hydrophilic amino acid and a component of collagen and elastin.
- Tryptophan is a precursor for the production of serotonin and melatonin.
- Valine is the last of the 3 BCAAs and contributes to muscle mass building.
Semi-essential and nonessential amino acids
So in addition to the essential amino acids, we know semi-essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids. The semi-essential amino acids can also be produced by your body. Only in exceptional cases does your body fail to produce these amino acids sufficiently. This is the case, for example, in illness, during pregnancy or in small children. The non-essential amino acids are produced by your body itself. So it is not necessary to get these amino acids from your diet or supplements.
Below is a complete overview of all 22 amino acids.
Essential Amino Acids | Semi-Essential Amino Acids | Non-Essential Amino Acids |
---|---|---|
Histidine | Arginine | Alanine |
Isoleucine | Asparagine | Asparagine Acid (Aspartic Acid) |
Leucine | Glutamine | Cysteïne |
Lysine | Glycine | Cystine |
Methionine | Serine | Glutamic Acid |
Phenylalanine | Proline | Tyrosine |
Threonine | Hydroxyproline | |
Tryptophan | ||
Valine |
What do amino acids do in your body?
Since there are many different amino acids—22 in total—they contribute to various physiological processes in the body. Above, we've already explained the role of essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which are important for (strength) athletes and bodybuilders. The link between protein and muscle mass is well-known.
- The amino acids from proteins contribute to muscle growth.
- The amino acids from proteins help maintain muscle mass.
- The amino acids from proteins support rapid muscle recovery after training or exercise.
- The amino acids from proteins support muscle building, muscle strength, and muscle mass.
- The amino acids from proteins play a role in muscle recovery after physical exertion.
- The amino acids from proteins play a role in the repair of muscle tissue after training or exercise.
- The amino acids from proteins stimulate muscle growth/lean muscle mass (during sports).
Proteins are an important component in (strength) sports. They contribute to the building and maintenance of muscle mass. Proteins consist of 20 different types of amino acids, 12 of which are non-essential and are produced by your body. The remaining 8 are essential amino acids that your body cannot produce, so you must obtain them from your diet, such as from meat, fish, and dairy. Of course, it is possible that your eating habits may not always be stable, and you might not be getting enough amino acids. If that's the case, or if you're unsure whether you're getting enough, a supplement can be a solution.
What is BCAA?
BCAA stands for Branched-Chain Amino Acids, or branched-chain amino acids. These are the three amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. When you do strength training, your body uses these amino acids to allow muscles to recover. BCAAs contribute to protein synthesis, that is, building protein in muscle cells. Getting enough protein, and therefore BCAAs, is crucial to your results in the gym. Are you not getting enough protein from your diet? Then a supplement with BCAAs is an excellent choice for you!
Want to know all about BCAA and the role leucine, isoleucine and valine play in your body? In this article you can read all about BCAA, such as how it works, recommended intake and ideal ratio.
Leucine
Leucine belongs to the BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids), along with valine and isoleucine. It contributes to the recovery and growth of muscle mass. Leucine also plays a role in maintaining muscle mass in older adults. The amino acid leucine can be obtained from protein-rich foods. Good sources of leucine include cottage cheese, beans, sesame seeds, eggs, oats, and peanuts.
What is glutamine?
Glutamine is a so-called semi-essential amino acid. This means that your body makes it itself, but can also get it from non-body substances. During heavy strength exertion you deplete your body a lot and the acidity can increase in your muscles which can lead to muscle damage, which you obviously don't want.
What are EAAs?
In addition to BCAAs in supplement form, you can also buy an EAA supplement. EAA stands for essential amino acids, or essential amino acids. So an EAA powder or capsule contains several or all of the essential amino acids. While a BCAA supplement contains only leucine, isoleucine and valine. So in addition to these 3, an EAA contains histidine, lysine, methionine, phenylaline, threonine and tryptophan.
In this article, we dive deeper into the difference between BCAA and EAA.
L carnitine
For years, L-carnitine has been one of the most popular supplements used during weight loss. This is not for nothing, as many athletes have positive experiences with L-carnitine. You often come across the variant acetyl L-carnitine and you may be wondering what this is. This is simply a processed form of L-carnitine that allows it to be better absorbed into the body. We therefore use this highly bioavailable form in our own carnitine capsules.
Want to know more about the effect of L-carnitine, whether carnitine is dangerous and how much L-carnitine you should take daily? You can read all about L-carnitine in this article.
L-arginine
L-arginine is a semi-essential amino acid and has been used for years by experienced athletes. Arginine plays a role in the formation of nitrogen in the body. For strength athletes, arginine can support performance.
Buy amino acids at XXL Nutrition
As you have been able to read, there are many different types of amino acids. You can choose from loose aminos, blends or BCAAs. In addition, these are available in capsules, powder form or as ready-to-drink. What the best amino acids are for you depends on your workouts and diet. By reading our blogs about the different amino acids, you can determine which product is best for you.
Do you go for BCAA powder, EAA Amino or do you prefer loose amino acids such as glutamine or L-carnitine? We help you get the highest quality amino acids to support your sports performance. XXL Nutrition has a wide range of amino acids from well-known top brands and of course our own brand. If you want more information, please read our blog or contact our customer service.