Is the intake of amino acids sensible?
The intake of amino acids is vital for humans. In all our tissues, in metabolism and for the immune system, proteins, whose basic building blocks are amino acids, play a major role. Many amino acids must be taken in with food.
Protein is found in high quantities in meat, pulses or dairy products. The body can release the amino acids from the protein it absorbs and channel them into its own metabolism. It can produce some amino acids from others, i.e. synthesize them.
Others (the essential amino acids, see above) must, however, be supplied in sufficient quantities. A normally working person needs about 1.2-1.5 g of protein per kg of body weight per day. This requirement is increased (approx.
2g/kg) during sporting activities and especially during weight training. Since a sufficient intake of high-quality essential amino acids may no longer be guaranteed, supplementation is advisable in such cases. However, food supplements should be taken with caution. Too much protein intake can lead to water retention and even damage the kidneys in the long term.
Side effects
Since amino acids are natural and essential basic substances for a healthy diet, there are usually no, or only in rare cases, side effects. Side effects can occur if drugs are taken in addition to the supplementation of amino acid preparations. If this combination of amino acids and medications is not discussed with a doctor beforehand, the effect of medications may be increased or decreased.
It can also happen that drugs are completely neutralized and no longer have any effect. If the dosage recommendations for amino acid preparations are disregarded, gastrointestinal problems can sometimes occur, including diarrhoea and nausea. Therefore, one should always stick to the recommended daily and ingestion doses in order to develop the full effect of the amino acids.
Amino acids can have a damaging effect if too much protein is consumed and the body no longer breaks down this protein into its amino acids because they are no longer needed. Then it can happen that the body produces too much uric acid, which can be deposited in the joints in the form of crystals. There they can lead to gout under certain circumstances. But the kidneys also suffer from the high amount of uric acid and kidney stones can be formed.
Are amino acids suitable for losing weight?
Many manufacturers advertise that the regular intake of amino acids in the form of dietary supplements can lead to an increased production of slimming hormones, increased fat burning and at the same time to a strengthening of the muscle structure. However, scientific studies have not yet been able to prove the effectiveness of amino acids for weight loss. Amino acids are vital components of the human organism, they play an important role in metabolism, muscle and tissue development and protein balance.
Some amino acids are essential, which means that the body cannot produce them itself, so they must be taken in with food. However, amino acids that the body can produce itself must also be supplied through food for healthy growth and protein balance. A balanced diet is basically sufficient to ensure that the body is sufficiently supplied with the important amino acids.
A sufficient supply of amino acids leads to an improved regulation of the feeling of satiety, the insulin level, as well as the production of important messenger substances in the brain. There are many different theories about the possible role that amino acids could play in losing weight. For example, amino acid deficiency symptoms are said to cause the insulin level to drop rapidly, thereby triggering attacks of ravenous appetite.
A deficiency of amino acids can lead to fatigue and concentration problems, but should always be confirmed by a doctor before starting a therapy with amino acid intake. Weight reduction through amino acids is supported on the one hand by promoting the burning of fat and on the other hand by curbing the appetite. The amino acids arginine, lysine, phenylalanine and ornithine play a particularly important role in this process.
Arginine, lysine and ornithine are said to stimulate the growth hormone, which promotes fat mobilisation and fat burning. Phenylalanine stimulates the production of another hormone (cholecystokinin), which acts as a regulator of hunger and appetite. Cholecystokinin is produced in the intestinal wall and triggers a signal chain that signals satiety and stops further food intake.
The amino acid L-carnitine is often mentioned in connection with weight loss. L-carnitine is produced by the body itself and is also found in meat, fish, poultry and milk. Carnitine is said to increase the mobilisation of fatty acids from the fat cells (adipocytes) and increase the burning of fatty acids.
The amino acid glutamine contributes to energy production, as it can be converted into glucose (sugar) in the kidneys. Glutamine is said to counteract the storage of dietary fat and thus support weight loss. Under competent professional supervision, the administration of an amino acid can help to reduce weight by balancing the nitrogen balance and preventing muscle loss.
However, there is no “magic pill” for losing weight. Even the intake of amino acids cannot offer a quick and easy solution. If you really want to lose weight, you have to rethink everyday behaviour, reduce your energy intake and increase sporting activities.
Taking amino acid supplements can also cause side effects. There is currently not enough experience about possible undesirable effects of amino acids, but a previously undiscovered kidney disorder, for example, can be made worse with the additional intake of amino acids. It is recommended to discuss the intake of amino acids to support weight loss with your family doctor.
Amino acids are vital components of the human organism, they play an important role in metabolism, muscle and tissue development and protein balance. Some amino acids are essential, which means that the body cannot produce them itself, so they must be taken in with food. However, amino acids that the body can produce itself must also be supplied through food for healthy growth and protein balance.
A balanced diet is basically sufficient to ensure that the body is sufficiently supplied with the important amino acids. A sufficient supply of amino acids leads to an improved regulation of the feeling of satiety, the insulin level, as well as the production of important messenger substances in the brain. There are many different theories about the possible role that amino acids could play in losing weight.
For example, amino acid deficiency symptoms are said to cause the insulin level to drop rapidly, thereby triggering attacks of ravenous appetite. A deficiency of amino acids can lead to fatigue and concentration problems, but should always be confirmed by a doctor before starting a therapy with amino acid intake. Weight reduction through amino acids is supported on the one hand by promoting the burning of fat and on the other hand by curbing the appetite.
The amino acids arginine, lysine, phenylalanine and ornithine play a particularly important role in this process. Arginine, lysine and ornithine are said to stimulate the growth hormone, which promotes fat mobilisation and fat burning. Phenylalanine stimulates the production of another hormone (cholecystokinin), which acts as a regulator of hunger and appetite.
Cholecystokinin is produced in the intestinal wall and triggers a signal chain that signals satiety and stops further food intake. The amino acid L-carnitine is often mentioned in connection with weight loss. L-carnitine is produced by the body itself and is also found in meat, fish, poultry and milk.
Carnitine is said to increase the mobilisation of fatty acids from the fat cells (adipocytes) and increase the burning of fatty acids. The amino acid glutamine contributes to energy production, as it can be converted into glucose (sugar) in the kidneys. Glutamine is said to counteract the storage of dietary fat and thus support weight loss.
Under competent professional supervision, the administration of an amino acid can help to reduce weight by balancing the nitrogen balance and preventing muscle loss. However, there is no “magic pill” for losing weight. Even the intake of amino acids cannot offer a quick and easy solution.
If you really want to lose weight, you have to rethink everyday behaviour, reduce your energy intake and increase sporting activities. Taking amino acid supplements can also cause side effects. There is currently not enough experience about possible undesirable effects of amino acids, but a previously undiscovered kidney disorder, for example, can be made worse with the additional intake of amino acids.
It is recommended to discuss the intake of amino acids to support weight loss with your family doctor. In order to ensure a sufficient supply during the regeneration phase and thus the muscle build-up, but also to prevent its degradation during training, it is advisable to supplement amino acids as a dietary supplement in case of increased demand. In this case a high-quality spectrum of amino acids should be taken into account.
The essential amino acids are: Leucine, isoleucine, lysine, valine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, methionine and threonine. Well known in amino acid preparations are the so-called BCAA’s (English acronym for branched-chain amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, valine). Also important for athletes is arginine, which often cannot be synthesized in sufficient amounts when there is a high demand.
Furthermore, amino acids such as carnitine, which are not found in the structure of the body’s own proteins, but are important for the metabolism (fat metabolism), are used in food supplements. In case of increased consumption and need for amino acids, as it is the case with athletes, an appropriate supplementation is useful to support the muscle build-up and prevent its degradation. For this reason, people who exercise regularly and want to build up muscle mass should attach great importance to a balanced diet and consume especially the essential amino acids in large quantities.
Only in an organism that is capable of synthesizing proteins itself can muscles be built up effectively. Furthermore, a regular and sufficient supply of proteinogenic amino acids is also important for the supply of already existing muscles. A prolonged deficiency would ultimately result in a significant muscle loss.
People who regularly do a lot of sport can take dietary supplements that contain high amounts of amino acids. These food supplements can be purchased as tablets or juices, or in the form of bars. For sports enthusiasts, however, supplementation with pure amino acids can by no means be regarded as a substitute for a balanced and protein-rich diet.
Food supplements containing amino acids are usually taken a few minutes before and a short time after exercise. In this way, the muscle build-up can be effectively increased during the training session. Not all proteinogenic amino acids are equally suitable for promoting muscle growth.
Most athletes take preparations with a high proportion of glutamine. Glutamine has a share of about 60 percent in the muscle tissue and therefore plays a decisive role in muscle building. Other amino acids that can effectively increase muscle growth are When taking simple amino acids, however, must be proceeded with caution.
Supplementing your diet with amino acids only makes sense for competitive athletes who regularly do intensive training sessions. In addition, the amino acid-containing preparations should only be taken as long as there is an increased need for these protein building blocks. In addition, it has been shown in many cases that people who do intensive sports do not tolerate certain amino acids and develop side effects when taking them.
In such cases, the dietary supplement must be stopped immediately. Affected athletes should also consult a doctor and be examined for intolerance. A specialist can then decide whether the amino acid in question should not be taken at all or whether a reduction of the dose may be sufficient. – L-Arginine
- Beta-Alanine
- Citrulline