BCAAs and Glutamine provide added benefit to your Protein Powder

Add Glutamine and BCAAs – Provide Added Benefit to Your Protein Powder:

Every athlete walks a fine line when training, you want to stimulate muscle enough for muscle growth, but not train so hard your body can’t recuperate. Prior research has shown that resistance training alone, while it increases skeletal muscle protein synthesis, also results in an increase in protein breakdown. Although the net effect is an increase in protein synthesis, skeletal muscle remains in an overall catabolic state in the absence of adequate nutritional intervention.

The ingestion or infusion of amino acids in conjunction with an acute bout of resistance training has been shown by numerous studies to significantly increase protein synthesis and yield a net anabolic state. Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that taking Glutamine and BCAA can reduce the catabolic state caused by heavy resistance exercise. Resistance trained males were randomly assigned to either a high branched chain amino acids (BCAA) or placebo group. Subjects consumed the supplement for 3 weeks before commencing a fourth week of supplementation with concomitant high-intensity total-body resistance training. The amino acid supplement contained: L-Glutamine, 2000 mgs; L-leucine, 1800 mgs; L-isoleucine, 750 mgs; and L-valine, 750 mgs. The BCAA group consumed 6 g (12 capsules, which is the manufacturer’s recommended daily dose). BCAA’s Among some of the most beneficial supplements in any sports nutrition program are the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). These are the essential amino acids Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine which can only be provided through food or supplements. As the building blocks for protein, BCAAs are unique in that they are metabolized in skeletal muscle. Take BCAAs before and after exercise to support the anabolic effects of your training regimen. Numerous studies have demonstrated the anti-catabolic effects of taking BCAAs, and supplementing your diet with them can assist in faster muscle recovery, prolonged endurance and increased metabolic fuel during exercise.*

At the end of the study, the group of men training hard and taking BCAA’s had decreased levels of cortisol compared to the placebo group, higher testosterone levels, and lower markers of muscle damage.

These findings suggest that short-term amino acid supplementation, which is high in BCAA, may produce a net anabolic hormonal profile while attenuating training-induced increases in muscle tissue damage.

Research has shown bodybuilders and athletes can benefit from increased consumption of glutamine, especially post-workout. During a training session, glutamine levels may drop as much as 50%. Combining four unique forms of the glutamine molecule, Glutamine MTX offers a more bioavailable complex of glutamine that supports protein synthesis, glycogen uptake and immune function, while simultaneously assisting in overall recovery.*

Add Glutamine and BCAAs – Provide Added Benefit to Your Protein Powder

Even if your taking a protein powder, when you add Glutamine and BCAAs there are still added benefits. A 2000 examined the effects of supplemental whey protein with or without added L-glutamine and branched-chain amino acids on body mass, body composition, and exercise performance for a 10-week period. Sixteen healthy athletic male adults were separated into 2 groups where they received either whey protein 40 grams per day or a combination of 40 g of whey protein with 5 g of L-glutamine and 3 g of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) per day. Each subject was instructed to follow a diet, created by a registered dietitian, that restricted food protein intake to 1.6 g/kg body weight. In addition, all participants engaged in hypertrophy resistance exercise training under the guidance of an exercise physiologist. At baseline, week 5, and week 10, each subject underwent body composition and exercise performance testing. Compared with whey protein 40 grams per day group, 40 g of whey protein with 5 g of L-glutamine and 3 g of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) per day gained a significant amount of body mass over the 10 weeks.

During the first 5 weeks, 40 g of whey protein with 5 g of L-glutamine and 3 g of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) per day group gained a significant amount of fat-free mass compared with whey protein 40 grams per day group. At 10 weeks, 40 g of whey protein with 5 g of L-glutamine and 3 g of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) per day exhibited a trend toward gaining fat-free mass (1.6 kg).

No significant changes were noted comparatively for change in percent body fat. In terms of exercise performance (bench press repetitions), 40 g of whey protein with 5 g of L-glutamine and 3 g of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) per day improved significantly compared with whey protein 40 grams per day after 10 weeks of supplementation. 40 g of whey protein with 5 g of L-glutamine and 3 g of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) per day also exhibited a trend over 10 weeks compared with whey protein 40 grams per day for improvement in leg press repetitions.

Results of the present study suggest that whey protein combined with glutamine and branched-chain amino acids, in addition to resistance exercise, leads to improved body composition and exercise performance.

Be sure to check out Infinite Labs BCAA and Glutamine

Sharp CP, Pearson DR. Amino Acid Supplements and Recovery from High-Intensity Resistance Training. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Mar 17.

Effects of supplemental protein on body composition and muscular strength in healthy athletic male adults. Current therapeutic research 2000, vol. 61, no1, pp. 19-28 (25 ref.)