Essential Amino Acids Science

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

9 Essential Amino Acids: Why You Need Them

Proteins represent about 40% of humans’ dry body mass.

They form cellular structures, messengers, specialized tissues, enzymes, and much more. Needless to say, proteins are one of, if not the most, important nutrients in the animal kingdom. Ipso facto, amino acids are just as important as proteins because amino acids compose the structure of all proteins. Not only that, free amino acids, particularly the essential amino acids (EAAs), can be digested more easily than regular proteins without compromising physiological functioning.

This has great practical applications, such as consuming amino acids before or during exercise to help maintain muscle mass and fuel activity without upsetting the stomach as may occur with protein near exercise.

Let’s discuss amino acids in greater detail.

What does “essential” mean?

The adjective, “essential,” within the field of nutrition means that the body not only requires that which is essential but also that it must be obtained via the diet. For example, essential amino acids (EAAs) are those which must be consumed in the diet in order for them to be present and perform their necessary functions within the body.

There are 21 amino acids that can form proteins.

Of these, 12 (leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, cysteine, tyrosine, histidine, and arginine) are essential during childhood. With age, the body teaches itself how to synthesize cysteine, tyrosine, histidine, and arginine, reducing the number of essential amino acids to 8 (leucine, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, methionine, and lysine) during the teenage years and adulthood.

However, arginine, cysteine, glutamine, tyrosine, glycine, ornithine, proline, and serine may all become essential during periods of high stress, such as illness or overtraining. These are called conditionally essential amino acids.

Nonessential and conditionally essential amino acids can be synthesized from the EAAs, if necessary. Therefore as the name implies, the EAAs are the most important of the amino acids.

Our Essential Amino Acid formula contains all of the EAAs relevant to improving the athletic experience, plus a few others that are of unique importance to athletes.

Alanine:

Alanine is a nonessential amino acids included in our Essential Amino Acid Formula due to its specialized role in gluconeogenesis.

Gluconeogenesis is the formation (genesis) of new (neo) glucose (gluco). Glucose is an athlete’s primary fuel source during exercise. A classic study on exercise metabolism found a 70% increase in alanine during heavy exercise ². The study subjects were not consuming any foods or supplements, so how did alanine levels increase? During exercise, particularly in a fasted or semi-fasted state, the body will breakdown muscle tissue to obtain alanine for conversion to glucose.

Provision of alanine via our Essential Amino Acid Formula may help reduce muscle protein breakdown.

Arginine:

Arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid with primary functions in endothelial health and secondary roles in glucose management and cognition.

Arginine is a central component for the production of nitric oxide, a vasodilator which relaxes blood vessels ²⁴. Also via production of nitric oxide, arginine may preserve cognitive abilities during aging and promote the formation of new neurons ^{18, 35}.

Arginine can independently stimulate the release of insulin from the pancreas ²⁴, and it can also protect the pancreas from toxins ³⁹.

Aspartic Acid:

Aspartic Acid promotes hormonal health and participates in the urea cycle.

One isomer of aspartic acid supports the release of hormones such as luteinizing hormone, which have a role in fertility and testosterone production ^{8, 30, 37}. In the urea cycle, aspartic acid helps to clear the body of toxins like ammonia ¹⁴.

Glycine:

Glycine is the simplest of amino acids, yet it has some of the most interesting functions.

Glycine’s small structure permits it to form very strong but flexible bonds with other amino acids, proline and hydroxyproline, to form collagen proteins. Collagen proteins are found in our cartilage, tendons, and ligaments ²⁶. Glycine also appears to have a capacity to reduce some symptoms of aging by promoting mitochondrial health ¹⁷.

Isoleucine:

Isoleucine is one of the three branched chain amino acids, 3 of the most important EAAs.

This amino acid can improve metabolic function and reduce muscle protein breakdown. In the presence of isoleucine, glucose can be more readily absorbed by a muscle ^{4, 10}. Taken pre-exercise, this could help with athletic performance. In a low-energy state, such as with exercise, the body breaks down muscle proteins to obtain amino acids for gluconeogenesis. Isoleucine, by increasing glucose uptake, may limit muscle protein breakdown ¹¹.

Leucine:

Leucine is another branched chain amino acid with principal functions in muscle anabolism and insulin secretion.

Leucine is often viewed as the “main” branched chain amino acid for its ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis ^{28, 29}. However, proteins cannot be formed in the absence of amino acids additional to leucine, as more than one amino acid is required to form proteins – one of the reasons our Essential Amino Acid Formula is so effective. Similar to isoleucine, leucine can stimulate insulin secretion. However, other regulatory actions are activated at the same time that result in less glucose uptake than with isoleucine alone ¹⁹.

Lysine:

Lysine, although not a significant structural component like glycine, helps in the formation of collagen proteins through enhancement of crosslinks ²¹.

Lysine can also aid in bone health. In a study examining lysine supplementation, those receiving the lysine retained more calcium ⁷.

Methionine:

Methionine is one of only 2 sulfur-containing amino acids.

This is important, as sulfur-containing amino acids participate in regenerating glutathione, one of our bodies most powerful antioxidants ¹³. Oxidation is so detrimental, methionine’s functions extend into improving cardiovascular ³², immume ³⁸, and joint health ²⁷.

Phenylalanine:

Phenylalanine’s chief function is thought to be conversion into another amino acid, tyrosine.

Both are precursors to neurotransmitters, such as phenylethylamine and dopamine ^{16, 20}. Each of these are “feel good” neurotransmitters than can have antidepressant and analgesic effects. Tyrosine also plays a significant role in cognitive health and memory ³.

Taurine:

Taurine is a great amino acid for athletes. Its actions include stabilizing cellular membranes³¹, enhancing antioxidant status ²⁵, improving insulin sensitivity ²⁵, forming new blood vessels ¹, and increasing blood flow ²³. Supplementation with taurine may improve exercise capacity ⁵ and muscle force output ¹⁵.

Threonine:

Threonine is another amino acid involved in the formation of collagen and connective tissues ¹².

Moreover, threonine is a major amino acid in the production of antibodies, a marker of a healthy immune system. Supplementation with threonine has been observed as necessary for maximal antibody creation ⁹.

Tryptophan:

Tryptophan is everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving amino acid.

Tryptophan is the amino precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin and the hormone melatonin ³⁴, which you may also recognize as sleep aids, and turkey has plenty of tryptophan. Serotonin can also improve mood and regulate appetite ²². Melatonin helps regulate the immune ⁶ and gastrointestinal (digestive) systems ³⁶.

Valine:

Valine is the third and final branched chain amino acid.

Its functions are similar to that of both leucine and isoleucine, albeit to a reduced magnitude. However as one of the branched-chain amino acids, valine can still be utilized as substrate by active muscles ³³.

Our Essential Amino Acid Formula has the EAAs and more – everything the athlete needs to accelerate recovery, reduce soreness, build muscle, and train harder.

How Two Doctors Created the Most Efficient EAA Formula

Dr. Kim and Dr. Serrano successfully formulated the BrickHouse Essential Amino Acids with proprietary amino acid ratios to promote efficient absorption of key raw materials needed to optimize fat loss, performance, daily energy, recovery and muscle growth.

Significant physique transformations require proper training, quick availability of the desired building blocks achieved through a strategic build up within the muscle bellies known as accretion and a naturally anabolic hormonal environment to activate elevated levels of protein synthesis. Women will not accidentally gain muscle due to differences between the male and female genetic make up, weight training and nutrition techniques.*

How does EAA facilitate muscle recovery?

The inability to absorb nutrients is a huge problem among trainees who may suffer from a series of food sensitivities or allergies created by over consumption of items such as eggs, milk and other sources of protein.

Amino acid loading with BrickHouse’s Essential Amino Acid supplement bypasses gastrointestinal absorption barriers that render other nutrient sources ineffective.*

EAA Drives Fat Burning

BrickHouse Essential Amino Acids are complete protein sources, enabling them to be self sufficient as a raw materials source. Taken between meals and around training the unique signals sent by BrickHouse Essential Amino Acids make the brain believe a massive amount of food has been consumed.

As a result metabolic rate increases dramatically, but there is nothing to burn except stored fat since the proven scientific blend of amino acids have no caloric burden.

The same anabolic signals drive high levels of mental focus while reducing the energy zapping impact of elevated stress.*

The REAL Science Behind Our Formula

During many years of medical practice working with patients hungry for significant progress Dr. Serrano realized that the high quality of the ingredients were worth little if the net utilization of the raw materials were poor.

Reviewing scientific studies, muscle biopsies, patient hormonal blood work, body composition testing and performance evaluations helped Dr. Serrano Identify efficient absorption of the highest quality raw materials as the key to Substantial Muscle Growth and Fat Loss.*

Dr. Serrano began to study the hormonal and metabolic conditions created by placing muscles under the “stress” of resistance training. This scientific muscle mission lead to many utilization improvement breakthroughs by trial and error as a part of a series of patient studies. Following years of hard work the ratios were perfected and proven in the laboratory of real life- BrickHouse Nutrition’s Essential Amino Acids were born.

Speed of Delivery: A Major Differentiator

Our competitors address the nutrient and speed of delivery needs of muscles by throwing more raw materials at the problem without the proper ratios and this is about as smart as building a campfire with hundred dollar bills.

All they are doing is creating more confusion by sending mixed messages which result in very poor utilization rates.*

Our Essential Amino Acids

Scientifically engineered Free Form Acid Proprietary Formula designed to saturate working muscles with their preferred fuel sources. BrickHouse’s Essential Amino Acids force the body to use more stored fat as a fuel during exercise as well as between meals.

Optimize your rate of neurological and muscle recovery to eliminate soreness while improving athletic performance. Scientifically accelerate body composition improvement in pursuit of your dream body goals.*

Years of research led to the discovery of the exact ratios need to lay the raw material foundation for optimized muscle growth and repair. Clinically developed by Dr. Michael Kim MD & Dr. Eric Serrano MD to ensure unmatched quality and effectiveness. Use with Foundation for a fantastic body composition altering stack.

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