Very high-quality commercial protein powders, for example, an 80% whey concentrate, or 90% isolate, or better yet hydrolyzed whey that is assimilated faster, can have from 50% of these nine essential amino acids Proteins of animal origin such as lean beef have a concentration of essential amino acids of 30 to 35%. Our diet should include both everyday foods (i.e. solid foods) and supplements. Supplements should not wholly replace food, but they are beneficial to promote the processes that we have discussed in this article. It makes a lot of sense to use supplements rich in essential amino acids or BCAAs at certain times, since compared to, for example, lean beef, only 30 to 35% of those amino acids will be the raw material for new muscle mass.
In these pre-training periods, we are very interested in the correct contribution of the nine essential amino acids, including, of course, BCAAs. Some researchers even cite only leucine to initiate protein synthesis.
Based on the above, it can be helpful to preserve muscle mass in periods of calorie restriction, prioritizing formulas with only essential amino acids.
AJINOMOTO, a leading Japanese company in its field and formulas with pharmaceutical-grade amino acids, explains why in some cases, it may be more effective to give your body only the nutrients or building blocks that your muscles need to recover or increase muscle mass. Using protein powder formulas in some cases or schedules may be a better option than consuming foods rich in protein, mainly for two reasons:
Higher absorption speed
They do not provide extra calories; you only give your body what it needs at the correct times.
However, using only supplements would NOT cover the factor of feeling satiated; for this, you have to give your body a base of real food, vegetables, foods rich in carbohydrates at the best times. The use of supplements with essential amino acids would be beneficial since they are not as expensive as before and now taste better. Use them before, during and after training. Also, of course, to use quality protein powders such as whey, soy isolates, protein powder mixtures, etc. [Check also: The importance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
Use amino acids in your supplementation plan.
This depends on many variables, but you can use any product with BCAAs or all nine essential amino acids. To start, I recommend:
20 to 30 g of simple carbohydrates, dissolved in 400 to 500 ml of water
Add 10 to 20 grams of amino acids.
During training, drink this drink between each series.
They can also be used between meals, 10 to 15 grams two or three times a day, to create a state of abundance of amino acids (hyperaminoacidemia) and generate an environment where the anabolic rate in proteins is more incredible than degradation (catabolism).
We could eventually use pre and post-training formulas, but this will be a topic for a later article in future issues.
We hope this information has been to your liking and has helped you better understand how amino acids help muscle development.
Did you like the theme? Then watch the webinar: Myths and Realities of Meat Protein with José Antonio Ortíz.
If this information helped you, but you would love to know more about it, check out our Sports Supplementation Course and our Diploma in Nutrition Applied to Physicoconstructivism and Fitness.
Remember: to achieve success, approach Sports Education.
If you work hard enough, your body adjusts to the new training stimuli, and the muscles begin to grow.
Two main things stimulate muscle growth: structured (and progressive!) Training plan and a high-protein diet.
Man training with own weight at home to gain muscle
Workouts to increase muscle mass
Muscle growth is closely linked to genetics: some people build muscle mass much more quickly than others. However, regardless of your genetics, you can have a more muscular body if you organize your workouts in this way:
2-3 strength training a week if you are a beginner (if you already have experience, you can train more often).
For beginners: 24 hours is usually enough to recover from a short workout (<30 min) if you work the whole body. But if you are going to focus on a muscle group such as the legs, it is advisable to wait 48 hours to train the same part of the body again. If you still want to Do some physical exercise during the wait, you should do some short, low-intensity training to work your whole body. For the more advanced: rest at least one or two days a week, ideally after the most prolonged or most intense workout you will do.
For beginners, it is sufficient to do between 2 and 3 sets per exercise, while the more advanced will need to perform 3-5 (or more!) Sets. The biggest mistake you can make is trying to gain muscle mass without a training plan! Keep in mind that muscle growth requires consistency and a gradual increase in the intensity of your workouts. A good training plan can calculate the series and repetitions to see the results even if you train at home!