When it comes to health and fitness, we hear a lot about Amino Acids.
But what are Amino Acids?
Where do they come from?
What do Amino Acids do?
Those are all great questions, and little do most people know … amino acids come from protein.
Understanding amino acids and when to use amino acid supplements effectively can help you make sure your body has all the amino acids it needs every day for muscle growth and repair, digestion, and metabolism.
What Are Amino Acids?
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and are crucial for a variety of processes in the body. This is everything from muscle growth and recovery to how our body functions as a whole.
Amino acids are also involved in hormone production, energy regulation, tissue repair, and immune health. They are vital for maintaining muscle and are a key element to recovery.
For anyone focused on performance and results, understanding when to take amino acids can be helpful. Without amino acids, your body wouldn't be able to function properly.
Types of Amino Acids
Amino acids can be grouped into three broad categories: non-essential, essential, and conditionally essential.
Let’s dive into each type:
Non-Essential Amino Acids
These amino acids are made by your body, so you don’t need to get them from your diet. Some of the most well-known non-essential amino acids include:
• Glutamine
• Glycine
• Arginine
• Alanine
Although your body produces these on its own, they still play a vital role in muscle recovery, energy production, and immune support.
Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)
These amino acids cannot be made by your body, which means you must get them from your diet. There are nine essential amino acids, and they are vital for muscle repair and recovery:
• Valine
• Leucine
• Isoleucine
• Tryptophan
• Methionine
• Histidine
• Lysine
• Threonine
• Phenylalanine
Essential amino acids are especially important if you're looking to optimize muscle growth. They help stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which is the process of repairing and building muscle.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs):
A subcategory of essential amino acids, BCAAs are made up of three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These three amino acids are particularly popular among athletes because they are the most crucial amino acids in supporting muscle protein synthesis.
Conditionally Essential Amino Acids
These amino acids are typically non-essential, but under specific conditions, your body may need more. Illness, stress, or bouts of intense physical activity are a few cases in which the demand for these amino acids can increase. These are amino acids such as:
• Glutamine (important during times of stress or heavy exercise)
• Arginine (useful in enhancing blood flow and endurance)
Your body may not always need extra amounts of these amino acids, but when you do, it’s crucial to ensure they’re available for proper recovery and performance.
What Do Amino Acids Do?
Amino acids play a crucial role in many bodily functions. They're the building blocks of protein, and proteins are involved in virtually every process in the body. Here's a breakdown of what amino acids do:
Protein Synthesis
Amino acids are the foundation of protein, which is needed to build and repair muscles, tissues, and organs.
Hormone Production
Certain amino acids help produce vital hormones that regulate everything from metabolism to growth.
Brain Chemicals (Neurotransmitters)
Amino acids are essential for creating neurotransmitters, which help transmit messages in the brain and nervous system.
Energy Source
Amino acids can be used by the body as an alternative energy source when glucose and fatty acids are unavailable.
Healthy Skin, Hair, and Nails
They help maintain the health and integrity of your skin, hair, and nails.
Immune System Support
Amino acids play a key role in supporting your immune system function.
Digestive Health
Amino acids are involved in sustaining a healthy digestive system. They support enzyme production and regulate digestion.
Are Amino Acid Supplements Effective?
The simple answer is yes, amino acid supplements can be effective. This is especially true when you use them correctly.
The problem is not all amino acid supplements are created equal. To get the best results, it's important to know what kind of amino acids you're taking. On top of that, it's important to know when to take them and how they fit into your overall nutrition plan.
Because the truth is, amino acids are found in whole-food protein sources. Think protein sources like lean meats, eggs, fish, and dairy. These foods provide all the essential amino acids needed for muscle repair, hormone production, and more.
If you can get enough protein through the right sources, you wouldn't need amino acid supplements. However, when you train hard and have a busy lifestyle ... Filling in the gaps with convenient amino acid supplements can be useful.
The first best option would be a complete protein supplement such as a whey protein powder. From there, there are also amino acid supplements like EAAs (Essential Amino Acids) and BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids). These are what most people think about when they are talking about "amino acid supplements".
EAAs vs. BCAAs: Which Should You Use? What's the Difference?
EAAs, or essential amino acid supplements, contain all nine of the essential amino acids. This includes the three branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
BCAAs, or branched-chain amino acid supplements, only contain three of the nine essential amino acids. At the same time, BCAAs do play a big role in muscle growth and repair.
With this being said, EAAs are typically a superior option. Without all nine of the essential amino acids, your body can't build or repair muscle. Now, having enough BCAAs present is important, sure. However, without the other 6 amino acids present as well ... The job can't get done.
This is also why it's generally a better idea to get a complete source of protein anytime you can. From there, your next best option would be a protein supplement such as whey protein or a plant-based protein powder. After that, an essential amino acid supplement is something you can use to fill in gaps.
When Should You Take Amino Acid Supplements?
For the most part, amino acid supplements like EAAs and BCAAs can be taken whenever. Most people choose to use them at two times in particular: between meals and during their workouts.
1. Between Meals
Using an EAA supplement during long gaps between meals can help keep your body in an anabolic (muscle-preserving) state. It gives your muscles the amino acids they need, especially when calories are low or you’re cutting.
2. During a Workout
Some amino acid supplements are designed for use during workouts. On top of amino acids, these products can have electrolytes, carbohydrates, and other ingredients for endurance and performance. This can be beneficial if your workouts are intense enough or last long enough for extra fuel to make sense.
What Amino Acids Should I Use Before Training?
BCAAs are heavily marketed to be taken pre-, intra-, and post-workout. So let’s dive into this a bit.
When it comes to BCAA's before your workout, you do not need to take them...
But depending on your goals and your lifestyle, there can be situations where amino acid supplementation before your workout is beneficial.
For example, if you have not eaten in the last two hours and are headed to the gym, using Essential Amino Acids or a quick-digesting complete protein source like whey protein isolate can be a great idea.
This way, you are giving your body the full spectrum of amino acids it needs, which includes BCAA's.
If you don't have access to either of those, then using BCAA's would still be a good choice!
Amino Acids During My Workout?
This answer, like many when it comes to health and fitness, is "it depends". “Workout” is a generic term that can mean very different things to different people.
A workout can mean weight lifting, boot camp, bodyweight movements at home, yoga, running, and the list goes on and on. Plus, workouts can vary a lot in duration.
Then, if you start looking at the intensity of your workout and your nutrition beforehand, the answer to when to use amino acids can get more and more complicated.
So, in an attempt to keep it simple, here is my rule of thumb.
If you are training for less than an hour, you do not need to supplement with amino acids during training.
Now, is there anything wrong with drinking BCAA's during your training? No, not at all. You can pretty much drink BCAA's anytime, as they won’t hurt your results. If anything, they could give you some benefit … I just don’t consider it as beneficial in this situation.
There are most likely other supplements that would have a bigger impact on your results, like making sure to take proper post-workout or investing your money on foundational health products like a greens superfood supplement rather than supplementing with amino acids during training.
Should I Take Amino Acid Supplements?
If you’re eating a well-balanced diet full of quality protein sources, you’re already giving your body a solid foundation of amino acids. That’s step one, and it matters.
But if you’re pushing hard in the gym, trying to build lean muscle, lose body fat, recover faster, or just perform better overall … supplementing with amino acids can give you an edge.
They’re not magic pills, and they’re definitely not a replacement for real food. But when used the right way, amino acid supplements can help fill in the gaps and support your body when it needs it most.
That said, not all supplements are created equal. Just because something is sold online or in stores doesn’t mean it’s automatically effective.
At the end of the day, it’s about giving your body what it needs to perform, recover, and stay healthy.
When is the Best Time to Use a BCAA Supplement?
Great question, and once again, on an individual level ... it depends on the person, their goals, and their lifestyle.
But the good news is that there is not a “wrong” or bad time to take BCAAs. You just may not be getting the maximum benefits from them by taking them at a time that's not ideal.
This is why I recommend starting with your nutrition and the protein you can get from whole food.
As a general rule of thumb, though, a great time to add in BCAA’s would be if you’re training for longer than an hour.
They are great to take during your workout to help prevent excessive muscle tissue breakdown. They can also help support endurance and even prime your body for better recovery.
Amino Acids: Your Secret Weapon for Better Results
Amino acids play a big role in helping you reach your goals.
Therefore, you want to make sure you understand amino acids, what they are, where they come from, and how you’re getting them through nutrition and supplements.
Currently, we hear and see so much information about BCAAs, making it the “hottest” amino acid supplement.
But when it comes down to it, if you don’t have a good nutrition plan and foundational supplements in place, the benefits you will receive from BCAAs will be less than what you desire.
In order of importance and to achieve the best results, you want to focus on whole food protein sources. From there, I'd recommend protein supplements to increase your overall protein and amino acid intake.
Now, I know I covered a good amount of info, and a lot of the answers are dependent on the goal, lifestyle, and routine of the person asking the question ... so, if you have any questions about how to use amino acids as part of your routine, reach out to us!
We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri. Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
