Amino acids are available in the form of powder, tablets, solutions, capsules, but all these forms are equivalent in effectiveness. There are also injectable forms of amino acids that are administered intravenously. Injecting amino acids is not recommended, since it has no advantages over oral administration, but there is a high risk of complications and adverse reactions.
When to take amino acids
When gaining muscle mass, it is most advisable to take amino acids only before and after training, as well as (optionally) in the morning, since at these moments a high rate of amino acid intake is required. At other times, it is more reasonable to take protein. When losing weight, amino acids can be taken more often: before and after training, in the morning and in between meals, since the purpose of their use is to suppress catabolism, reduce appetite and preserve muscles.
Optimal doses
Amino acids in bodybuilding are used in a very wide range of doses. It is desirable that a single dose should be at least 5 g, although the maximum result is achieved when using 10-20 g once. When buying amino acid complexes, pay attention to the dose sizes of the supplement. Some manufacturers make the doses very low in order to increase the cost per unit weight of the product.
Combination with other additives
Amino acids can be combined with all types of sports nutrition, but they can not always be mixed (drunk at the same time). “Attention” Do not take together amino acid complexes with protein, gainer, food substitute or food, as this reduces the speed of their assimilation, which means that the meaning of their use is lost! Carefully read the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Amino acid complexes differ in their composition, the ratio of amino acids and the degree of hydrolysis. Amino acids in free form, usually isolated (glutamine, arginine, glycine, and others), but there are also complexes. Hydrolysates are broken proteins that contain short amino acid chains that can be quickly absorbed. Di-and tripeptide forms are essentially also hydrolysates, only the chains of amino acids are shorter, and consist of 2 and 3 amino acids, respectively, are absorbed very quickly. BCAA is a complex of three amino acids-leucine, isoleucine and valine, which are most in demand in the muscles, are absorbed very quickly.
“Attention” confuses many people when the manufacturer specifies a protein hydrolysate in the composition or description, so there are often statements that it is actually a “pressed protein”. However, the study showed that hydrolyzed protein is absorbed faster than free forms of amino acids. This is probably due to the fact that di – and tripeptides require fewer active substances-transporters in the gastrointestinal tract.
