Amino Acids and BCAA's

   If you are trying to build muscle, you are (or should be) taking supplemental protein. But, it isn't the protein your body really needs. When you take your protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids during the digestion process. These amino acids are small enough to be absorbed into the blood stream and can be used by cells to repair muscle tissue, creating new muscle. There are twenty-two identified amino acids. Eight of which are essential amino acids, meaning your body can not synthesize them and has to obtain them through diet (milk, meat, and eggs).

BCAA's.

   While all essential amino acids are important to build muscular strength and size, some are more important than others. Valine, leucine, and isoleucine are known as branched chain amino acids (BCAA's) due to their molecular structure, which features branched chains of carbon extending from their primary carbon structure. BCAA's are unique because they are metabolized in the muscle, and not the liver. When an adequate amount of BCAA's are ingested, they promote an increase in protein synthesis. This results in an increase of muscle growth and recovery time.

Amino Acids as an Energy Source.

   When glycogen levels in the liver and muscles are low (common in low-carb dieting or overall low amount of calories), your body will tap into amino acids as an energy source. This potentially burns up amino acids that could be used in protein synthesis and to promote the building of new muscle tissue and faster muscle recovery. It is common to take BCAA's before a heavy cardio workout to prevent the breakdown of any muscle tissue.

  After your workout, your body is breaking down muscle tissue with a deficit in protein synthesis. This is the best time to take BCAA's. They will increase your body's rate of protein synthesis and aid in repairing your muscle tissue. Otherwise, your body might not be getting the most out of every workout.

                                                                                                    -AO


Source:
MuscleandStrength.com
BodyBuilding.com

All About Beta-Alanine

pH Levels in Your Body.

   As described in "All You Need to Know About Creatine.", your muscles burn up ATP as an energy source when contracting. The harder you work your muscles, the more ATP is used and the more lactic acid is produced. These reactions release H+ (hydrogen ions) into our muscles, causing our pH level to drop. A decrease in the pH level of your muscles causes them to fatigue. Not being able to maintain forceful muscle contractions and perform at your body's highest level during your workout lowers your ability to overload your muscles and achieve better gains.

Carnosine.

   To get our bodies to perform at the highest level, we need to reduce the amount of H+ in our muscles and get the pH level back to the normal range. Our bodies work to keep our pH levels regulated using various buffering systems. These work by absorbing the excess H+ in all parts of our bodies. Carnosine is the first line of defense for absorbing the H+ in your muscles. However, your body can not break down carnosine correctly when ingested alone.

How Beta-Alanine Helps.

   Beta-Alanine plays a huge role in promoting the synthesis of carnosine. Studies show that after supplementing beta-alanine for just four weeks, carnosine levels increased by 42-65%. This increase in buffering capacity (carnosine) from supplementing beta-alanine will result in an increase in strength, lean body mass, and an overall decrease in muscle fatigue.

                                                                                                      
                                                                                                               -AO

Why You Need to Take Fish Oil.

   Fish oil is made from the tissue of oily-fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, lake-trout, and sardines. The oil from this tissue contains Omega-3 fatty acids, an essential fatty acid that your body can not naturally produce. There are two notable Omega-3's in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and decosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These two acids are believed to have health benefits ranging from reducing the risk of heart attack and coronary heart disease to combating depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

Fish Oil and Body Composition.

   Everybody who is trying to improve their body needs to be taking fish oil tablets. The Omega-3's in fish oil cut down excess fat in several ways. They've been shown to increase your insulin activity, which leads to less fat storage and more fat release. They increase the heat in your cellular "furnaces", making them burn more energy. Omega-3's allow your body to burn fat when other times it is unable to, like after a high-carb meal. Fish oil also increases the amount of leptin your body produces, which will increase your metabolism and decrease your hunger.
   One study done by the Nutritional Physiology Research Group in Australia showed that exercise combined with fish oil will burn significantly more fat then fish oil tablets or exercise alone. Researchers found that the Omega-3's in fish oil turned on the fat burning enzymes, but they needed an extra push - exercise. The best thing about this weight loss, is most of the fat loss in this experiment came from the abdominal region.
   In all these studies of the benefits of fish oil, all participants gained some muscle along with losing fat. This is theorized to be "nutritional partitioning", when your body takes calories that were originally directed to be stored as fat and put it towards building muscle instead. Omega-3's were also found to reduce inflammation in your muscles, reducing chances of injuries such as tendonitis and bursitus, and reducing recovery time of your muscles.

Other Benefits.

   Fish oil offers an abundant number of benefits to your body. One of the most appealing to me is the ability to fight cancer. Omega-3's might be able to help combat cancer by starving the cancer cells of linoleic acid. They can also heighten the reaction of the genetic material required to destroy cancer cells, while prevent the adhesion of cancer cells to other healthy cells.
   I've said it earlier, but fish oil is also a great way to enhance your mood. In recent studies, depressed patients given Omega-3 fatty acids have shown a decrease in anxiety, fewer sleeping problems, fewer sexual problems, and a decrease in overall sadness. Even in studies with healthy people, the Omega-3's showed mood-elevating properties by reducing stress and tension.
   Rather you are trying to build muscle, lose fat, or just trying to get healthier, there are too many facts and research showing the benefits of fish oil to not be taking it on a regular basis.


                                                                                                   -AO