The perfect time has come for us to think together about how to properly start building muscle mass . From today's meeting you will learn which dietary points should be met in order for your training to bring even more noticeable results. There are many interesting threads and dilemmas ahead of us, so let's get going!
Protein and building muscle mass
It is very possible that physical activity is an important part of your everyday life or that you are just getting started in the world of sports, but you still feel a bit lost in it. Do you also keep hearing that protein in the human body is the basis for all training people? We assure you that this is absolutely not an unfounded claim. So let's start our first crossing today and learn a little more about a properly balanced athlete's diet - welcome!
Protein, or rather the entire pool of proteins, plays a very important role in the body, as we have certainly already mentioned. However, a little reminder certainly won't hurt anyone. Proteins belong to the family of macronutrients and play a very important role in our body and should be a permanent part of the daily diet. However, why is this substance so important for athletes? We're already translating.
Protein as the basic building block of muscle cells – does this statement mean anything to you? I guess we've all heard this before, but let's clarify so that there's no doubt about it. During physical exercise, muscle cells may be damaged. But don't worry, it's completely normal, and what's more, there are ways to skillfully take care of the regeneration of fibers in your body.
You probably already guessed at this stage that a diet to build muscle mass should be rich in protein? If so, you are absolutely right, but before we move on to specific nutritional recommendations for physically active people, it's time for some more theoretical reflection. Don't worry, we promise you won't be bored even for a moment with us.
So what is the role of protein in muscle recovery after training? Now let's imagine the inside of our body. When we break down the protein into its components, we will see interconnected amino acids - which are the building blocks of the chemical compound in question. Our body needs dietary protein to provide amino acids for the growth and maintenance of our cells and tissues. Amino acids are divided into exogenous (essential) and endogenous. As the name suggests, essential amino acids cannot be produced by the body and therefore must come from our diet. In turn, our body consists of thousands of different proteins, each of which performs a specific function. They form the structural elements of our cells and tissues and also act as enzymes, hormones and antibodies. Protein synthesis in our bodies requires a constant supply of amino acids. This means that we must consume protein to meet our body's need for amino acids. Also , cells damaged during sports are - to put it simply - supplemented by proteins synthesized from amino acids supplied with food. Interestingly, proteins also allow fibers to be built up and then we are dealing with nothing more than building muscle mass. It was quite simple, right?
Or maybe you would be tempted to expand your knowledge a little together? So let's find out what other functions of proteins in the body are! We can mention here, among others:
- participation in regulating blood pressure,
- constitute the basis of the immune system,
- as well as acting as a carrier of some vitamins and other molecules and minerals, .
At this point, we should probably give some small ovations for the enormous involvement of this chemical in our health. The functions of protein in the body have not been so well known to you so far and you feel more and more curious about what we will do next? There are more, equally exciting portions of knowledge ahead of us, so let's move on.
The role of branched chain amino acids in strength training
Branched amino acids are an integral part of considerations about the role of protein in the body. That's exactly why we decided not to resist the temptation and let this issue see the light of day, because there really is something to write about.
Branched chain amino acids BCAA – what exactly is it? It sounds a bit complicated, but we assure you that there is no need to turn your head away from the screen, everything will soon become much simpler and more transparent, we will take care of it.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) are a group of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. These three amino acids are grouped together because they are the only ones that have a branched carbon side chain in their structure. If building muscle is one of your goals, it would be good to focus a little more on the issue of branched chain amino acids. BCAAs constitute a large part of the total pool of amino acids in the body. Together they constitute approximately 35–40% of all essential amino acids present in the body. What is their main role? We've already answered - unlike most other amino acids, BCAAs are broken down mainly in the muscles, not in the liver. For this reason, they are believed to play a role in energy production during intense training and physical activity. Your body can also use BCAAs to build muscle proteins. Moreover, they can also have a positive effect on your body by reducing the feeling of fatigue after exercising. This sounds very promising, doesn't it?
To sum up, amino acids provide fuel for our muscles and build proteins. Nevertheless, this is not the end of today's trip. The issue of amino acids holds a few additional secrets, and we will try to decipher them. Then get to work.
Amino acids essential in an athlete's diet
And now it's time for a little surprise. Today, we have already managed to prove that protein and muscle mass are an inseparable connection. We also went through the issue of branched chain amino acids and their role in the body. However, there is still something left to do. So what are we talking about? Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time for the previously mentioned essential amino acids (EAA - Essential Amino Acids) .
How so? We haven't finished the topic of amino acids yet? And what are the differences between these two types? Calm your head, everything in order, we will soon describe what this is all about.
It's time for a little twist, so we hope these twists and turns in movies and books get you excited. Amino acids necessary for the proper functioning of the body, otherwise known as exogenous, are not produced by our body, but we can provide them with a well-balanced diet. What types of chemical compounds that constitute the building blocks of protein can we distinguish? Below we have prepared a list of all 9 exogenous amino acids, and they are:
- isoleucine,
- histidine,
- lysine,
- leucine,
- phenylalanine,
- tryptophan,
- methionine,
- threonine
- and valine.
And finally, it's time for the promised twist - 3 of the 9 exogenous amino acids mentioned are also branched chain amino acids. Specifically, we mean isoleucine, leucine and valine. Phew and after all the screaming, it's not that hard to remember, right? It is only worth knowing that due to the branched structure of isoleucine, leucine and valine, as well as their presence in food products, they are simply included in both groups.
Much of today's route through healthy eating is already behind us, but we want to get rid of all the unknowns, so a little more about the role of amino acids.
Exogenous amino acids and muscle development not only in athletes
It's time to emphasize a few more important points. Exogenous amino acids are essential in the diet of each of us. Therefore, of course, not only athletes should take them with food. Are there any other groups that should especially take care of the appropriate amount of protein in their diet?
The people most likely to suffer from muscle weakness are not only athletes, but also seniors and vegans. So if you belong to one of the groups mentioned, now is the right time to take a closer look at your health. However, we will not leave you alone with this - whatever it is, it is not. In return, we will learn more about valuable and health-promoting dietary habits that you can add to your diet.
What foods are rich in essential amino acids?
We suspect that you may already know some of the answers to this issue, but we want this knowledge to stay with you, so it's time to consolidate it. You can find valuable amino acids, among others: in products such as:
- meat,
- fish,
- eggs,
- cheeses
- and legume seeds.
Now that you know what amino acids are crucial for muscle growth and in which products to look for them, it's very possible that there's still one worry on your mind. How to ensure a properly balanced diet to regularly provide as many as 9 exogenous amino acids? Fortunately, we have a great solution for you.
Alfalfa sprouts are undoubtedly a unique plant product that contains each of the 9 essential amino acids. This fact was described in scientific articles, but we tested the content of all ingredients in an accredited laboratory, also confirming the presence of 9 EAAs. Unbelievable? And yet! We perfectly understand that you may not have much time to grow sprouts yourself, so we are here to help as well.
ALFA9 is our extremely well-cared-for food product with health-promoting properties. Can you guess what it contains? Yes - it was made on the basis of alfalfa sprouts. This health-promoting mixture is not only a treat for athletes, elderly people or vegans who want to increase the amount of protein in their diet. Our product will also support the digestive system, stabilize blood sugar levels and much, much more. Therefore, we heartily recommend it to you.
Our path leading to the development of this product emerged from the need to take care of our own health. We really wanted to provide thorough support for the body, and now - which makes us extremely happy - we can also pass on this pro-nutritional effect accumulated in each sachet to you.
Thank you for another wonderful adventure through healthy eating and we can't wait for the next ones. Until next time!
Bibliography:
- https://ncez.pzh.gov.pl/aktywnosc-fizyczna/aminokwasy-rozgalezione-bcaa-w-preparatach-dla-sportowcow/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26255285/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5461297/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622080476?via%3Dihub
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7126259/#:~:text=Ingestion%20of%20an%20oral%20BCAAs,fatigue%20in%20long%2Ddistance%20runners.
- https://www.medonet.pl/zdrowie,aminokwasy-egzogenne---niezbedny-element-funcionowania-organistyczny,artykul,1734741.html#:~:text=Aminokwasy%20egzogenne%20zapewniaj%C4%85%20produkcj%C4 %99%20hormone%C3%B3w, with%20regeneration%20w%C4%85of the liver .
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28749738/
- https://fit.poradnikzdrowie.pl/diety-i-zyczenie/co-ujesz/aminokwasy-podzial-wlasciwosci-i-zrodla-w-pozywieniu-aa-4XDJ-XULR-6Hcg.html