AMINO ARMOUR BY TABATHA ELLIOTT In the war on muscle loss, fat and fatigue, these 11 supplements are your first line of defence AMINO ACIDS HAVE BEEN PIGEONHOLED LONG ENOUGH. As the building blocks of protein, sure, they help build muscle. But what about all the other tasks they perform? Helping you lose fat. Enhancing muscular endurance. Strengthening the immune system. Aminos do all this and much, much more. And best of all, they’re inexpensive and you can get them in almost any health-food shop, or supermarket. So why not give them the respect they deserve? Do your body a favour and invest in the following 11 amino acid supplements. ESSENTIALS There are two basic types of amino acids: those your body can make on its own (nonessential aminos), and those it cannot make (essential aminos) and therefore must be supplied by your diet. While the protein you eat daily will likely supply adequate amounts of essential aminos, getting an extra dose of the following can make a difference in how you look and feel. ›› BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACIDS (BCAAs). Together, leucine, isoleucine and valine make up about one-third of the protein in muscle and are the most important aminos in the manufacturing, maintenance and repair of muscle tissue. Research also supports their numerous functional properties, including their ability to increase muscle protein synthesis, decrease the breakdown of muscle tissue, spare muscle glycogen, encourage fat loss, delay the onset of fatigue during exercise and boost immune function. Dosage: While leucine is the most critical of the three, take the trio together to better support muscle growth. Go with 5 grams of leucine, about 2.5 grams of isoleucine and 2.5–5 grams of valine on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, and again before and after workouts (or about the same time of day on rest days). If you experience stomach discomfort, start with a half dose and slowly build up. ›› LYSINE is not only essential for building protein but also has several other effects. It appears to enhance calcium absorption and retention, which is important for bone health and can aid calcium’s ability to regulate bodyweight. Lysine is also used as a treatment for herpes and cold sores, is important for recovery from injuries, and aids the body’s production of hormones, enzymes and antibodies. Dosage: Take 500 mg to 1 gram of lysine per day as one or two divided doses. NONESSENTIALS While the body readily produces nonessential aminos on its own, taking extra doses of them can still provide further benefit. Consider the following nonessentials “essential” to your physique goals. ›› GLUTAMINE is one of the most crucial amino acid supplements you can purchase: it promotes physical recovery, stimulates muscle growth, aids digestion, boosts growth hormone (GH) levels, enhances concentration, increases memory and can even decrease cravings for sweets. The immune system uses glutamine as a primary fuel source, so taking extra helps prevent your muscle stores from being used up. In addition, glutamine is effective in helping muscle cells store more glycogen — the storage form of energy from carbohydrates — and it acts as a cell volumiser, aiding in size and further growth of muscle fibres. Finally, glutamine assists the production of bicarbonate, a biochemical buffer that helps prevent muscle fatigue. Dosage: Take 5–10 grams of glutamine on an empty stomach when you wake, before and after your workout, and before bed. As with most aminos taken in high doses, start with a lower dose and progressively increase as your tolerance goes up. ›› ARGININE is the basic ingredient in most nitric oxide (NO) products. It enhances NO production, which in turn increases blood flow to the muscles and therefore nutrient, oxygen and hormone delivery, as well as muscle pump and ultimately muscle growth. NO has numerous other benefits, as does arginine; for example, it boosts insulin and GH secretion, two important anabolic hormones that drive muscle growth. A recent study suggested that arginine may be effective for increasing muscle strength: male subjects taking arginine boosted bench press strength by 20 pounds after eight weeks, compared to a 5-pound increase in the placebo group. Dosage: Take 3–5 grams of arginine as L-arginine, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate or arginine-ketoisocaproate 2–3 times per day on an empty stomach. ›› CITRULLINE is regularly converted to arginine in the body, so most of the benefits associated with arginine can be expected from citrulline, including increased NO and GH production. But citrulline can also help prevent fatigue in exercising muscles by helping remove ammonia from the body. Clinical studies support this contention: Citrulline malate (citrulline attached to malic acid) significantly reduces fatigue and dramatically increases levels of ATP and creatine phosphate in muscle. Dosage: Go with 3 grams of citrulline malate about 30 minutes before and immediately after workouts for a noticeable boost in energy. ›› TYROSINE is required by the body to form several important neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine, as well as thyroid hormones. This means it can be a great pick-me-up as well as enhance numerous other physiological functions like fat loss, satiety, mood, mental focus and even sex drive. Tyrosine is often included in weight-loss products that contain norepinephrine-mimicking ingredients because it increases the body’s own production of the metabolism-boosting norepinephrine, enhancing fat loss. Dosage: Take 1–2 grams of tyrosine on an empty stomach twice a day. For a preworkout pick-me-up, try 2–4 grams an hour or so before lifting. ›› TAURINE, the primary ingredient in Red Bull energy drinks, reportedly improves strength, endurance and even muscle growth, and is also believed to be involved in both muscle and brain function. Muscle levels of taurine become depleted during intense exercise, so supplementing the amino may help prevent fatigue during exercise. On top of that, taurine appears to enhance muscle cell volume by drawing water into the muscles, somewhat like creatine. Dosage: Take 2–6 grams of taurine per day 30–60 minutes before and immediately after workouts. ›› CARNOSINE. This could be one of the next hot supplements to hit the shelves, but carnosine isn’t a true amino acid; it’s a dipeptide, which means it’s actually two amino acids (beta-alanine and histidine) joined together. Carnosine was originally heralded for its strong antioxidant properties, which provide numerous health benefits and protect muscle from harmful free radicals. Today it’s recognised as a potent body-building supplement that enhances both muscle strength and endurance by buffering the fatigue-inducing acid that builds up in muscles during exercise. Carnosine is yet another in a long line of cell-volumising supplements. Dosage: Combining carnosine with creatine appears to boost the muscle-volumising effect. Take 1.5 grams 30–60 minutes before and immediately after workouts. ›› CARNITINE. Like carnosine, carnitine isn’t a true amino acid; it’s made from the aminos lysine and methionine, vitamins C, B3 and B6, and iron. Carnitine has been studied for years for its ability to enhance fat use by the body (it helps transport fats to the mitochondria, where they’re burned for fuel). More current research suggests that carnitine may enhance blood flow to muscles and therefore prevent fatigue and muscle damage, and that it could enhance testosterone’s ability to bind to its receptor in the muscle and initiate its anabolic effects. Furthermore, acetyl-L-carnitine — carnitine attached to an acetic acid group — enhances mental function and boosts testosterone. Dosage: Take 2–4 grams of L-carnitine or acetyl-L-carnitine in 2–3 divided doses throughout the day on an empty stomach. M&F Tabatha Elliott, PhD, is a research scientist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. This article is for information purposes only. Weider Publishing Ltd does not accept liability for the effect of reported supplements or products, legal or illegal. It is the responsibility of the individual to abide by the dosage allowances specific to their country of residence. Always consult a doctor before commencing supplementation or changing dosage. REFERENCES ›› Avraham, Y., et al. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 33(12):2,104–2,110, 2001. ›› Bendahan, D., et al. British Journal of Sports Medicine 36(4):282–289, 2002. ›› Bowtell, J.L., et al. Journal of Applied Physiology 86(6):1,770–1,777, 1999. ›› Campbell, B., et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Annual Meeting (Las Vegas), 2004. ›› Civitelli, R., et al. Nutrition 8(6):400–405, 1992. ›› De Palo, E.F., et al. Amino Acids 20(1):1–11, 2001. ›› Karlic, H., Lohninger, A. Nutrition 20(7–8):709–715, 2004. ›› MacLean, D.A., et al. American Journal of Physiology 267(6 Pt 1):E1,010–E1,022, 1994. ›› Palloshi, A., et al. American Journal of Cardiology 93(7):933–935, 2004. ›› Suzuki, Y., et al. Japanese Journal of Physiology 52(2):199–205, 2002. ›› Welbourne, T., et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 67(4):660–663, 1998. ›› Zhang, M., et al. Amino Acids 26(3):267–271, 2004.

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