5 Benefits Of Amino Acids on performance

To support the launch of our new All-Day EAA and Plant BCAA amino acid products, we look at 5 benefits of amino acids and how they can help you train, recover, and build muscle like an athlete.

You might already know that amino acids are the “building blocks” of protein, helping you build muscle and retain lean tissue especially during intense training blocks or a diet phase.

But did you know amino acids can actually support better training performance?

What are amino acids?

20 different amino acids make up the proteins in the human body. 9 of these are “essential amino acids” (meaning the body can’t make or synthesise them, so you need to get them from food or supplements). The remaining 11 are “non essential”.

Quality pre workout and intra workout supplements should contain some of all of the essential amino acids to help you retain muscle mass during intense training.

EAAs vs BCAAs – choosing the right product

The essential amino acids are valine, leucine, and isoleucine (which are separately known as branch chain amino acids or BCAAs), and lysine, threonine, phenylalanine, methionine, histidine, and tryptophan.

PhD All Day EAA contains the 3 BCAAs plus the other 6 essential amino acids – none of which the body can produce itself. This great tasting essential amino acid powder is an easy way to get more protein and all the EAAs into your diet any time of the day. Available in four refreshing flavours: Tropical, Mojito, Sour Apple, and Gummy Bear.

BCAAs are amino acids that have a branch on their molecular structure. Because they are stimulate muscle growth, the BCAAs are widely accepted to be very important for training performance, muscle gain, and protect muscle mass during a diet phase.

Can BCAAs be part of a plant based diet?

If you are a vegan or plant based eater, you will need to ensure all your supplements are suitable for your way of eating. PhD Plant BCAA is our new BCAA supplement for anyone following a plant based diet. It’s a really helpful way to get more protein into your plant based diet without excess calories.

Plant BCAA is a great choice for pre workout, intra workout, or for drinking any time during the day. Available in four incredible flavours: Grape Candy, Mojito, Fruit Punch, and Summer Fruits.

5 benefits of Amino Acids for training performance

#1 Muscle gain

Remember, your body can’t make the EAAs by itself – but they are crucial for muscle gain, growth, and retention. Training provides the stimulus for muscle growth, and the amino acids in your EAA or BCAA drink will supply your body with the building blocks for repair.

#2 Training endurance

Amino acid supplements alter the way your body uses its fuel sources during training. Using a BCAA supplement could extend the amount of time you can train before you tap into your glycogen stores. (1)

#3 Fat burning

BCAA supplements protect your glycogen stores, and as a result your body turns to fat for fuel. This fat burning, muscle protecting combination is a powerful tool for body recomposition. (2)

#4 Cognitive energy

BCAA supplements can reduce the mental fatigue that comes with a tough workout, helping you cope with higher RPE. This is likely to be due to the amino acid tryptophan which converts to serotonin. (3)

#5 Training performance

Amino acid supplements are a valuable part of any training performance stack. They give you energy and reduce your rate of RPE, helping you train harder for longer. They protect muscle mass from catabolism, even as they help your body tap into fat for fuel. They can increase muscle protein synthesis, and may help you recover from training faster, with less soreness.

Add an amino acid supplement like PhD All Day EAA or Plant BCAA to your workout nutrition and see the difference!

1 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21297567/

2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9124069/

3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9124069/