Do you want to boost your amino acids? There are various ways you can boost your intake of amino acids. The most direct source is from real food including meat, beans, and dairy. In fact, some “complete” proteins actually contain enough of all 9 EAAs for the entire day. There are even some plant-based sources including quinoa and soybeans. However, another option is amino acid powder. These are similar to protein powders since you can easily mix essential amino acid powders with water, smoothies, or shakes.
Amino acid supplements are available in different forms. They include tablets, powder, and liquid. Tablets include options like branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Then there are liquid aminos, which include soy and coconut aminos that are similar to soy sauce except with a milder taste. These products offer a small amount of several amino acids including essential and non-essential aminos. You can add them easily to soups, stews, and salads. Then there are amino acid powders, which have the same form as protein powders like whey, beef, and egg. This can be easily added to various options like smoothies, shakes, and oatmeal.
What Are Amino Acids All About?
Proteins are made of peptides, which are themselves made of amino acids. This explains why aminos are known as the building blocks of protein. This also explains how the body breaks down proteins in food. It first breaks it down into peptides then into amino acids.
The human body needs a certain amount of all 20 amino acids in order for the body/brain to function properly. That includes the 9 essential aminos (EAAs) and 11 non-essential aminos (NEAAs). This helps with functions like building muscle and workout recovery.
The best source of the aminos is always food. That includes ones like:
- Chicken/Fish
- Beef/Pork
- Eggs
- Whole Grains
- Nuts/Seeds
- Beans
- Dairy
If you eat a wide variety of animal and plant-based sources of protein you can get enough daily aminos. For example, you need 39mg of Leucine and less of the other EAAs.
There are two main kinds of protein sources including complete and incomplete. For example, beefsteak, Greek yogurt, and miso soup are all complete proteins. They include enough of all the aminos you need in one day.
Then there are incomplete aminos. You can combine them to turn them into complete proteins. They include options like:
- Whole wheat bread + peanut butter
- Whole wheat pita + hummus
- Beans & whole grains
- Bean soup + crackers
- Noodles and peas
These are just some of the combos that can provide all the amino acids required for a single day. The key is to eat a wide variety of food to get enough of all 9 EAAs.
Besides food, another option is dietary supplements. One option is protein supplements like whey, beef, egg, and soybeans. These are complete proteins so you get all the EAAs in a single product. The quality of the aminos isn’t as good as the food. However, it still provides all the aminos required on a daily basis.
Essential Amino Acid Powder
This product is like protein powder. However, it includes one amino acid or a blend. For example, some products only include a single amino acid. Other products include blends like BCAAs or even all 9 EAAs. These offer more nutritional value.
For example, BCAAs include three amino acids that have a certain structure. This is made up of one-third of the different EAAs. You can get various health benefits from the aminos like muscle building and workout recovery. If you want to build lean muscle mass then BCAAs are a good option. They’re also a good option for sore muscles.
This is a good option if you want to experience the benefits of multiple aminos. In the case of 9-EAA dietary supplements, you get some of all the EAAs required daily.
Should you pick a single amino acid or amino acid blend? It really depends on your situation. For example, in some cases, people just want to boost their intake of one amino. In that case, a single amino acid would be ideal.
In other cases, you might want the benefits provided by amino acid blends. This provides the benefits of different aminos. For example, in the case of BCAAs, the three EAAs combine to provide various benefits like muscle building, workout recovery, and appetite control.
The form of amino acid powder provides a lot of flexibility. For example, you can simply add it to water. If you want a fancier version you can combine it with juices, shakes, or smoothies for extra aminos/protein.
Another option is to add protein to the food. This includes ones like oatmeal, soups, or stews. These options easily absorb the amino powder due to their liquid texture. In most cases, the powders blend easily with beverages/food. Make sure to watch out for products that clump. These powders also absorb in the body within 2 hours.
Top Benefits of Amino Acid Powders
Affordability
Another plus of essential amino powder is the price is relatively low compared to other options like solid food. If you’re on a shoestring budget this can provide various benefits. In fact, the supplements sometimes have enough servings to last weeks or even a full month.
The amino powders aren’t “cheap” since you’ll have to pay more for the convenience. However, the price tag is still lower versus other options and makes it a practical option in terms of value.
Absorption
The body absorbs powders a lot faster than tablets or solid food. This is a plus if you want to get the benefits of the aminos immediately. For example, if you want a muscle pump as a pre-workout supplement then you could use amino powders.
In fact, the body can fully absorb/digest protein powders in less than two hours. This is compared to solid food that can take up to 48 hours.
Physical And Mental Health Benefits
Amino acids can provide a wide range of benefits that affect the body and brain. For example, you can use an amino supplement for muscle building and repair. After a tough workout aminos can help repair small tears in muscle tissue. This can help build lean muscle.
Amino acids are also linked to the brain’s neurotransmitters. These are signal-senders that can be linked to different body functions like appetite control, workout fatigue, and even mood/anxiety.
Convenience
The only form of amino acid that’s arguably more convenient. That’s because you can add it to just about any beverage and food and you won’t require any liquids to mix it with. This is a plus if you’re out and about and just want to add some liquid seasonings to your vegetable salad, for example. The essential amino acid powder can be added to water, shakes, smoothies, soups, stews, and oatmeal through essential amino acid powder.