What are the muscle-building benefits of amino acids, especially the buzzed-about BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids)? Amino acids are the building blocks that make up protein. Your body puts them together like Legos to create muscle. While your body can make some from scratch (called non-essential amino acids), you have to obtain others (essential amino acids), […]
Amino Acids
Ask the Diet Doctor: Complete and Incomplete Proteins
Q: What is an “incomplete” protein? A: When you hear that a food contains complete or incomplete proteins, this classification is referring to the kinds of amino acids in that food. Amino acids are the chemical compounds that make up proteins. Think of them like individual Christmas tree lights—when you string them all together you […]
Everyone at my gym is talking about amino acid shooters. Should I bother?
Your workout is a muscle-growth party, and pounding a branched chain amino acid (BCAA) drink kick-starts it. BCAAs are protein building blocks that fuel your muscles and help them grow, says Mike Roussell, Ph.D., author of The Six Pillars of Nutrition. In fact, a recent study from Sweden found that drinking BCAAs during resistance training […]