Amino acids speed muscle recovery

Supplementing with a combination of amino acids enhances aerobic fitness, reduces muscle injury and shortens muscle-recovery time after exercise, according to a recent round up of studies in the Journal of Nutrition.

Amino acids build protein in the body, helping with the growth, repair and maintenance of tissue, and provide an energy source for skeletal muscle. The body cannot produce some essential amino acids, which must be obtained through food sources and supplementation.

Researchers studied whether branch-chain amino acids, glutamine, arginine and trace elements of seven other amino acids, could affect muscle recovery after prolonged physical exertion. Four study trials reported positive results when male athletes supplemented with a combination of the amino acids, with reductions in muscle injury, faster muscle-recovery, greater muscle strength and, according to one trial, greater red-blood cell function indicating better aerobic fitness. The positive outcomes resulted from supplementation of between 6-11 grams of the amino acid mix daily.

— Source: Healthnotes Newswire