The amino acid that improves exercise performance (2023)

Why are amino acids "essential" or important to our health? Along with proteins, amino acids such as valine are commonly known as "the building blocks of life.” Our body not only uses amino acids as a form of energy, but also absorbs amino acids and synthesizes proteins that help us grow, process the food we eat, and repair body tissues. Amino acid classification options include essential, nonessential, or conditional.

Is valine essential or non-essential?

It is definitely an essential amino acid.

How manyessential amino acidsis there?

Valine is one of the nine essential amino acids. The human body cannot produce it on its own, so it must be obtained from food.

Luckily, it is not difficult to incorporate it into your diet by consuming itprotein-rich foodsExamples include grass-fed beef, wild-caught salmon, yogurt, and quinoa, to name a few sources. Is there a time when you should consider supplementing with this amino acid? In a moment, we'll look at specific cases where supplementation can be helpful, and we'll also learn more about how you can easily get valine in a healthy, balanced diet.

What is valine? (paper in the body)

In 1901, the German chemist Emil Fischer was the first to isolate valine.Casein, a protein also found in dairy productsbreast milk. It is a building block of plant and animal proteins.

Where is valine found in a protein?

It is found mainly within proteins.

L-valine is also one of several so-called "essential amino acids" for humans, as well as all mammals and poultry. The bodies of mammals and poultry cannot make it, so they must obtain it from food sources. An interesting fact about valine is that it can be synthesized in microorganisms and plants.pyruvic acid, which is a product of the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and can be divided into three groups, including essential, nonessential, and conditional amino acids. How are these groups different?

• Essential Amino Acids Definition: Amino acids that cannot be manufactured by the body and therefore must be obtained from food (or dietary supplements). The list of essential amino acids includes histidine,lysine,methionine, phenylalanine, threonine,tryptophan, leucine, isoleucine and valine.
• Definition of non-essential amino acids: non-essential means that our body can make these amino acids even if we don't get them in our diet.
• Conditionally or Conditionally Essential Amino Acids Definition: These amino acids are considered essential only in times of illness and stress.

Valine is nonpolar (meaning it has no charge) and valine's melting point is 298 degrees Celsius. It is a hydrophobic amino acid that repels water molecules and its chemical formula is C5H11NO2. What is the structure of valine? It is a branched chain amino acid (BCAA). This means that its carbon structure is characterized by a branch point. As a molecule, it resembles the letter "Y."

Are amino acids and BCAAs the same?

Certain essential amino acids, particularly leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are considered BCAAs, with "branched chain" referring to the similar chemical structure of these three amino acids. BCAAs are known for their ability to help build protein in muscles and potentially reduce muscle breakdown. They also appear to prevent problematic messages from brain cells that can occur in people with certain serious health conditions, such as liver disease and anorexia.

In addition to promoting muscle growth and tissue repair, another function of valine is its abilitySupportboth muscle coordination and mental strength while promoting a state of emotional calm. It is also key to the optimal growth of children.

Valine Benefits

What are the benefits of valine?

Athletes and bodybuilders are best known to supplement this amino acid.their abilityto prevent muscle breakdown and increase athletic performance. How is this accomplished? Helps provide muscles with additional glucose for energy production during intense exercise.

Studies in human and animal subjects support this benefit. TOClinical study published in 2017report that acute BCAA supplementation (0.087 g/kg) increased the rate of isometric strength recovery and perceived muscle soreness compared with placebo after a hypertrophy-based training session in nutritionally controlled strength athletes.

OthersResearch study published in 2018in the scientific magazineLife Sciences, Biotechnology and Biochemistryspecifically studied the effects of valine in experimental animals during exercise. The study results show that acute supplementation of valine, but not leucine or isoleucine (the other BCAAs), "is effective in maintaining liver glycogen and blood glucose and increasing spontaneous post-exercise activity, which may help to reduce fatigue during exercise. training could help. ”

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation was used for the following purposessome successas well as:

• cirrhosisthe liver
• Phenylketonuria
• Athletic performance and mental decline during training in extreme temperatures
• Sports performance and post-exercise infections in extreme temperatures
• tardive dyskinesia

risks and side effects

It is important to stick to the recommended dosages of the L-Valine product as excessive amounts can cause hallucinations and tingling sensations on the skin. Excess valine can also lead to high levels of toxic ammonia in the body, along with decreased liver and kidney function.

possible side effectsBCAA supplementation in general also includes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, fatigue, and loss of coordination. For this reason, people taking L-valine supplements should take extra care when driving or doing other activities that require motor coordination. On rare occasions, branched-chain amino acids can cause high blood pressure, headaches, or whitening of the skin.

Talk to your doctor before supplementing with L-valine, especially if you have a medical condition and/or are taking any medications.

Eating just one amino acid can lead to a negative nitrogen balance. This can affect how your metabolism works and also make your kidneys work harder. In children, the intake of individual amino acids can cause growth problems. In general, taking large doses of individual amino acids for long periods of time is not recommended.

People with the following medical conditions should avoid supplementing with BCAAs:

• Amyotrophy Lateral Skeleton (ALS) also known asLou Gehrig's disease
• Pregnant and lactating women
• Branched-chain ketoaciduria
• chronic alcoholism
• Maple Syrup Disease (MSUD)

It is alsodevicesthat people with kidney or liver disease should not consume large amounts of amino acids without first consulting their doctor. Children should only supplement BCAAs as directed by their doctor. If you have upcoming surgery, stop supplementing with L-valine at least two weeks beforehand.

food and dietary supplements

Is valine an essential amino acid?

It certainly is, which is why (as you've already learned) you need to get it from food and/or supplements.

What foods are rich in valine?

Foods rich in valinecontain:

• Dairy products, especially cottage cheese and yogurt.
• Owner
• red meat likelammand beef
• Fish, including wild salmon and trout
• Fermented soy products, such as natto andtempeh
• turkey and chicken
• Seeds, including sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, and chia seeds
• Nuts, such as pistachios, cashews, and almonds
• Beans, including navy beans, kidney beans, adzuki beans, chickpeas, and lentils
• Fungus
• Gluten-free whole grains like quinoa and brown rice

Weightlifters and competitive athletes often take L-valine supplements as part of their training routine. People looking to increase their valine intake through supplementation have a few options. One option is to take L-valine alone. You can also take BCAA supplements to help balance the amino acids.L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine. Both of themwhey proteinand egg protein supplements also contain BCAAs.

Application (more dose)

The most notable signs of valine deficiency areneurological defectsin the brain. However, most people get adequate amounts of this essential amino acid (about 25 to 65 milligrams per 2.2 pounds of body weight) through their diet. Someone who is likely to be deficient in valine would be someone who isdeficient proteinIn general.

Athletes engaged in intense training activities have been known to supplement with nutritional supplements.a daily intakeof L-leucine, L-valine and L-isoleucine to prevent muscle atrophy and increase muscle growth.

L-valine can be taken alone, but it isrecommendedtaking it with the other BCAAs leucine and isoleucine. A general recommendation is to look for products that have a leucine:isoleucine:valine ratio of 2:1:1.

There is currently insufficient evidence to support an optimal dose of valine supplements. It is also not clear what health conditions clearly justify supplementation with this amino acid.

recipes

If you're looking to increase your valine intake, here are some delicious recipes featuring valine-rich foods:

• Turkey Chili Recipe with Adzuki Beans
• Black Bean Quinoa Salad Recipe
• Strawberry, Rhubarb and Chia Seed Pudding Recipe
• Blackened Salmon Recipe with Creamy Avocado Dressing

final thoughts

• What type of amino acid is valine? It is an essential amino acid that the body cannot synthesize. Therefore, it must be ingested through food or dietary supplements.
• As an amino acid, it is an essential "building block of life" for protein synthesis, which helps us grow, process the food we eat, and repair body tissues. Amino acids also serve as energy sources for the body.
• You can easily consume a delicious and wide variety of protein- and valine-rich foods every day by eating things like wild-caught salmon, lamb, grass-fed beef, quinoa, beans, seeds, fermented soy products like natto, and mushrooms.
• Daily consumption of a variety of essential and non-essential amino acids is important for optimal health.
• L-valine supplements are most commonly taken by powerlifters and competitive athletes.
• Valine's "branched chain" amino acid structure may make it particularly useful for building muscle and preventing muscle breakdown.
• It's not hard to get enough from diet alone.
• Check with your doctor before supplementing with valine.

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