Amino Acids, BCAA's & ZMA Supplements

Amino acids may be helpful when used in connection with the following conditions:

• Alcohol withdrawal (DLPA, glutamine, tyrosine)
• Alzheimer's disease (acetyl-L-carnitine, tyrosine)
• Angina (arginine, carnitine)
• Athletic support (BCAA, carnitine, creatine, isoleucine, leucine, ornithine, ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate, valine, whey protein)
• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (alanine, glutamic acid, glycine)
• Bronchitis (cysteine, N-acetyl cysteine)
• Cancer risk reduction (soy)
• Chemotherapy support (cysteine, N-acetyl cysteine)
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (carnitine)
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (cysteine, N-acetyl cysteine)
• Congestive Heart Failure (arginine, carnitine, taurine)
• Depression (DLPA, L-phenylalanine, tyrosine)
• Diabetes (carnitine, taurine)
• Emphysema (cysteine, N-acetyl cysteine)
• Epilepsy (taurine)
• Hepatitis (thymus proteins)
• Herpes simplex (lysine)
• High blood pressure (taurine)
• High cholesterol (carnitine, soy)
• High triglycerides (carnitine)
• HIV support (cysteine, glutamine, N-acetyl cysteine)
• Hormone replacement therapy (soy)
• Infertility (male) (arginine, carnitine)
• Intermittent claudication (carnitine)
• Liver support (methionine, taurine)
• Menopause (soy)
• Osteoarthritis (DLPA)
• Pain (DLPA)
• Parkinson's Disease (L-phenylalanine)
• Peptic ulcer (glutamine)
• Phenylketonuria (leucine, tyrosine)
• Postsurgery recovery (BCAAs, creatine)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (DLPA, histidine)
• Ulcerative Colitis (glutamine)
• Vitiligo (L-phenylalanine)
• Wound Healing (ornithine, ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate)

Why Do I Need BCAA's?

Amino Acids Information

Although there are as many as twenty-two amino acids (some sources list 20), we will talk here about some that are considered major. We will talk more about each one in other articles, but here are some overviews:

• L-Carnitine - Found in foods such as lamb, beef, dairy, and avocados the body creates it from lysine and methionine it improves and stimulates the heart's function as well as converting food into usable energy
• Taurine - Crucial to muscles cells in that it increases the size enabling them to hold water, allowing them to better utilize protein. Bodybuilders also like the fact that hydrated muscles appear bigger
• L-Arginine - Muscles need nitrogen to synthesize protein and l-arginine helps them to hold on to it. It also boosts immunity and promotes a healthy Thymus gland
• L-Histidine - Important for synthesizing healthy red blood cells, it also helps heal and repair muscles
• L-Lysine - Builds muscles and speeds up healing when injured. It also helps the body maintain calcium reserves and absorption. Food sources are fish, dairy, legume, and meat
• L-Tyrosine - Helps minimize effects of strenuous workouts including muscle and mental fatigue. It can be found in meat, seafood, oatmeal, and wheat
• Glutamine - Metabolizes protein and helps increase cell size, making the muscle tissue less likely to break down. It's important for digestive health and some claim it can cure ulcers
• Leucine - One of the three BCAAs it helps maintain the correct blood sugar level, heal stressed and overworked muscles, and promote human growth hormone production
• Isoleucine - Another BCAA it also helps muscles recover after a workout or other stress. It's necessary in the production of hemoglobin and aids in forming blood clots. It also regulates blood sugar levels
• Valine - The third BCAA helps maintain balanced nitrogen levels, which is important to growing lean muscles. It also helps repair damaged or overworked muscles. Some believe it aids in restoring brain function damaged by drug and alcohol abuse or neurological diseases