Any info on Amino Acids?

[Texas Proud]

I have been going to the gym on a somewhat regular basis for 1 1/2 years... DW got me into Zumba and I do it 2 to 4 times a week (mostly 3)...

However, I have muscle soreness a few days later... my sisters said that I needed protein, so I started to drink a protein shake... but, the last month or two my legs have been hurting.... I have not changed my routine so it is not me exercising more...


Now I am told that I should be taking amino acids along with the protein... BCAA being the one suggested....


SOOO, does anybody here take this? Does it work? What 'dose' are you taking?

I have read a few articles, but they seem to be from the industry that sells this so I do not know what to believe.

 

[braumeister]

Seems to me that asking random strangers on the internet about what supplements you should take for vague symptoms is just going to lead to trouble.

Have you asked your doctor? Have you had a recent physical with blood workup?

I have some thoughts on this problem but there is no way I would make recommendations without far more to go on.

 

[sengsational]

I probably wouldn't be on-board with supplementing with some magic powder that had these branch chained aminos, but that's just me.

Meat includes all eight essential amino acids, including the branch chained ones.

Although the "Transcend" book, that I just pulled off my bookshelf addresses exercise and supplementing in many forms, they don't call out those amino acids. They say you only need one gram of each of the essential amino acids per day per kilogram of body weight.

If you read this article about resistance exercise and cognitive decline, they name off whey, creatine, glutamine, vitamin d, carnitine, omega-3 fatty acids and d-ribose as well as BCAA's as nutrients that boost muscle mass and strength. They say that whey contains lots of BCAA's, or you can get them separately.

 

[audreyh1]

I'd say see the doctor. I don't think you can assume anything about the cause.

Amino acids what proteins are made out of. You can get plenty of protein and amino acids from real food.

People eat a varied diet to get all the essential amino acids.

I do plenty of exercise and never have relied on special supplements or shakes, not even when I was doing a lot of weight lifting and working with a trainer - and I did lose a body fat and gain quite bit of muscle. The supplements are really for body builders who go on special diets and try to pack on massive muscle. Not for regular exercisers trying to increase fitness and add some muscle.

 

[Lsbcal]

I have been going to the gym on a somewhat regular basis for 1 1/2 years... DW got me into Zumba and I do it 2 to 4 times a week (mostly 3)...

However, I have muscle soreness a few days later... my sisters said that I needed protein, so I started to drink a protein shake... but, the last month or two my legs have been hurting.... I have not changed my routine so it is not me exercising more...
...

When I get muscle soreness it is generally from doing an unfamiliar exercise or going at something too vigorously (not working up to the exercise requirements).

If it were me, I'd back off a bit from the exercise and find the point where muscle soreness is not an issue. Then build up to the full exercise in a controlled manner.

Some stretching could also be helpful. Hopefully the Zumba instructor includes a warm up.

 

[Meadbh]

JERF (Just Eat Real Food).

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I go to the gym, i push around a little iron , and maul the heavy bag. Lately im more sore, i think we are getting old.

 

[aja8888]

JERF (Just Eat Real Food).

This seems to work for me, and I am well over 60.

 

[haha]

I have been going to the gym on a somewhat regular basis for 1 1/2 years... DW got me into Zumba and I do it 2 to 4 times a week (mostly 3)...

However, I have muscle soreness a few days later... my sisters said that I needed protein, so I started to drink a protein shake... but, the last month or two my legs have been hurting.... I have not changed my routine so it is not me exercising more...


Now I am told that I should be taking amino acids along with the protein... BCAA being the one suggested....


SOOO, does anybody here take this? Does it work? What 'dose' are you taking?

I have read a few articles, but they seem to be from the industry that sells this so I do not know what to believe.

I would not even consider protein supplements or amino acids. A normal American diet likely has more protein than any of us needs.

Ha

 

[MRG]

When I get muscle soreness it is generally from doing an unfamiliar exercise or going at something too vigorously (not working up to the exercise requirements).

If it were me, I'd back off a bit from the exercise and find the point where muscle soreness is not an issue. Then build up to the full exercise in a controlled manner.

Some stretching could also be helpful. Hopefully the Zumba instructor includes a warm up.

Yeah getting old ain't for sissy's.
We took six months off from our weights. The first time back didn't feel too bad, for a while. We didn't go back for an entire week.

 

[Texas Proud]

Seems to me that asking random strangers on the internet about what supplements you should take for vague symptoms is just going to lead to trouble.

Have you asked your doctor? Have you had a recent physical with blood workup?

I have some thoughts on this problem but there is no way I would make recommendations without far more to go on.

Since this forum has a wide breadth of knowledge I come to ask questions... any answer I get I research as best I can...


So yes, I come to strangers to hopefully point me in the right direction... and it was my sister who was a nurse who suggested it, so the first person who said anything had some medical knowledge....


Yes, I have been to the doc but at that time I did not ask about amino acids... when I mentioned it she said I had really tight hamstrings and should use some stick massage thing to help... I am still looking at that option but there seems to be a few and she did not say which one... I did not get the results back, but she is getting some other medical records before I go back to talk to her...

 

[Texas Proud]

JERF (Just Eat Real Food).

I mostly do... DW is very good at that...

 

[6miths]

JERF (Just Eat Real Food).

Agree. The vitamin and supplement industry is at best a waste of money. Very few vitamins (eg folic acid in very early pregnancy) have been shown to be beneficial in routine supplementation and several have been shown to be harmful. Supplementing amino acids in the absence of a specific reason also not likely to be a good idea. I recall the story of Mark Fitzpatrick, an NHL goalie, who was likely poisoned by a supplement. http://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/24/sports/hockey-goalie-winning-at-a-dangerous-game.html

 

[Meadbh]

Agree. The vitamin and supplement industry is at best a waste of money.

I'm glad two physicians agree!

Unless you have a vitamin deficiency, there is no point in taking supplemental vitamins. Too high a vitamin intake also has risks. As for amino acids, they are the building blocks of proteins. Protein that you eat is broken down in the gut to amino acids before being absorbed. Too much protein has side effects too. Any adult who eats a healthy balanced diet that includes meat, fish, eggs, chickpeas, quinoa, other protein sources does not need supplemental amino acids. There are rare exceptions such as certain disorders of metabolism, but they are rare.

JERF means real food, not processed crap.

 

[sengsational]

While I agree that much of the vitamin and supplement hype is just that, a logical perspective would force one to admit that there might be something "good" out there that has yet to be proven.

For instance, most physicians now agree that it's unhealthy to have a vitamin D (25-hydroxy) below 30ng/mL. But 10 years ago, I'd bet most people would scoff at people who were supplementing with vitamin D. "That's unproven", they'd say. "A waste of money". I'd bet they'd even have said "dangerous", since it was considered fat soluble and could build-up. But now, hmmm, vitamin D is a thing.

Vitamin D is just one example. One that applies to everyone. Fish oil is another. And most doctors I've gone to also recommend a daily multiple vitamin and mineral in addition to a healthy diet. If you have a specific condition, there are other supplements that are pretty much universally recommended for people in that situation. None of that stuff was common a decade ago, but is close to universal now.

To presume we've already found all of the helpful additions to food doesn't make sense to me. There's got to be more compounds that we've yet to discover as helpful to human health. The question is, do you wait until every doctor on the planet is recommending it, or do you go for it when it's less than universal agreement?

 

[euro]

While I agree that much of the vitamin and supplement hype is just that, a logical perspective would force one to admit that there might be something "good" out there that has yet to be proven.

For instance, most physicians now agree that it's unhealthy to have a vitamin D (25-hydroxy) below 30ng/mL. But 10 years ago, I'd bet most people would scoff at people who were supplementing with vitamin D. "That's unproven", they'd say. "A waste of money". I'd bet they'd even have said "dangerous", since it was considered fat soluble and could build-up. But now, hmmm, vitamin D is a thing.

Vitamin D is just one example. One that applies to everyone. Fish oil is another. And most doctors I've gone to also recommend a daily multiple vitamin and mineral in addition to a healthy diet. If you have a specific condition, there are other supplements that are pretty much universally recommended for people in that situation. None of that stuff was common a decade ago, but is close to universal now.

To presume we've already found all of the helpful additions to food doesn't make sense to me. There's got to be more compounds that we've yet to discover as helpful to human health. The question is, do you wait until every doctor on the planet is recommending it, or do you go for it when it's less than universal agreement?

+1 on that

 

[Helen]

The only supplement that I have felt a difference by using is magnesium. When I am doing a lot of hard hikes and backpacking trips I get something that feels like restless leg. If I take a magnesium supplement I don't have that problem. If you take a magnesium supplement (I use magnesium citrate) start with a low dose because your body will quickly eliminate any magnesium it doesn't need.

 

[Koolau]

I have been going to the gym on a somewhat regular basis for 1 1/2 years... DW got me into Zumba and I do it 2 to 4 times a week (mostly 3)...

However, I have muscle soreness a few days later... my sisters said that I needed protein, so I started to drink a protein shake... but, the last month or two my legs have been hurting.... I have not changed my routine so it is not me exercising more...


Now I am told that I should be taking amino acids along with the protein... BCAA being the one suggested....


SOOO, does anybody here take this? Does it work? What 'dose' are you taking?

I have read a few articles, but they seem to be from the industry that sells this so I do not know what to believe.

If the symptoms are bothersome, I'd see a doc at least to start. Before taking supplements (which often are not regulated like drugs) I'd research them carefully. Most folks get plenty of vitamins, minerals and protein from food. If you are NOT getting these things in sufficient quantities, the issue may NOT be that you are not EATING enough of them - rather it may be that your body is not absorbing them or otherwise utilizing them. If that's the case, it's definitely a doc visit for you - in my totally unprofessional, uneducated opinion (since YMMV.)

 

[6miths]

While I agree that much of the vitamin and supplement hype is just that, a logical perspective would force one to admit that there might be something "good" out there that has yet to be proven.

For instance, most physicians now agree that it's unhealthy to have a vitamin D (25-hydroxy) below 30ng/mL. But 10 years ago, I'd bet most people would scoff at people who were supplementing with vitamin D. "That's unproven", they'd say. "A waste of money". I'd bet they'd even have said "dangerous", since it was considered fat soluble and could build-up. But now, hmmm, vitamin D is a thing.

Vitamin D is just one example. One that applies to everyone. Fish oil is another. And most doctors I've gone to also recommend a daily multiple vitamin and mineral in addition to a healthy diet. If you have a specific condition, there are other supplements that are pretty much universally recommended for people in that situation. None of that stuff was common a decade ago, but is close to universal now.

To presume we've already found all of the helpful additions to food doesn't make sense to me. There's got to be more compounds that we've yet to discover as helpful to human health. The question is, do you wait until every doctor on the planet is recommending it, or do you go for it when it's less than universal agreement?

I was hoping that Meadbh would reply, alas....

I often ask students and residents 'what does our T-shirt say?'. Most know even as students that is meant to say, 'first do no harm.' Yes there may be some supplements that prove beneficial in the future but the current list is very shortl and personally I don't think that it is a good thing to ply ourselves with all sorts of other crap which is not proven to be of benefit and definitely harmful to the pocket book if nothing else. More and more good studies are suggesting harm. I mentioned folic acid that is such a slam dunk for preventing neural tube defects when given to women just before and in very early pregnancy (prior to 28 days after conception) that many governments decided to put folic acid in foods that everyone eats (eg flour). The benefits have been dramatic in the target population. Interestingly, there is now suspicion that unforeseen adverse effects are occurring. Vitamin D has been shown to be beneficial as well. There is no 'good' evidence for fish oil supplements.

Anti-oxidants (Vitamin E, A and C, beta-carotene, and selenium) were all the rage for years and in theory they should work but many, many trials say that they don't. The most respected medical database for evidence (the Cochrane Collaboration) has the following statement about anti-oxidants: 'We found no evidence to support antioxidant supplements for primary or secondary prevention. Beta-carotene and vitamin E seem to increase mortality, and so may higher doses of vitamin A. Antioxidant supplements need to be considered as medicinal products and should undergo sufficient evaluation before marketing.' And Vitamin C and selenium don't beat placebo or nothing. History tells us that many things in medicine 'seemed like a good idea at the time'. Blood letting? Radical mastectomy?

Any doctor who currently recommends routine multi-vitamin supplementation is wrong. Doctors aren't immune to marketing either it turns out and it is a multi-billion dollar industry.

I'm going with Meadbh's JERF for the back of my T-shirt next time I teach the nutrition module.

 

[Meadbh]

^^^^ This.

Meadbh was busy, but thanks 6smiths for the excellent response. I couldn't have put it better.

PS. JERF t shirts are available on Amazon. This is one fad that I hope will never go out of style.

 

[LOL!]

Protein powder with branched chain amino acids is used by many people. I add some chocolate-flavored powder to my breakfast oatmeal. It is practically like adding powdered milk to it.

I want to get about 20 to 40 grams of protein with every meal and the powder is a way to get it at breakfast although I could have more milk and eggs, too. Or Greek yogurt. If your diet is full of carbohydrates and fat (doubtful), then the protein powder could be helpful.

Protein is made of amino acids. That's what protein is. So adding branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) is just adding some AA that your body doesn't normally synthesize for itself and that is required in your diet.

Will eating more protein+extra BCAA help your soreness? Probably not. Will stopping Zumba help your soreness, probably. On days you don't do Zumba, be sure to walk 3 to 5 miles with a decent pair of shoes or a ride a bike for an hour.

If you are losing muscle mass and strength, then I think weight lifting and adding calories to your diet through a protein supplement will be a lot better than eating bacon.

 

[sengsational]

SOOO, does anybody here take this? Does it work? What 'dose' are you taking?

Protein powder with branched chain amino acids is used by many people. I add some chocolate-flavored powder to my breakfast oatmeal.

Ah, someone who supplements with protein (OP's question)! I used to do something similar. Not a lot. Just to tip the macro nutrient balance a bit. I was using plain whey powder. I stopped that because a food sensitivity test (which I kind of don't have a lot of faith in, btw) suggested whey wasn't good for me. Easy enough to tip the balance with "real food", as you (LOL!) indicated.

 

[AllDone]

While I agree that much of the vitamin and supplement hype is just that, a logical perspective would force one to admit that there might be something "good" out there that has yet to be proven.

For instance, most physicians now agree that it's unhealthy to have a vitamin D (25-hydroxy) below 30ng/mL. But 10 years ago, I'd bet most people would scoff at people who were supplementing with vitamin D. "That's unproven", they'd say. "A waste of money". I'd bet they'd even have said "dangerous", since it was considered fat soluble and could build-up. But now, hmmm, vitamin D is a thing.

Actually, the latest thinking is that the reference range may be set too high. Most of us who are not shut ins and who live in the sunbelt have no need for D even in the winter. If you live year-round in Minnesota, maybe, but south of San Francisco-Kansas City-Virginia Beach, probably not.

Small scale studies are done, marginal but exciting results are hyped in the media, large scale studies show no value to the cure of the moment. Repeat. People get confused because they "don't know who to believe". Sadly, it's mostly just poor journalism.

 

[sengsational]

It is totally frustrating the way the information is released by the journalists. There could be ten well-designed studies that say the same thing, and they report on the one poorly designed study that "proves" some other thing

 

[Just_Steve]

It is totally frustrating the way the information is released by the journalists. There could be ten well-designed studies that say the same thing, and they report on the one poorly designed study that "proves" some other thing

Fake News.