Aminos & Hypertrophy - Joe Lightfoot

In the pursuit of hypertrophy, consumption of protein is often a major talking point, and rightly so. A considerable amount of research time has been spent trying to understand the role of protein ingestion and muscle growth (1). Whilst the reported results do vary, there are some common themes with regards to ingestion of amino acids and hypertrophy. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and can help you in your pursuit of muscle.


Amino acids and muscle gain

Increasing muscle mass is the result of an effective training stimulus, sufficient nutritional support and a period of recovery. Nutritionally, amino acids play a role in regulating muscle building beyond just being the raw materials required. For example, amino acids act as regulatory factors, stimulating muscle protein synthesis (2).

Amino acids are found in food sources such as chicken, eggs and milk, and also in protein powders such as whey, and finally as specific amino acid supplements. Whether you choose food or supplements, at a particular point in your nutrition depends on a number of factors such as your personal requirements, preferences and budget.

Whilst you certainly don’t need amino acid supplementation to gain muscle, there is evidence to show amino acids do offer an additional anabolic advantage. One study compared amino acid and carbohydrate supplementation versus ingestion of a whole food meal comparable in nutrient amounts. They found that the amino acid supplement protocol produced a greater anabolic effect than the food alone (3).


Reducing muscle loss

As well as muscle gain, reduction in muscle loss is also an important thing to consider. A particularly interesting study took two groups of individuals and had them rest in bed for 28 days. They both received a set diet, but one group supplemented with essential amino acids and the other didn’t. The study reported that the group, which supplemented with amino acids, lost less muscle and less strength than the group that didn’t (1). This is an extreme scenario, but it highlights that levels of circulating amino acids can impact on muscle retention. Certain supplement protocols have been suggested whereby ingestion of small amounts of amino acids throughout the day can maintain a positive nitrogen balance and thus reduce muscle loss.


How much protein do you need?

My views on daily protein consumption were covered in this article . The amount and form of protein, before during and after your training session depends on a number of factors such the size of the individual, the intensity and volume of the training session, external stressors and personal factors (2).

Research shows that amounts of amino acids as low as 6g can increase muscle protein synthesis 3.5 times above normal (4). Don’t get too excited, as this unfortunately doesn’t mean consuming 60g is going to increase it 35 times! There does appear to be a limit where increasing amino acid quantity has no further effect on muscle protein synthesis. However this amount is open to speculation. One study for example reported that consuming 20g or 40g of amino acids post-workout resulted in no significant difference in protein synthesis (4).

It is important to note that the addition of a carbohydrate to the amino acids was utilised in the amino acid dosage protocols in the research quoted above, and it is reported that a combination of both amino acids and carbohydrate promotes muscle anabolism by increasing muscle protein synthesis (5). Furthermore a study has reported that combined supplementation of amino acids and carbohydrate results in greater muscle protein synthesis than the sum of their individual effects (6).

However, as well as amino acids ingestion, total energy intake is also important in increasing muscle mass (5). So like always, supplements are a tool that can be beneficial but won’t cover up poor nutritional practices.


Timing

A study, which compared the anabolic response to amino acids, noted that the response was greater when amino acids were ingested before exercise (7). The increased blood flow to the muscles during exercise increases the delivery of amino acids to the muscles. Supplementing during a training session also ensures a continual supply of amino acids to the muscles during this time. As there is a lag time between consuming the supplement and it reaching the blood stream, ingestion before training does make sense.

The bottom line

So in summary, amino acids are needed to increase lean body mass. Utilising either food or supplements is a personal choice based on a number of factors. Whilst the research and recommendations of experts should be taken into account, what matters are the results you achieve.

My advice is to experiment; try ONE protocol and see if it works. For example you could keep your training and nutrition exactly the same but consume 10g of EAA’s or BCAA’s three times a day. If after a month you have had notable improvements you know you’re on the right track.

You don’t need to use a supplement. But if you do you can be assured there is a body of supporting evidence.


Joe Lightfoot is currently a medical student at the University of Manchester. He is also a Strength &Conditioning Coach to the England Under 19 Lacrosse team. He's passionate about sports and exercise medicine, research and all things strength and conditioning. He's also campaigning for better nutritional practices in medicine. Read more at http://jplightfoot.com/about/


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