Saturday, January 9, 2010

Functional Foods aka Supplements- Part 2

BCAA-Branched-chain amino acids

There are three branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine) and they make up about one third of the skeletal muscle protein. In some studies leucine has been shown to enhance performance in endurance and strength performances. But other data show that BCAA before and during training can decrease exercise-enduced damage but they do not really enhance performance. So, you see like everything else in peer-reviewed studies, you can always find conflicting results and nothing is black and white. The protein blend that I like to have for breakfast a few days a week has all three amino acids in it.

Glutamine

Although glutamine is not an essential amino acid, I call it a very special amino acid. Sixty percent of our amino acid pool is glutamine. We can obtain some glutamine from our diet but most is synthesized from glutamate. Not only is glutamine important in the synthesis of proteins in the entire body, but it seems to be significant in immunity as well.
The protein blend that I buy to make protein shakes and high protein bread is 'All theWhey' protein blend. Check out their website at: www.allthewhey.com
Please don't lose any sleep if you have never had any protein blend or isolate. Most of us will do just fine with getting our protein requirements from our clean and healthy diet.

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