Top 6 Amino Acids for Weight Loss

If you are interested in beginning a new workout regimen or wanting to learn more about health, you may have heard about the amazing benefits of supplementing amino acids for weight loss. 

Using amino acids for weight loss has become a popular tactic for those who are regulars in the gym. There are many different amino acid supplements, powders, or premixed drinks that people claim have helped them get into shape. 

However, if you are new to the scene and still learning about what supplements to take, what works for you, and how to improve your overall health, this may all be very overwhelming. Adopting a new lifestyle takes a lot of work, studying, and money to implement into your life. 

Allow me to make this an easier transition for you by explaining what the top five amino acids for weight loss are, so that you can make this lifestyle change much simpler.

First things first, what are amino acids? 

According to the definition found on Healthline, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and play many critical roles in the body. They are organic compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, with a variable side chain group. 

The body needs 20 amino acids to function properly. They are used for vital processes like building protein, synthesizing hormones and neurotransmitters, regulating immune function, producing and regulating energy, absorbing essential minerals, protecting nerve cells, and regulating blood sugar. 

There are three categories of amino acids: essential, conditionally essential, and nonessential. 

Eleven amino acids can be metabolized by the body. The remaining nine are the essential amino acids (EAAs) and must be taken in through diet or supplementation. 

BCAAs

In order to fully understand amino acids, we must take an ever closer look at three of the 9 EAAs, branch chain amino acids, or BCAAs. These specific amino acids make up a large portion of the body’s total amino acid pool. 

BCAAs make up 35-40% of all EAAs in the body and 14-18% in the muscles. They play a major role of energy production during exercise because instead of breaking down in the liver like all other amino acids, they break down in the muscles. They also keep you from feeling fatigued during your workout by keeping levels of serotonin low in the brain. 

Another great benefit from BCAAs is that they have been proven to lessen levels of muscle soreness after a workout and may even protect muscle tissue against damage.  

BCAAs are very popular among athletes for these reasons and, because of how they function, aid in weight loss. 

Here are the Top 6 Amino Acids for Weight loss

1. Leucine is one of three BCAAs. It has the biggest impact on the body’s ability to build and repair muscle proteins out of the BCAAs. It also helps regulate blood sugar levels, aids in wound repair, and produces growth hormones.  
2. Isoleucine is the second of the BCAAs. It is involved heavily in muscle metabolism and is concentrated in muscle tissue. It also helps with energy regulation, production of hemoglobin, and immune function.
3. Valine is the last of the three BCAAs. It helps with energy production and muscle growth and regeneration.
4. Threonine is an EAA which is part of the structure of proteins like elastin and collagen, which are important for the skin and connective tissues in the body. It is one of the top amino acids for weight loss because it also aids in fat metabolism. 
5. Methionine is an EAA that is essential for tissue growth and the absorption of zinc and selenium, minerals important to the body. It also has a necessary role in metabolism and detoxification. 
6. Glutamine in a nonessential amino acid, meaning that the body produces sufficient amounts of it. However, in some instances involving high amounts of stress, the body demands more than it produces. This is when we must supplement it or get it from our diet. Glutamine can be converted to glucose and provide energy without forcing the body to store extra energy as fat. It may also reduce cravings for sugar and alcohol. 

Sources of Amino Acids for Weight Loss

All of the EAAs can be found in animal products, such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy, or eggs. You are able to get all of the EAAs in a plant-based diet by eating a variety of food that contain certain amounts of the nine. Foods like whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, seeds, and nuts. 

The only plants that are considered complete proteins and contain all of the nine EAAs are soy, quinoa, and buckwheat. 

You can also supplement EAAs and BCAAs to ensure that you are receiving the right amount in your diet.    

These top five amino acids for weight loss have been used to help many people who are dedicated to getting in shape.