Protein vs Amino Acids for Recovery
Anyone who trains hard in the gym must meet their daily protein requirements to support muscle recovery and growth, which is why many gym-goers turn to protein and amino acid supplements for nutritional support, but does one product offer better benefits than the other?
When it comes to optimising recovery and muscle growth, protein and amino acid supplements both offer distinct benefits, but understanding their differences can help you make an informed decision for the best results.
Complete proteins
When we consume foods or supplements that provide complete proteins, like Primal Whey Protein, Primal Egg Protein, Primal Plant Based Protein or Primal Blended Whey, our body digests this important macronutrient and breaks it down into its basic components, namely amino acids.
The body then combines these amino acids in different ways to fulfil various roles, including repairing and building muscle tissue through a process known as muscle protein synthesis (MPS).
These complete proteins offer a synergistic blend of amino acids, which work together to optimise MPS. This blend includes nine amino acids considered essential to human development and MPS.
However, our body cannot make these essential amino acids (EAA), which means they must come from external nutrient sources, such as food and supplements.
The nine EAAs include:
- Histidine
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Lysine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Threonine
- Tryptophan
- Valine
Among the EAAs, three have a branch-like structure, These branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are possibly the most important to the MPS process and include:
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Valine
Free-form amino acids
Based on this structure, it seems logical that providing your body with free-form amino acids (that means they are not bound in complete protein structures) from supplements can bypass steps in the digestion process to more quickly and efficiently deliver everything your body needs to support muscle recovery and growth.
Amino acid supplements like Primal Amino Force, Primal Amino Energy and Primal BCAA 12:1:1 certainly have the potential to support muscle growth by supplying some or all the EAAs and BCAAs your body needs in a convenient dose.
However, the benefits are slightly different to those offered by complete proteins, which is why a targeted approach to amino acid supplementation is often the smartest use of these products.
For instance, sipping on a product like Primal Amino Energy before and during a training session may help to delay muscle fatigue because the body can metabolise and convert free-form amino acids into glucose to provide energy.
This process (known as gluconeogenesis) limits the body’s need to break down muscle tissue to access amino acids when glycogen levels run low. By limiting muscle tissue damage in this way, an amino acid supplement that provides sufficient BCAAs may reduce our recovery demands after exercise.
In this regard, a study¹ conducted at the School of Human Biology at Canada’s University of Guelph confirmed that ingesting BCAAs (up to 4g) during and after exercise could reduce muscle breakdown during exercise.
When combined with regular weight training and a healthy, balanced diet, amino acids, particularly BCAAs, can also boost MPS after exercise to aid muscle growth.
Leucine is particularly important in this process as it is a potent MPS stimulator because it activates a muscle-building (anabolic) pathway, and higher leucine levels indicate to the body that there is sufficient dietary protein to create new muscle tissue.
As such, BCAA supplements typically contain more leucine than the other two BCAAs (isoleucine and valine), like the 12:1:1 leucine:isoleucine:valine ratio used in Primal BCAA 12:1:1.
Target your intake
With so many muscle-building and recovery benefits on offer, you might be tempted to swap your whey, plant or blended protein supplement for free-form amino acids. However, it’s important to not oversimplify the amino-acid-versus-complete-proteins debate.
While numerous studies support the effects of free-form amino acid supplements in general, and BCAAs in particular, consuming complete proteins from food and supplements remains vital for optimal post-workout recovery.
Natural protein sources like whey, egg and casein provide all the essential amino acids in optimal ratios, which are essential for MPS. Many complete protein sources, like whey, also contain bioactive peptides that impart additional health benefits, such as improved digestion and immune function.
As such, a combined approach that targets amino acid supplements before and during training, with complete proteins used directly after and between sessions offers the most effective approach to support recovery and build more muscle.
It is best to consider your specific needs and consult with a qualified nutritional or exercise expert to determine the best supplement strategy for you.
References
- Am J Physiol; Branched-chain amino acids augment ammonia metabolism while attenuating protein breakdown during exercise. 1994 Dec; 267 (6 Pt 1): E1010-22. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.1994.267.6.E1010.