Essential amino acids are extremely important for the body and for maintaining good health. On the one hand, they form the structural substance of bones, hair, muscles and tissue. On the other hand, they are involved in numerous bodily processes. As precursors of hormones and neurotransmitters, they control many metabolic processes.
In short: nothing works in your body without amino acids. In our amino acid list we show you which essential amino acids exist, in which foods they are found and what they are particularly important for.
Phenylalanine
- Occurrence : fish, meat, soy, peas, nuts
Importance : is involved in the formation of the hormones adrenaline and thyroxine
Leucine
- Found : Beef, chicken breast, salmon, tuna, milk, peas, nuts, whole grains
Importance : belongs to BCAA and helps to build protein mass in muscles, provide energy to muscles and support muscle healing processes
Methionine
- Occurrence : Beef and chicken, tuna, Parmesan, sesame, Brazil nuts
Importance : contributes to the formation of hormones and neurotransmitters, inhibits bacterial growth and counteracts infections
Lysine
- Occurrence : Beef, tuna, eggs, cheese, soybeans, lentils, peanuts
Importance : forms proteins for skin, hair, bones and muscle cells, strengthens the immune system
Isoleucine
- Occurrence : Wheat germ, tuna, peanuts, salmon, beef and veal, chickpeas, cottage cheese, rice
Significance : as BCAA, contributes to building muscle mass, is an energy supplier in strength and endurance sports, promotes synthesis in the event of increased stress or illness and supports healing processes
valine
- Occurrence : Eggs, Dairy, Salmon, Beef, Chicken, Corn, Walnuts
Importance : also belongs to branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and is involved in building muscle mass
Threonine
- Occurrence : wheat germ, soybeans, lentils, brown trout, sunflower seeds, chicken, peanuts, cottage cheese
Importance : is an important building block for enzymes, hormones and neurotransmitters and thus contributes to many bodily functions, is important for growth and the immune system
Tryptophan
- Occurrence : all types of meat, hard cheese, soybeans
Significance : As a building block of the happiness hormone serotonin, it has a mood-enhancing and calming effect, is said to have a weight-reducing effect
Histidine
- Occurrence : beef, fish, soybeans, wheat germ
Significance : is considered semi-essential and therefore conditionally vital, is responsible for the oxygen supply to the organs and tissues, has a detoxifying effect and supports growth processes
WHY BUY AMINO ACIDS?
If the intake of the important substances can also be regulated through diet: Why then buy and supplement amino acids? In fact, however, adequate intake of amino acids can be difficult. This does not necessarily have to be due to an unbalanced diet. The need for EAA can also increase with certain stresses on the body, such as sporting activity. Coverage through diet is not always possible. But even for vegans it is sometimes difficult to balance the need purely plant-based.
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Amino acids for muscle building
As already described in the beginning, amino acids have an anabolic effect, i.e. build muscle. Amino acids are even essential for the formation of new muscle cells – this is of course particularly important during strength training, since muscles are to be actively built up here. Essential Amino Acids also actively protect the body from muscle breakdown, as they provide it with all the necessary building blocks to repair the muscles during hard training.
So that the body does not have to draw energy from the existing muscles, but the amino acids supplied are burned to provide energy . Studies have shown that 10 to 12g of amino acids before or after exercise can significantly increase muscle protein synthesis, which is the process by which proteins are built in the muscles.
Amino acids for vegans
The trend to eat a plant-based diet has increased rapidly in recent years. And while legumes and soy products can certainly help meet your protein needs as a vegan, it’s worth considering supplementing with amino acids. The reason for this is that many plant-based foods are considered “incomplete sources of protein” because they often do not have all the essential amino acids in sufficient quantities or only in very low concentrations.
In addition, of course, your need increases if you do a lot of strength training and your muscle tissue is constantly exposed to new stimuli. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), the absolute minimum is 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight,
Order high-quality amino acids
If you want to buy high-quality amino acids, you’ve come to the right place at Rocka Nutrition. Thanks to our innovative Rocka formula, which is based on WHO recommendations, our EAA powder provides you with all 8 essential amino acids and supports you in your training success. As always, our products are developed by experts, tested in the laboratory and manufactured in the United Kingdom.
