Most everyone has heard of an amino acid—even if they aren’t quite sure what it is. But, if you are an athlete of any kind or consider yourself an avid exerciser, you know the important role amino acids play in injury recovery and stamina.
Since Forté Amino Acid is often recommended to and used by athletes, people often ask if Forté’s amino acids are branched chain. The simple answer? No, they are not.
There are hundreds of amino acids. However, only 20 are commonly referred to, and they can be broken down into a few categories: essential, non-essential, semi-essential, and branched chain.
The Different Categories of Amino Acid
Essential
An essential amino acid is an amino acid that the body cannot synthesize or create. As such, these amino acids must come from food or supplementation. Though called essential, they are not more or less important than other amino acids.
Semi-Essential
Though they are synthesized by the body, these amino acids are not always created in sufficient amounts. If this occurs, you must obtain them from food and diet. Such situations may include premature babies or young infants and cases of extreme hunger or crash diets.
Non-Essential
The body can synthesize non-essential amino acids. But don’t let the name deceive you—they are not less important than essential or semi-essential amino acids.
Branched Chain
There are only three branched chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine, and valine. What makes them different is their structure. These amino acids have a side or chain attached made of carbon and hydrogen atoms, hence their name. You typically find BCAAs in eggs or meat and supplements. Branched chain amino acids are often discussed in relation to athletes and bodybuilding. All three BCAAs are essential amino acids.
Are the amino acids in Forté Amino Acid branched chain?
As mentioned before, three branched chain amino acids exist: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Forté Amino Acid consists of five amino acids: arginine, glutamine, serine, taurine, and lysine. As such, Forté Amino Acids are not branched chain. These five amino acids are a combination of essential, semi-essential, and non-essential.
Branched chain aminos are specifically beneficial for muscle growth and repair. Forté formulators designed Forté Amino Acid to target and improve not just muscle health but many other health issues. However, Forté Amino Acid can complement the effects of BCAA products.
What are the benefits of BCAAs?
Branched chain amino acids do have a lot of benefits for intense athletes. Here are a few:
- Supports muscle gain
- Prevents protein and muscle breakdown
- Reduces work-out related fatigue
- Reduces muscle fatigue and soreness.
All of the BCAAs are essential amino acids, meaning you have to receive them from your diet. Because of the benefits mentioned above, branched chain amino acids are popular among athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
What are the benefits of Forté Amino Acid?
Forté Amino Acid also provides many benefits for athletes, similar to the benefits of BCAAs. It can help increase endurance and stamina and promote overall injury recovery. However, the five amino acids that make up Forté Amino Acid provide support for many other health conditions.
Arginine: This amino helps improve blood flow which helps improve muscle growth and recovery. This improved blood flow also helps with
- blood pressure,
- your immune system,
- bone health, and
- brain health.
Glutamine: Glutamine helps retain muscle mass. It supports quicker recovery after injury and boosts your metabolism while burning fat. Glutamine can also
- boost your immune system,
- improve memory and concentration, and
- support a healthy digestive system.
Serine: This amino acid supports muscle growth and performance and plays an important role in creating protein. In addition, serine
- protects your nervous system,
- boosts your immune system, and
- can help improve mental health and cognition.
Lysine: While lysine is important to in muscle formation, it plays a more important role in your immune system. Lysine helps produce antibodies and has antiviral properties. It is also necessary for tissue healing.
Taurine: Taurine is not technically an amino acid but is a substance similar to an amino acid. What makes taurine different is it does not contribute to building proteins. However, it has many other benefits. Taurine reduces tissue breakdown that often occurs after intense exercise. It also is a powerful antioxidant and support eye health.