when taking 50 grams of more of BCAAs, isn't there a risk of creating an amino acid imbalance? I know that consuming too much Leucine can deplete isoleucine and valine bu of course this doesn't apply to BCAAs because they have all 3 of these already. however, isn't there any risk or sides because you are still taking only 3 aminos out of 20+
Sub7
A bodybuilder should be consuming anywhere from 1-2 grams of protein per bodyweight lb, so you should be receiving adequate amounts of non-essential amino acids from protein sources for shakes and solid foods.
Some keypoints of leucine (Source unkown did a print to PDF awhile back):
"The branched chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine are three of the essential amino acids which have the perfect capability for acting as signaling molecules to control muscle growth. This is because the liver lacks the enzyme responsible for initiating their breakdown. Therefore, while a large amount of the other amino acids are degraded and taken up by the liver and other tissues of the gut, the BCAAs enter into peripheral circulation, where skeletal muscle tissue is relatively unscathed"
"Leucine’s primary role appears to be increasing protein synthesis. But recall that muscle growth is the difference between protein synthesis and breakdown (degradation). Leucine appears to decrease protein breakdown. For example leucine has lowered markers of muscle damage in both resistance training and endurance conditions."
"increased leucine concentration activates mTOR, which activates protein synthesis, and increases a cells capacity to produce new proteins."
"leucine intake per day for athletes may be optimized at 20-30
grams a day"
Why is the maintenance of leucine levels so important to maintaining protein synthesis?
While the answer is extremely complex, it can be simplified as follows.
1. Recall that mTOR is the machinery that leucine acts on to trigger protein synthesis.
2. It appears that leucine, insulin, and growth factors such as insulin like growth factor increase the activity of mTOR.
3. But, decreased energy stores in the cell, such as occurs during exercise, decreases the activity of mTOR.
When leucine levels are maintained they are able to counter the negative effects of lowered energy stores. But, the combination of lowered leucine, and decreased energy stores in the cell leads to a net decrease in protein synthesis.
Can supplementation inhibit the catabolic effects of cardio?
This question is critical and applies mainly to two situations.
1. Long duration cardio
2. Cardio on an empty stomach, particularly after an overnight fast. Both are avoided because they are catabolic. But why are they catabolic? Evidence suggests that they may be so due to lowered plasma leucine levels. Thus, supplementing with an essential amino acid mixture prior to endurance exercise that
is long duration, or cardio in the morning may negate the catabolic effects seen. More studies need to be done to examine this, but the implications are great for two reaons
1. Long duration cardio relies on a greater percentage of fat
2. cardio on an empty stomach relies on a greater percentage of fat then cardio closer to a previous meal.
As a result, I cannot run on the treadmill or the street because the constant impact really hurts.
