L-Carnitine: an analysis of its fat burning and performance enhancing effects. By Vic Goyaram

AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENT ARTICLE SERIES

Carnitine: an analysis of its fat burning and performance enhancing effects

Researched and composed by Vic Goyaram
Exclusive for Bodybuilding Mauritius

Welcome back to the article series on amino acids. In the first instalment we provided an overview of the basic science of amino acids. If you haven't read it, we strongly suggest that you do. In this article we will discuss a popular amino acid supplement: L-Carnitine. Carnitine supplements have been around for a long time. From personal observation, it was very popular in the 90s as a fat burning supplement before the widespread use of Ephedra based fat burner supplements. Carnitine, especially in its common supplemental form L-Carnitine, enjoyed massive popularity at that time. Carnitine is marketed mainly for its alleged fat burning benefits although it is sometimes pushed for other benefits, e.g. performance, the evidence for which will be reviewed in this article.

An L-Carnitine supplement from the 90s

Sources of L-Carnitine

L-Carnitine can be made by the body from the amino acids Lysine and Methionine. It is made by the liver and kidneys. Under certain conditions, it becomes necessary to obtain L-Carnitine from the diet. Good sources include beef steak, ground beef, chicken, pork and pork products. L-Carnitine is stored in muscles and it is estimated that about 75% of L-Carnitine in the body comes from the diet.

Carnitine supplements and formulations

L-Carnitine is the most basic form of supplemental carnitine used in most carnitine supplements. You may sometimes (although rarely) see Carnitine labelled as “D-Carnitine” which is not good in quality as it may produce effects that are opposite to that of L-carnitine. The “D and L” designations are due to structural differences. Newer forms of supplemental forms of carnitine have also made it to the shelves. Some of these newer forms are listed below:

• Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR): consists of a carnitine molecule bound to a molecule of Acetyl-Coenzyme A. It is one of the two forms of Carnitine existing in the body, notably in nervous tissues. Supplemental ALCAR may help in reducing fatigue.

• Glycine Propionyl L-Carnitine (GPLC): is a new form of Carnitine consisting of the amino acid glycine and a short chain fatty acid. GPLC looks quite promising at it has been shown to increase the production of the vasodilator Nitric oxide in several populations, including athletes. Health-wise, GPLC may play a role in blood flow and its regulation. An advantage of GPLC over L-Carnitine is that, unlike the latter, it does not require carbs and insulin for uptake.  A 2007 study (Bloomer et al, 2008) found increases in NO levels. The research was funded by Sigma-Tau which manufactures GPLC under the trademark Glycocarn.

  

  Glycine Propionyl L-Carnitine (GPLC) marketed under the trademark GlycoCarn.

• Carnitine-L-Tartrate: a carnitine molecule bound to a molecule of Tartaric acid. This form of carnitine probably has a faster absorption rate but is not superior in terms of overall bioavailability.

Assessing L-Carnitine as a fat burner

L-Carnitine is essential for burning fat

The idea that L-Carnitine supplements can help burn fat comes from the discovery that L-Carnitine is very important for the transport of fats for burning inside cells. Cells contain structures called mitochondria which are the 'powerhouses' of the cells, meaning they are the sites where energy is produced. Fats are burned in the mitochondria by the process called Beta-Oxidation. However, for the fats to reach there they must pass through special transporters found on the surface of the mitochondria. An important transporter is called the Carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT-I). CPT-I is so important that the rate of fat oxidation depends on its activity. Carnitine works by binding fatty acids and then shuttling them through CPT-I.

Mitochondria are structures inside cells where energy is produced.

L-Carnitine is essential for transporting fats into these structures for burning

Taking extra L-Carnitine supplements may help under some circumstances

Does taking extra L-Carnitine mean greater fat burning?

There are some reports that taking L-Carnitine supplements can increase the activity of the CPT-1 transporter and thus increase the process of fat beta-oxidation.  Conversely, other studies have shown that L-Carnitine supplementation does not positively influence fat oxidation unless the subject was previously deficient in L-Carnitine, in which case supplementation brought a rescue effect. One may be deficient in L-Carnitine as a result of age, poor utilisation, low intake of meat and vegetarianism or veganism. In these cases, L-Carnitine supplementation seem to help. Anecdotally, L-Carnitine users that I have known personally report good results in terms of weight loss but it must be noted that they were also on thermogenic fat burner supplements. However, they do note an increase in exercise performance and a reduction of muscle soreness following intense workouts compared to when they were not taking L-Carnitine. This point will be discussed in the coming section.

The take-home lesson with regard to L-Carnitine and fat loss

Well, L-Carnitine will help you burn fat if you are deficient in the amino acid. It does not mean that taking more L-Carnitine will help you burn more fat. Burning fat depends largely on your diet and exercise program. It does not mean that taking L-Carnitine in the absence of these two important elements will make you lose fat. Serious bodybuilders already understand this important point. The same applies to other types of fat burners.

L-Carnitine as an exercise performance enhancer

Based on the finding that L-Carnitine is important for fat breakdown for energy, scientists performed experiments on endurance sports persons (who use fat preferably as fuel) to see whether Carnitine can improve their performance by using more fat for energy. The findings from these studies were not consistent as some studies showed a positive effect while others showed no effect. Well, what can I tell you? If you are an endurance sports person and if you think that taking L-Carnitine gives you a solid boost (in spite of what research says) then go for it.

L-Carnitine improves blood flow and muscle soreness

Scientific research on L-Carnitine shifted from fat burning effect and performance enhancement to a different avenue: the improvement of muscle soreness induced by exercise. As you know, when you train harder or do unaccustomed exercise, muscle pain or soreness sometimes occurs a day or two later. This is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and this is what makes you want a wheelchair the day or two following a hardcore squat session. The good news is that L-Carnitine can protect muscle from exercise-induced damage. L-Carnitine does so by improving blood flow (through vasodilation) to working muscles for better oxygenation and waste removal. Muscle cell oxygenation is very important during exercise because lack of oxygen (hypoxia)  can lead to muscle damage. In one research study (Giamberardino et al., 1996), 3-g of L-carnitine was given to research participants who were doing muscle damaging exercise that produce DOMS. The subjects reported less soreness when they were taking L-Carnitine. This indicates that L-carnitine can protect against pain and exercise-induced muscle damage and may therefore be a recovery aid.

 3g of L-Carnitine has been found to reduce muscle soreness

Dosage and safety issues with L-Carnitine

Research that found positive effects of L-Carnitine used dosages from 2-3 g (2000-3000mg) per day. Do not let anyone sell you products that contain 200-300mg L-Carnitine and tell you that you will experience positive effects while citing these papers. This is an old trick now. Dosage is very important.  Furthermore, the safety of these recommended intakes of L-Carnitine has been evaluated. No negative effects were seen on most safety parameters (e.g liver and kidney function etc). There have also been recent concerns about L-Carnitine as a possible causative agent of heart problems. L-Carnitine coming from meat is purported to be broken down by gut bacteria to a compound called TMAO which causes atherosclerosis (narrowing of blood vessels). However, current evidence shows that L-Carnitine is more protective to the heart than destructive (Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2013) and that the Carnitine-TMAO-Atherosclerosis link is too early to tell and has been been inflated by media.

In the light of current evidence, I give L-Carnitine a decent 3 out of 5 star rating. If I had money I'd buy L-Carnitine for sure.

References:

Bloomer RJ, Tschume LC and Smith WA. Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine modulates lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide in human subjects. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 79: 131-141, 2009.

Giamberardino MA, Dragani L, Valente R, Di LF, Saggini R and Vecchiet L. Effects of prolonged L-carnitine administration on delayed muscle pain and CK release after eccentric effort. Int J Sports Med 17: 320-324, 1996.

Huang A and Owen K, Role of supplemental L-Carnitine in exercise and exercise recovery. Lamprecht M (ed): Acute topics in sports nutrition. Med Sport Sci. Basel, Karger, 2013, vol 59, pp 135-142

L-Carnitine in the Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis,” by James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD; Carl J. Lavie, MD; Hassan Fares, MD; Arthur R. Menezes, MD; and James H. O’Keefe, MD, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Volume 88, Issue 6 (June 2013), DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.02.007, published by Elsevier.

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©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer:

The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties. Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

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AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENT ARTICLE SERIES Part One: Basic Science of amino acids. By Vic Goyaram

AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENT ARTICLE SERIES

Part One: Basic Science of amino acids

Researched and composed by Vic Veeraj Goyaram

Exclusive for Bodybuilding Mauritius

Fig. 1: Amino acid supplements are numerous and varied. 
This article attempts to give you a background on amino acids 
and help you find a way in this maze.

Introduction 
The term "Amino acid" is one which is very commonly encountered in bodybuilding. At the same time amino acid supplements are very common on supplement shop shelves and in supplement cabinets worldwide. Most bodybuilders have used an amino acid supplement during the course of their career. Indeed amino acids are among the top 5 most common supplements in sports nutrition and there are various types and formulations of amino acid supplements (Fig. 1) in commerce today. Amino acids are theorised to enhance performance in several ways as listed below. 

(a) Increasing the secretion of anabolic hormones
(b) Modifying fuel use during exercise
(c) Preventing the negative effects of over-training
(d) Anabolic properties 
(e) Preventing fatigue
(f) Improving blood flow during exercise

However, not all users of amino acid supplements know what amino acids exactly are and how they differ from proteins. Furthermore, many supplement companies assume that everyone has a degree in Biology and thus indulge freely in loading supplement labels with technical and scientific jargon that may add further confusion. 

In this series of articles, we aim to give you a basic understanding of amino acids, their functions, the various types of amino acid supplements on the market as well as more in-depth analysis of specific amino acids. This will help you to make informed decisions.  In the first series we will explain the basic science of amino acids in order to equip you to read and make sense of the terminologies used on amino acid supplement labels. 

Fact #1: What amino acids are

Amino acids are molecules that make up proteins. Just like a wall is made up of individual bricks joined together by cement, proteins are made up of amino acids joined together by special forces called “peptide bonds”. Amino acids are thus the building blocks of proteins. Therefore, amino acids are the constituents of all proteins in the body like protein hormones (e.g. insulin), enzymes, muscles, etc. 

Amino acid molecules join together by peptide bonds to form proteins

When you eat a protein meal, your body will break down the protein with the help of enzymes called “proteases” (digestion). The proteins are converted into shorter chains called “peptides” and then into the single amino acid units. Amino acids cannot be digested further. Your intestines will then absorb these amino acids into blood circulation and the different body tissues will use them (assimilation) for making new proteins or in some cases, for energy.

Fact #2: Chemical Structure of amino acids

Unless you are a biology student there is no reason to learn the structure of amino acids in detail. It suffice to know that amino acids contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen that are joined together in a special way (Fig. 2). Each amino acid has a unique “R group”. For example L-Glutamine has a different R group from L-Leucine. Furthermore, the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are so called because they have R-groups that have a branched structure (Fig. 3)

Fig 2: Basic amino acid chemical structure

Fig. 3: amino acids differ from each other by their R-groups

Fact #3: Not all amino acids form proteins

There are 22 different amino acids that form proteins in living organisms. These are known as proteinogenic amino acids. When you drink a protein shake or eat a piece of chicken, for example, your body will receive these proteinogenic amino acids after digestion of the protein. 

However, there are also some amino acids that do not form part of proteins but serve other important functions in the body. As bodybuilders have probably heard of L-Carnitine, Beta-alanine, Citrulline and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These are the non-proteinogenic amino acids and are manufactured by the body. These are also available from supplements. Remember that proteinogenic amino acids can be obtained from food sources and supplements whereas non-proteinogenic amino acids cannot be obtained from food. These are made by the body and obtained from supplements. 

Fact #4: Essential v/s Non-essential amino acids

Your body can make some amino acids. These amino acids that can be made are called “non-essential amino acids”. However, some other amino acids cannot be made by the body and should be obtained from the diet. These are called “Essential amino acids” and there are 8 such amino acids in all. The branched chain amino acids (Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine) form part of these 8 amino acids. As a side note, the ability of whether certain  protein foods can provide the essential amino acids in the right amounts determines whether it is a "complete" or "incomplete" protein.

Fig 4: Essential and non-essential amino acids

The table below gives the essential amino acid content of common forms of supplemental protein. You can see that soy protein fares very well compared to animal-based proteins. 

Fig. 5: Essential amino acid content of common supplemental protein sources. Values are grams/ 100g protein

There is sometimes a confusion when it comes to the essentiality of amino acids. If an amino acid is essential it means simply that it must comes from the diet. It does not mean that supplementation is essential. Just like we've seen in a discussion on our facebook group lately regarding BCAAs, the latter are essential amino acids but it does not mean that free-form BCAA supplementation is essential under all circumstances otherwise your progress will stall. This topic is further discussed in this article (click to read)

Fact # 5: We have L- and D- amino acids

When reading supplement labels you will see that all amino acids start with L. The L simply refers to special chemical characteristics of these amino acids. All the food amino acids are in the L-form.

Fig. 6: L and D-amino acids are mirror images of each other

Basically the L- and D-amino acids are mirror images of each other. The L and D forms of a particular amino acid will have the same molecular formula (same number of each of C, H, O and N atoms). We call them "isomers". If you are really curious, the term L and D originates from the different abilities of amino acids to rotate plane polarised light in different directions. L means Laevorotatory (Left rotation) while D means Dextrorotatory (right rotation).

Some D-amino acids also exist as free amino acids in human tissues but not part of proteins. They do serve important functions. For example D-Serine is a brain neurotransmitter. D-Aspartic acid is found in some tissues where they have quite recently been found to be involved in testosterone release. Needless to say, the supplements industry have already started to fill the shelves with D-Aspartic acid products although little conclusive data exists from trials on athletes. So our friends should expect to see some D-form amino acids on the shelves.

Fig. 7: D-Aspartic acid sold as a testosterone booster

_______________________________________________________________________________
©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer:

The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties. Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

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ZMA under the microscope. By Vic Goyaram

ZMA under the Microscope:
wonder supplement or just a Zinc formulation?
Researched and composed by Vic Goyaram

What is ZMA?

ZMA stands for Zinc, Magnesium and Aspartate and is a patented formulation containing Zinc in the form of Zinc monomethionine/ Zinc aspartate, Magnesium aspartate and Vitamin B6 (Figure 1)

Figure 1: Supplement facts of a ZMA supplement

The monomethionine and aspartate are amino acids to which the minerals Zinc ad Magnesium are bound. This binding is called "chelation" and Zinc aspartate is called a "Zinc amino acid chelate". This is a term that you will encounter very often in supplement labels, especially for mineral supplement. Chelation is simply a procedure to improve the absorption and availability of the mineral.

Zinc and Testosterone levels

ZMA, as most of you already know, is sold as a testosterone booster supplement either by itself or as part of formulations of products marketed as testosterone boosters (Figure2).  ZMA capitalises on the known link between deficiency of dietary zinc and reduced testosterone levels. This link was first established in the early 60s by Prasad et al. (1963) whereby people with deficiency of Zinc were found to have low testosterone levels.  Later it became known that Zinc deficiency impairs the production of testosterone by reducing the action of important signals in testosterone production like Luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

Figure 2: ZMA is marketed as a testosterone booster supplement (A)  either

by itself in ZMA-only products or product formulations (B)containing 

other ingredients that are supposed to increase testosterone production

ZMA came into limelight in the year 2000 at the same time that a study by Brilla and Conte (2000) showed that semi-professional athletes that consumed ZMA experienced a 30% increase in testosterone and an accompanying increase in muscle strength compared to the athletes who did not take any ZMA. As a side-note, this study compared ZMA to a placebo rather than also including another group that supplemented with another zinc formulation in order to see whether ZMA is superior to any other zinc formulation. 

It must be noted that one of the two authors of this article, (Victor) Conte (Figure 3) is the founder of BALCO Labs of steroid scandal fame. Conte also owns SNAC systems, a company which commercialises ZMA. Therefore he had interests in proving that his stuff does indeed increase testosterone.

Figure 3: Victor Conte of BALCO labs fame with his flagship product, ZMA 

Failure of ZMA to increase testosterone levels

Unfortunately, many studies conducted afterwards using ZMA did not find any increase in testosterone. For example, a study by Wilborn et al. (2004) tested ZMA in resistance-trained males aged between 27-28 for 8 weeks. ZMA supplementation increased blood zinc levels by 11-17%.  However, they did not find any significant difference between the levels of anabolic and catabolic hormones, strength, endurance and anaerobic capacity.  

Another study was conducted by German researchers (Koehler et al., 2009) in actively exercising men aged 22-33 yrs who are already consuming enough zinc on a daily basis (11.9-23.2mg/day) within the RDA range (9-11mg). They found no change in serum total and free testosterone with ZMA supplementation, suggesting that ZMA has no significant effects regarding serum testosterone in people who consume a zinc-sufficient diet.

So what's the problem with ZMA? Personally, I believe that Zinc supplementation is of value under certain conditions (see the next section) and there definitely is a link between zinc status and testosterone. But I believe that ZMA started as a lie, a classic example of twisting knowledge and making a farce out of science in order to push a simple blend of minerals. That's just my personal opinion. I've also read from reliable sources that Victor Conte is all about steroids and is not to be trusted. He is not a scientist but a guitarist, with no formal scientific education. Some say that the ZMA used in the scientific study contained an oral steroid, something quite unlikely as testosterone values didn't skyrocket at the end of the experiment. Others say that he paid Dr. Brilla, a renowned researcher in Magnesium who co-authored the paper with him.  What I know for sure is that they claim to have published their results in the esteemed journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise when in fact they published in the JEP Online website (JEPOnline, 3(4): 26-36).  Rumour has it that the athletes that Conte gave designer steroids to athletes like Marion Jones in exchange of them endorsing and singing praises to his ZMA blend.

Is Zinc supplementation of any help then?

The answer is yes but only under conditions of Zinc deficiency which is something that is not difficult to develop. Zinc deficiency not only impairs testosterone production but also leads to problems like growth abnormalities, mental lethargy, delayed would healing and impaired activities of zinc-dependent enzymes which play very important roles in the body. Under these conditions zinc supplementation have been reported to increase testosterone production.

What bring about zinc deficiency are factors like:

• High phytate content of the diet. Phytate is present in the hull of seeds, nuts and grains. It is indigestible and is able to complex minerals, namely Iron and Zinc which are then not available for absorption. My undergraduate degree  dissertation was in the field of human mineral nutrition (details in reference section) and I looked extensively at the disadvantages of diets rich in phytates that may lead to mineral deficiency.

• Alcoholism, leading to urinary zinc excretion.

• Liver and renal disease.

• Exercise?

Exercising individuals are at great risk of developing zinc deficiency as plasma zinc levels have been shown to decline with acute stress such as exercise (Volpe, 2012) thereby creating a need for ensuring adequate zinc intakes. Food sources are excellent for this (Figure 4). In a study conducted in wrestlers it was found that exhaustion exercise led to a significant reduction of zinc levels which led to decreased testosterone and thyroid hormones. However, a 4-week zinc supplementation program rescued this effect (Kilic et al., 2006). Therefore, zinc supplementation increases testosterone if you are deficient in zinc.

However, even if you are actively exercising taking extra zinc when you are already getting sufficient amounts in the diet will be of no further help (Koehler et al., 2009).  You must turn to food rather than jumping blindly on supplement mega-doses because taking too much zinc potentially has a urinary alkalising effect as well as a diuretic effect and can negatively impact on the absorption of other minerals (competitive mineral absorption)

Figure 3: some good dietary sources of Zinc (Volpe et al., 2012)

ZMA and sleep quality

There are many anecdotal reports that intake of ZMA and Zinc-Magnesium formulations help improve sleep quality.  Studies also found that zinc and magnesium supplementation improves sleep quality although these studies did not use ZMA (Rondanelli et al., 2011). 

The take-home message

• Zinc is important for many body function and a deficiency of zinc can lead to, among others, low testosterone levels.

• Athletes can develop zinc deficiency and must consume foods that provide zinc.

• ZMA has not been proven to increase testosterone. Likewise zinc supplementation is not proven to increase testosterone further when zinc intakes were already adequate.

• You can obtain zinc from food sources and cheaper supplemental sources (e.g Zinc gluconate) rather than the patented, and therefore expensive, ZMA.

• If you have money, buy ZMA. But remember taking extra zinc if testosterone levels and zinc intake are normal will not lead to higher testosterone. There are tests that can be done to check whether you are zinc deficient. 

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References

1. Brilla LR, Conte V (2000). Effects of a novel zinc–magnesium formulation on hormones and strength. JEPonline 3, 26–35.

2. Kilic M, Baltaci AK, Gunay M, Gökbel H, Okudan N, Cicioglu I. The effect of exhaustion exercise on thyroid hormones and testosterone levels of elite athletes receiving oral zinc. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Feb-Apr;27(1-2):247-52.

3. Koehler K, Parr MK, Geyer H, Mester J, Schänzer W.Serum testosterone and urinary excretion of steroid hormone metabolites after administration of a high-dose zinc supplement. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jan;63(1):65-70.

4. Prasad AS, Miale A, Farid Z, Schulert A, Sandstead HH (1963). Zinc metabolism in patients with the syndrome of iron deficiency anemia, hypogonadism and dwarfism. J Lab Clin Med 61, 537–549

5. Rondanelli M, Opizzi A, Monteferrario F, Antoniello N, Manni R, Klersy C.The effect of melatonin, magnesium, and zinc on primary insomnia in long-term care facility residents in Italy: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011 Jan;59(1):82-90.

6. Volpe, Stella Lucia. Minerals as Ergogenic Aids. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 7(4):224-229, July/August 2008.

7. Wilborn CD, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, Taylor LW, Marcello BM, Rasmussen CJ, Greenwood MC, Almada A, Kreider RB. Effects of Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA) Supplementation on Training Adaptations and Markers of Anabolism and Catabolism. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2004 Dec 31;1(2):12-20.

_______________________________________________________________________________
©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer:

The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties.  Qualifications of author of article: Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biology (Department of Biosciences, University of Mauritius) and Master of Science in Medicine by research in Exercise Molecular Biology (Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, University of Cape Town). Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

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Whey protein, BCAAs, Glutamine: How to invest the money? By Vic Goyaram

Whey protein, BCAAs,  Glutamine: 

How to invest the money?

Researched and Composed by Vic Goyaram
Exclusive for Bodybuilding Mauritius

Rationale of this article

I have very often received questions from people willing to start supplementing with protein but are confused about what to choose among Whey protein, BCAAs and Glutamine. This is because for some the differences among these products are still confusing and the reasons for this are as follows:

• Some supplement labels are somewhat confusing to the layperson. Too much scientific jargon used as a marketing tool in an attempt to sound impressive to the consumer.

• Commonly terminologies like "anti-catabolic", "anabolic" and "promote muscle recovery" are used on the labels, leading people to believe that these products can be used interchangeably (Fig. 1).

This article attempts to clear any possible confusion, explain the differences among these products and serve as a guide for how to spend your money.

Fig. 1: Supplement labels are sometimes confusing. Glutamine and BCAAs

are labelled as "recovery" supplements, leading people to believe that

they can drink use either BCAAs or Glutamine  as a recovery supplement

Whey protein

For a detailed description of whey protein, the reader is referred to our whey protein article (link coming soon). Whey protein is basically a collection of several proteins that are called whey microfractions. As you probably already know, proteins are chains of units called amino acids. Therefore, whey protein is a collection of several chains of amino acids (microfractions). When your body digests these proteins under the action of proteolytic enzymes, amino acids are released. These amino acids are then used by body tissues (not only muscles) for making proteins by the process of protein synthesis.

Whey protein provides the whole assortment of amino acids necessary for body protein synthesis, namely essential amino acids (those that they body cannot produce and must necessarily come from the diet) as well as non-essential amino acids. In addition, Whey protein is rich in Glutamine and the three Branched Chain amino acids (Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine) as shown in Fig. 2 below.

Fig. 2. The Essential Amino acids profile whey proteins and other commercially available proteins per 100g of product. 

(Graph acknowledgement: Suppversity Blog Click here to visit)

Peptide-bonded v/s free form amino acids

Glutamine and BCAAs in whey protein are peptide-bonded amino acids, meaning they are part of the amino acid chains that make up the protein (Fig. 3). When ingested, these need to be broken down by digestive enzymes to release these amino acids. Peptide-bonded amino acids therefore take more time before they can appear in the bloodstream. Of course various proteins differ in the speed at which they are digested to release amino acids. 

On the other hand, Glutamine and BCAA supplements contain amino acids in the free form. The body does not need to break down any protein to obtain these amino acids. They are rapidly available to be absorbed and this appear in the bloodstream quicker. Similarly, amino acid supplements that provide the full spectrum of amino acids (Fig. 4) also contain free-form amino acids. 

Fig. 3. Intact proteins in whey contain amino acids that are peptide-bonded, that is, part of a protein chain. Your body needs to digest the protein to liberate the amino acids

Fig. 4. Amino acid supplements contain free-form amino acids.

Your investment guide

Now that you are equipped with a basic knowledge of protein and amino acid supplements, consider the following scenarios:

Case A: A case for buying whey protein: If you struggle to obtain enough protein  

As we know, ensuring an adequate intake of protein is fairly expensive from both food and supplemental sources. It is very likely that many persons reading this are not able to meet their protein needs. Our priority should be to ensure protein intake to the best of our ability (of course, without neglecting other macro-nutrients). This must dictate where our money should be spent on: on solid food sources of protein, followed by supplements to top it off.  I always advise to prioritise food sources of protein like chicken, meat, fish and eggs before worrying about flashy whey protein supplements although whey protein does have its importance.

Therefore, if you are unable to get enough proteins you aren't going anywhere by taking  only BCAAs and Glutamine. These, particularly the BCAAs, are important amino acids that are involved in the recovery process but they are not sufficient for protein synthesis in the absence of sufficient amounts of the whole spectrum of amino acids. As I posted  recently, some people having read that BCAAs promote muscle recovery are resorting to drinking only BCAAs after workouts, much to the neglect of their need to get all the other amino acids from other sources. This practice is fine as long as you drink some form of fast carbs after workout and follow it with a meal containing protein a bit later. 

Do this: After looking into your diet, make sure you are getting enough protein from food sources at regular intervals throughout the day. Do not buy whey protein with the aim of replacing meals or thinking you will get away skipping meals by drinking it. Then invest in a protein supplement which may be whey or a protein blend. If you think you are not eating enough protein and want to supplement do not go and spend your money on Glutamine and BCAAs, invest it in a protein supplement.

Fig 5.Glutamine supplementation may have recovery benefits but it does not mean that you drink only Glutamine after workouts.

Case B: You want to get the benefits of free-form BCAAs and Glutamine

Assuming that you can ensure adequate protein through a combination of food and protein supplements, there may be added benefits of using BCAAs and Glutamine as follows:

BCAA supplementation during cutting: 

BCAAs are critical during cutting phases because you'll be eating less carbohydrates and thus have low muscle glycogen levels, the preferred energy source for bodybuilding workouts. Training on low muscle glycogen favours the breakdown of muscle protein in order to obtain amino acids for energy. The BCAAs are the amino acids that are used up the most, in particular Leucine. In this case, supplementation with free form BCAAs is warranted as a means of minimising protein breakdown and muscle tissue loss. Furthermore, during a cutting phase protein intake is increased in order to make up for decrements in carbohydrate intake and as a means of sparing muscle protein for use as energy.  Keep in mind that BCAAs do trigger an insulin response that you may think is counter-productive during a cutting phase because the release of insulin is supposed to bring fat burning to a grinding halt. However, the nature of the insulin release triggered by Leucine v/s carbs is different. There is only a single insulin response to an intake of BCAAs while carbs trigger a longer-term release of insulin. Therefore, BCAAs have more benefits than drawbacks to a bodybuilder on a cutting phase because it helps in muscle retention.

BCAA supplementation during mass training?

During a mass gaining phase energy provision is generally adequate, muscle glycogen is filled to capacity to fuel workouts and the risk of using muscle protein as fuel is lower. You can get away with not using a BCAA supplement in the presence of adequate protein intake and supplementation with whole proteins like whey protein which provide BCAAs already. 

However, there is increasing data from research showing that the BCAAs, particularly Leucine, can trigger anabolic signals inside your muscle cells and thus switching on muscle protein synthesis (Fig 6). Such findings warranted the development of supplement protocols that included supplementing with free form BCAAs in between meals in order to keep the "anabolic switch on". A dosing protocol is 5g BCAAs between meals that are spaced about 3-4hrs in between. However, keep in mind that switching on anabolism is meaningful only in the presence of adequate supplies of all the other amino acids.  There is a lot of interesting data on BCAAs which will be the topic of another article. A good protocol for BCAA intake is 5g morning, 5g preworkout, 10g postworkout and 5g at bedtime as recommended by Dr. Layne Norton who is an authority on BCAAs and muscle protein synthesis.  The above benefit of keeping the anabolic switch on relates to rapid rises to BCAA levels in blood that would follow BCAA supplementation in the free form. Whey and other proteins do contain BCAAs but these are released at a slower rate than those from free-form supplements. A rapid rise in blood amino acid levels (aminoacidemia) is needed for this particular effect. 

However, while the proposed mechanism by which BCAA triggers the anabolic switch has been elegantly laid out, it remains to be seen whether there is a long term effect in terms of lean body mass gain in humans. In other words, whether taking free form BCAAs in addition to the BCAAs you are getting from whole-protein foods/ supplements is giving you any extra muscle. Future articles will be devoted to particular aspects of BCAAs.

Fig. 6. Leucine activates the important anabolic switch "mTOR",

 providing a basis of Leucine supplementation in the free form

Glutamine supplementation
Glutamine supplementation may be important to the athlete as it is involved in a number of functions like ammonia scavenging  muscle protein synthesis, glycogen synthesis and immune functions. Based on glutamine's involvement in important physiological processes  we cannot extrapolate and say that taking extra glutamine will give additional benefits.  There is no evidence that glutamine supplementation even in the long term has a significant effect on muscle performance, muscle protein degradation and body composition in young healthy adults as found in a study by Candow et al. (2001).

Remember that glutamine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning that it can be synthesised by the body from essential amino acids, particularly the BCAAs. With this in mind, a well fed body is well able to meet its daily glutamine demands even under stressful exercise. Your aim should be to ensure an adequate supply of essential amino acids from food sources and should you be taking whey protein then your glutamine needs would be easily covered. Future articles will deal with aspects of glutamine (research, its other functions and "benefits" and supplementation rationale).  

The take-home lesson

Your whole proteins are very important because they provide the whole assortment of amino acids. Maintaining adequate intake of the same should be your main priority. BCAAs are supplements with great merit in both bodybuilding and other competitive sports and their use in the free amino acid form is warranted in pre-contest training as well as mass training, as recent data suggest. However, the use of BCAAs will only be meaningful in the presence of sufficient proteins that provide the full amino acid spectrum for protein synthesis. Finally, if you are someone struggling with protein intake from food and want to supplement then invest in a good whey protein before considering BCAA or glutamine. Finally, there is no evidence that glutamine supplementation will lead to increased muscle mass should all your essential amino acids be met by food or a whey supplement. Glutamine may have other benefits.

References

Candow DG, Chilibeck PD, Burke DG, Davison KS, Smith-Palmer T: Effect of glutamine supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults. Eur J Appl Physiol 2001, 86(2):142-9

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©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

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