Amino Acid Supplements As A Slimming Aid?

Does taking amino acid supplements as a slimming aid really help you lose weight? Whether you are a bodybuilder or a casual exerciser, you need strong muscles for everyday life. Protein from your diet is muscle food. Amino acids are 100% protein and are found in plants and animals, and they are extracted from the foods in your diet or made by the body. 

How Amino Acids Slim Your Body

There are 10 amino acids that the body must get from food, these are called, essential amino acids, while the liver can make the other, non-essential ones.  The body must have amino acids to build and maintain muscle.  Since muscle requires more calories to maintain than non-muscle tissue, such as body fat and organs, amino acids act as a slimming aid in that they must be present for healthy muscles. 

Amino acids are used by the body in building muscle during the recovery phase which takes place during sleep.  They are the building blocks for healthy muscles and need to be in supply in right amounts when needed by the body. Muscle fiber is torn during resistance training and repaired during recover using amino acids as the basic building blocks.  The muscles basically grow back together bigger and stronger.  This added muscle masses in relation to total body composition causes you to require more calories in your daily diet to maintain it.  Also protein in the diet slows digestion and leaves you feeling fuller longer.  In this indirect way amino acids act as a slimming aid in the overall picture of weight loss because of its relationship with muscle mass.

The more lean muscle you have in your body the more calories your body needs to fuel it.  Most people get enough protein, hence enough amino acids, from their daily diet.  Lack of adequate protein in the diet is the main cause of deficiencies in amino acids, but some people who are at a higher risk to deficiencies would be vegetarians, and people suffering from hypoglycemia, excessive stress, and extreme allergies.  In these cases, supplementing with amino acids would be advised.

Amino Acids For a Vegetarian Diet

The vegetarian must combine certain foods to make sure that all the essential amino acids are present and may consume more calories than a diet that contains lean animal protein.  Also there are very few single-dish foods that contain all ten essential amino acids. Some combinations that do are:

  • Mexican corn and beans
  • Japanese rice and soybeans
  • red beans and rice

Other Benefits of Amino Acids

Having the right balance of amino acids ensures that your efforts in the gym are maximized.  Most bodybuilders supplement with amino acids and vitamins as they know everything must be in place in the right amounts for growth and repair of tissue.   Another function of amino acids is to transport oxygen that the muscles need to move, aids the immune system by helping fight naturally occurring bacteria in the body, and also helps maintain serotonin levels in the brain that regulates mental activity.  A healthy immune system, regular sleep, and stable moods go a long way in helping you stay on your exercise and diet plan.  The less distractions and challenges when you are dieting, the better.

Balancing Amino Acids

But it is not all good news.  Be warned that supplementing with amino acids as a slimming agent with an already high-protein diet, low-fat diet can actually be dangerous in that it has been known to cause an abnormal heart beat. Over-supplementing or single amino acid supplementing can be toxic.  A well-balanced diet is the best insurance to adequate amounts of amino acids and vitamins for health.  Overall, the right proteins (amino acids) in the right amounts give you the power of the diet pill without the side effects or health risks.


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