Aminos to an end

Flex, Feb, 2004 by Milos Sarcev

Q: Should I take amino acids together or individually?

A: Spacing out your amino supplementation is preferred, but it's not practical for bodybuilders who take several supplements on a daily basis. If convenience is an issue, take amino acids together on an empty stomach with plenty of water. To get the most out of them, though, many bodybuilders take individually any aminos that might compete with each other or with other supplements.

A good example of this is tyrosine, which is useful for boosting energy and curbing appetite. Tyrosine should be taken by itself or with other thermogenics, but not with other amino acids.

The same is true for leucine. It's the most anabolic of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), so optimize its absorption by taking it by itself or only with other BCAAs.

Carnosine, a high-tech dipeptide that may improve strength, is another amino that's best taken alone. Carnosine gets into your bloodstream in the same way as dipeptides from whey, so the two supplements compete for absorption. To avoid squandering this valuable supplement, take carnosine and whey hydrolysates an hour or more apart.

Supplements that compete at the same site should also be taken separately. For example, BCAAs compete with tyrosine and dl-phenylalanine (another amino acid) for entry into the brain's circulation. Too many BCAAs from capsules or from whey protein and you lose most of the desired effects of the amino acids. Processed carbs do the same thing by raising insulin. Avoid taking BCAAs, tyrosine and dl-phenylalanine together or with carbohydrates, if increasing energy is your main goal.

Similar amino acids often compete for entry into muscle cells. For this reason, some bodybuilders prefer taking glutamine by itself instead of with whey protein at particular times of the day, especially in the morning or between meals. Otherwise, glutamine supports gut cells more than muscle cells--this is still beneficial, but less direct.

MUSCLE MORSELS

* For convenience, mix pre- and postworkout shakes in one prep session prior to your workout. Wait to add creatine to your postworkout shake just before consuming it.