Types of Amino Acids

As mentioned above, there are two main types of amino acids – essential and substitutable. To make sure you have enough of both types in your diet, it is important to know which amino acids can be obtained with food and which are produced in the body itself.

Irreplaceable Amino Acids

• Glutamic acid
• Alanine
• Glutamine
• Arginine
• Asparagine
• Glycine
• Tyrosine
• Aspartic acid
• Cysteine
• Proline
• Serine

Irreplaceable Amino Acids

• Tryptophan
• Threonine
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine
• Histidine
• Lysine
• Isoleucine
• Leucine
• Valine

The three essential amino acids known as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are very important for muscle growth, fat burning and performance. When it comes to muscle growth, BCAAs make up 35% of the protein needed. Many people drink sports nutrition consisting only of BCAAs because the amount of BCAAs in protein supplements or dietary protein sources is limited.

But people who consume foods with a full amino acid composition and consume enough protein (0.8-1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight) do not need additional preparations.

Tasty Amino Acid Supplements

If you want to consume amino acid supplements, it is important to find really tasty ones.

The tastiest amino acid supplements are:

• BSN Aminox – watermelon
• Scivation Xtend – lemon and lime.
• Muscletech Amino Build – fruit punch
• BPS Sports Best BCAA – passion fruit
• Optimum Pro BCAA – peach and mango
• Muscle Pharm BCAA – blue raspberry
• Cellucor C4 Ripped – cherry lemonade

List of the Best Amino Acid Supplements

If you don’t care about taste and just want results, here’s a list of the most effective amino acid supplements.

• Optimum Nutrition Creatine Powder
• Scivation Xtend BCAAs, Watermelon
• Muscle Tech Platinum
• NOW NAC 600 mg (Capsules)
• Doctor’s Best SAM-e 400 (capsules)
• Extra Strength L-arginine 1200 mg (Capsules)
• Nutricost BCAA
• GAT Muscle Martini Natural Purus Labs Amino.D
• BSN Aminox
• Universal Nutrition Animal Juiced Aminos