Amino Acid Stack Attack
Table of Contents
Amino Acid Stack Attack
The branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and valine make up more than one third of muscle protein. Of these, the most investigated BCAA is leucine, due to its broad effects, including: important roles in protein metabolism, glucose homeostasis, insulin action, and recovery from exercise. For 35 years now, it has been known that leucine has anti-catabolic properties. HMB is a Leucine-derived metabolite. In 1996, Nissen et al. first demonstrated that supplementation with HMB lowered muscle protein breakdown following resistance training, and augmented gains in lean body mass and strength in a dose-dependent manner. Since that time HMB has been studied in a variety of anaerobic and aerobic training conditions. In perspective an individual would need to consume 60 g of leucine in order to obtain 3 g of HMB, which is the most frequently administered dosage for HMB in studies. A number of studies have indicated that HMB supplementation may elicit several ergogenic benefits, including anti-catabolic, anabolic, and lipolytic effects, among others. Thus, it has been suggested that HMB may partly be responsible for the benefits of leucine supplementation.
“In perspective an individual would need to consume 60 g of leucine in order to obtain 3 g of HMB, which is the most frequently administered dosage for HMB in studies.”
| Killer Amino Acid Stack |
Previous research has demonstrated that ingestion of essential amino acids and their metabolites induce anabolic effects with the potential to augment gains in lean body mass and strength after resistance exercise training. Researchers examined the effects of an essential amino acid-based formula containing 7 grams of arginine, 7 grams of glutamine, 3 grams of taurine, 1.5 grams of HMB, and roughly 6 grams of dextrose on hormonal and muscle damage markers in response to 12 wk of resistance exercise. Seventeen healthy men were matched and randomized into two groups and performed 12 wk of periodized heavy resistance training while supplementing with either amino acid stack or an isocaloric placebo. Every 2 wk during the 12-wk intervention, resting blood draws were obtained, and muscle strength and power were measured. In addition, blood draws were obtained before, during, and after a standardized resistance exercise challenge performed pre-, mid-, and post-training. At the end of the study, lean body mass, muscle strength, and muscle power significantly increased in both groups after training; however, the amino acid stack supplementation augmented these responses to a significantly greater extent when compared with the control group. Amino acid stack supplementation promoted increases in resting and exercise-induced testosterone and resting growth hormone concentrations. In addition, amino acid stack supplementation reduced pre-exercise cortisol concentrations. Throughout the training protocol, amino acid stack supplementation attenuated circulating creatine kinase and malondealdehyde (i.e. markers of muscle damage) compared with the control group, suggesting that amino acid stack supplementation might have influenced a reduction in muscle damage. The amino acid stack supplementation supplementation beneficially affected training-induced changes in lean body mass, muscle strength, and power, as well as hormonal responses and markers of muscle damage in response to 12 wk of resistance exercise training when compared with an control.
If you want to replicate the stack used in the study, here is the exact stack used:
7 grams of arginine, 7 grams of glutamine, 3 grams of taurine, 1.5 grams of HMB, and roughly 6 grams of dextrose.
Nissen S, Sharp R, Ray M, Rathmacher JA, Rice D, Fuller JC Jr, Connelly AS, Abumrad N: Effect of leucine metabolite beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate on muscle metabolism during resistance-exercise training. J Appl Physiol 1996, 81:2095-2104.
Wilson GJ, Wilson JM, Manninen AH: Effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) on exercise performance and body composition across varying levels of age, sex, and training experience: a review.Nutr Metab (Lond) 2008, 5:1.
Kraemer WJ, Hatfield DL, Volek JS, Fragala MS, Vingren JL, Anderson JM,
Spiering BA, Thomas GA, Ho JY, Quann EE, Izquierdo M, Häkkinen K, Maresh CM.
Effects of amino acids supplement on physiological adaptations to resistance
training. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 May;41(5):1111-21.
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