Supplements for Bodybuilding That Work

Products related to “Now Pea Protein” taken from Bodybuilding.com:

NOW Pea Protein – 2 Lbs. – Unflavored $16.99 100% Pure Formula High In Protein And Amino Acids

Olympian Labs Pea Protein – 23 Servings – Chocolate $23.29 A Natural, Plant Based Protein Perfect For Vegans

NOW Protein Digest – 60 Vcaps $9.99 Proteolytic Enzymes For Digesting Protein From Whey, Casein Soy

LifeTime Life’s Basics Pea Protein – 15 Servings – Chocolate $21.99 A Rich Protein Source From Yellow Peas

NOW Eggwhite Protein – 1.5 Lbs. – Rich Chocolate $25.99 An Excellent Natural Source Of High Quality Protein

NOW Eggwhite Protein – 1.5 Lbs. – Vanilla Creme $25.99 An Excellent Natural Source Of High Quality Protein

NOW Soy Protein Isolate – 2 Lbs. – Unflavored $16.99 High Quality, Low In Fat 90% The Protein

NOW Eggwhite Protein – 1.2 Lbs. – Natural $14.99 An Excellent Natural Source Of High Quality Protein

NOW Whey Protein Isolate – 1.8 Lbs. – Strawberry $27.99 Cross Flow Filtered Whey High In Branch Chain Amino Acids

NOW Whey Protein – 2 Lbs. – Natural Vanilla $22.49 Microfiltered Whey Concentrate With Added Glutamine

NOW Whey Protein – 2 Lbs. – Dutch Chocolate $22.49 Microfiltered Whey Concentrate With Added Glutamine

NOW Whey Protein – 10 Lbs. – Natural Vanilla $64.99 Microfiltered Whey Concentrate With Added Glutamine

NOW Whey Protein – 10 Lbs. – Natural Strawberry $64.99 Microfiltered Whey Concentrate With Added Glutamine

NOW Whey Protein – 6 Lbs. – Dutch Chocolate $46.99 Microfiltered Whey Concentrate With Added Glutamine

NOW Whey Protein – 6 Lbs. – Strawberry $46.99 Microfiltered Whey Concentrate With Added Glutamine

Protein – the building blocks of our bodies

What is protein?

Protein is absolutely essential for life.   It is made up of amino-acids which are the basic building blocks of our bodies.  Protein also provides important nutrients which we cannot get from other foods.   It is essential  for growth and repair of our bodies tissue i.e. our cells, skin, hair, nails and bones.  This is its primary function and it continues throughout our lives.  They are also used to make hormones, enzymes, antibodies and neurotransmitters to help transport substances around our body and for the production of energy.  There are 25 different amino acids, eight of which are ‘essential’ as we need to get these from our diet, either from our food or from supplements, while the other 17 amino acids are synthesized in our bodies.  The essential amino acids are tryptophan, valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and lysine.

Animal protein contains all of the essential amino acids while vegetable proteins do not.   As a result, many vegetarians and vegans are deficient in these essential amino acids.  Their diet does not allow for foods which contain most of these essential amino acids.  It is therefore important to add eggs and some dairy products to their diet or take a good quality protein supplement which contains all the essential amino acids.

How is protein digested?

After our food is chewed and swallowed, the first port of call in the process of protein digestion occurs in the stomach.  The stomach produces hydrochloric acid (HCl), which starts the process of protein digestion.  The stomach’s ability to make HCl is dependent on sufficient supply of zinc.  If your zinc is depleted or you are taking something that is preventing zinc uptake, your HCl output may not be sufficient and your food will not be digested, absorbed or assimilated properly.  After the stomach, the protein is transported to the small intestines where enzymes from pancreatic juice and the lining of the intestine continue to bread down the proteins into smaller molecules – amino acids. Now that they have been broken down they are  able to be absorbed from the small intestines into the blood stream and carried to every part of the body.

Therapeutic uses of single amino acids:

Tryptophan: has been used to treat mild depression, insomnia, obsessive compulsive behaviour and anorexia nervosa. Serotonin is made from tryptophan (together with other various vitamins & minerals) and is therefore used for mood improvement.

Lysine: has been used to treat herpes simplex virus.

Tyrosine: has been used to treat hormonal imbalances, especially an underactive thyroid.

When taking single amino acids for therapeutic uses, they should be taken on an empty stomach half an hour before a meal or with a carbohydrate.  This is because when it is taken with protein, the protein breaks down into different amino acids in the stomach and these will compete with the single amino acid supplemented.  The result will be that the single amino acid will not work well if at all.  Taking amino acids for therapeutic reasons should be done under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner in order to achieve optimum results.   This is because many amino acids need to be taken in conjunction with various other nutrients.

What is the best form of protein:

The best-quality protein foods in terms of amino-acid balance are eggs, meat, fish, beans and lentils.  Although animal protein contain all the essential amino-acids, they tend to contain a lot of undesirable saturated fat.   It also increases acidity which can lead to loss of minerals, including calcium and could lead to osteoporosis among people who eat a lot of meat.  Vegetable protein contains additional beneficial complex carbohydrates which are less acid-forming than meat.  It is best to only have meat three times per week.   Vegetables such as beans, peas, corn and broccoli help to neutralise excess acidity which leads to loss of minerals.

If you are not getting enough protein in your diet then it is important to take a good protein supplement.  Find one which contains pea protein, rice protein and spirulina as these have good balanced amounts of amino acids.

Published in May issue of Vibrations Magazine

For more articles regarding Health and Nutrition visit Simply Nutrition

About the Author

Megan Perry is a qualified Nutritional Therapist holding a Diploma in Clinical Nutrition, IAN Australia. Megan suffered from many illnesses as well as a number of allergies and intolerances throughout her childhood and teenage years. Desperate to find a natural alternative she became interested in Nutrition. She completed her Diploma in Clinical Nutrition and made the necessary changes to her diet and lifestyle to regain her health. She practices in Cape Town’s Southern Peninsula with a passion and hope to help others regain their health as she did. She is a member of SAANT (South African Association for Nutritional Therapy). She treats all areas of health by incorporating nutrition, detoxification, food supplements, restoring balance, lifestyle changes and working synergistically with other healthcare practitioners for an overall treatment.

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