Today Debbie talks about what she is learning on the role of amino acids for athletes and female athletes.

What does the research say about the need for protein for female athletes?  What does Dr. Stacy Sims share on her research?

“As an active woman the timing of your protein intake is key, especially as it relates to exercise recovery and muscle repair.

• Women recover faster with 25 to 30 g of protein with 5 to 7 g of BCAAs within 30 minutes of a hard workout is important for both endurance and strength workouts.
• I get a lot of questions about what 30g of protein looks like.

 

For years, sports nutritionists recommended a 3:1 snack for recovery. (Carb:protein)

• But that’s not what women really need we need protein and we need it fast‼️
• Especially after a strenuous workout.
• Progesterone exacerbates muscle breakdown in women so you need more protein to protect those muscles and come back stronger.
• If you don’t eat any protein, your body will not use carbohydrates for refilling muscle and liver glycogen as it supposed to, rather the carbs you eat will instead assist in repairing your muscles.

 

Your period will definitely impact how strong you feel when you strength train.

• Research shows it may also impact your strength gains. .
• In a study published by the International Journal of sports medicine, the women who trained with their cycle, saw more than twice the 13% gain of those who lifted the same way regardless of where they were in their cycle

 

This is pretty critical to remember‼️

• Although we mobilize more fat during exercise, the opposite is true during recovery. At this point women tend to burn an increased proportion of carbs, whereas men burn an increased proportion of fat. .
• Women’s fat-burning post exercise metabolism drops back to normal about 3 hours after they’ve showered and gone about their day, while men’s levels remain elevated up to 21 hours later.
• Physiology is a major factor.
• drstacysims
•  

Some cortisol is good! But...

• When we can’t lower it and have a chronically elevated baseline of cortisol, our DHEA takes a hit. .
• DHEA is the antagonist of cortisol, it is the precursor to making testosterone, estrogen, progesterone. .
• Once cortisol is elevated, progesterone can be converted to MORE cortisol.
• This is because the body becomes less and less sensitive to cortisol, a little bit akin to needing a stronger and stronger caffeine hit as you become accustomed to it.
• Basically high cortisol means low DHEA, which starts the path to menstrual dysfunction, as well as other complications if it goes unchecked
• Effectively, as a woman begins to train harder and jumps on to the low carb bandwagon, her body goes into a perceived starvation mode
• shutting down fertility and creating the environment for menstrual dysfunction.

Kion Aminos Description

Whether you’re looking to stimulate faster muscle growth, recover more rapidly from exercise, become more resistant to fatigue during a grueling workout, or just benefit from additional amino acids in their most absorbable form to support aging or a vegan, vegetarian, or ketosis diet, Kion Aminos essential amino acids has you covered.*

Essential amino acids are just that: essential. Your body can’t produce them on its own and yet they are crucial for supporting and maintaining the muscular, skeletal, enzymatic, nervous and hormonal systems of the body.* All of these systems need to be running optimally if you're hoping to get to sleep faster, promote muscle synthesis, enhance recovery from exercise, support optimal cognition, support your immune system, digest properly, and much, much more.*

Your body generally gets amino acids from the protein you consume as food. But your body’s amino acid utilization from common protein sources is often less than 50% of their content, with the rest being excess calories and waste. About 48% of egg protein is utilized by your body, less than 32% for meat, poultry and fish, less than 18% of whey and soy protein, and only 1% of branched chain amino acids are utilized by the body.

The amino acid utilization of Kion Aminos is a whopping 99%, meaning your body is actually absorbing and utilizing the essential amino acids it needs.* Plus, Kion Aminos are formulated in the exact, scientifically validated proportions needed for maximum utilization and absorbed by the body within twenty minutes.* So if you’re running from the gym, in need of a quick energy boost, staving off hunger pangs, or in the middle of a long workout, you can easily give your body the support it needs – and fast.

Read more about the benefits of Kion Aminos and when to take them here