Work hard every day and your muscles do. Your muscles require the proper fuel to be strong and healthy whether you are in the gym lifting weights, rushing to get to the bus or just walking up the staircases.
Valine is among the nutrients that are essential in the well-being of the muscles. This is a special amino acid that is essential in maintaining your body muscles in the best possible shape. What was valine though and why is it so important to your muscles?
This article will explain all that you know about valine and the way it helps your muscles. You will find out what is so special about it, how it works in the body and how you can make sure that you are getting enough of it.
What Makes Valine Special
Valine can be classified as a category known as branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs in short. Imagine that amino acids are the building blocks that make proteins within your body. Similar to how LEGO bricks can be linked to create something, so do amino acids when you create proteins that your muscles require.
This is the difference between valine and the other amino acids: your body is not able to synthesize it itself. You have to have it through the foods you consume. This is why it is an essential amino acid according to the scientists.
Valine is a partner in collaboration with two other BCAAs namely leucine and isoleucine. The three teammates help in muscle building, healing broken tissue and give energy at the time when your body needs it the most.
High concentrations of the BCAAs are found in your muscles in comparison with other body tissues. Actually, roughly, 35 percent of the essential amino acids in your muscle proteins are BCAAs. This demonstrates that valine is extremely vital to the health of the muscles.
How Valine Makes Your Muscles Work
Muscle protein is a polypeptide composed of amino acids that are united to provide polypeptide chain building blocks.
Each muscle contraction causes minute breaks of muscle protein. This protein is something that your body must build and maintain. The raw materials of this repair process are valine.
As you consume proteinous foodstuffs that have valine, your digestive tract decomposes them. Valine is then carried to your muscles via your blood. When there it assists in the formation of new muscle proteins to substitute the old ones.
This process never stops. Valine is also used by your body even when you are asleep maintaining and repairing your muscles. Your muscles would also grow weaker with time without an adequate amount of valine.
Energy During Exercise
Your muscles require additional energy when you do the strenuous and prolonged exercises. Valine will be able to act as an alternative source of fuel, when your body is on its knees because of the lack of the regular energy sources.
When you are engaging in vigorous exercises, your muscles draw stored carbohydrates (glycogen). When such stores are depleted, your body can use valine to synthesize glucose, a form of sugar that gives us instant energy.
This process is of particular significance when an athlete is engaged in endurance activities such as long-distance running or cycling. Valine is used by the athletes who engage in long exercises to enable them sustain their body energy and performance.
Recovery After Exercise
Physical activity is a vital concept in human physiology since it results in the enhancement of recovery processes.
Post-workout hours are equally important as the workout. It is the time that your muscles are mending the damage that exercise inflicted on them and become stronger.
Valine accelerates this process of recovery in a number of ways. It causes less pain in muscles, rebuilds broken muscle fibers and assists in developing new muscle tissue. To achieve the maximum of these benefits, many athletes use the valine supplements immediately following the training.
Studies indicate that individuals with an adequate intake of valine heal quicker between exercises. They suffer fewer muscle pains and can resume training earlier than the ones with low levels of valine.
Valine and Muscle Growth
Stimulating Muscle Protein Synthesis
The scientific name of the creation of new muscle is muscle protein synthesis. It is this process that makes your muscles grow bigger and stronger or remain the same size.
Valine assists in stimulating the synthesis of muscle proteins, but leucine is the leading actor of the process. Consider leucine to be the key, which activates muscle growth, with valine and isoleucine being the facilitators and boosters of this process.
The combination of the three BCAAs is the ideal situation to build the body. This is the reason why most protein supplements have all the three BCAAs in certain proportions.
Preventing Muscle Breakdown
There is always a balance of two things that your body does; it is either building or breaking down muscle. You should build more than you degrade so that your muscles can grow.
Valine assists in putting this on the side of you. It lowers the level of muscular protein breakdown in your body. This defense mechanism is particularly relevant in stressful situations, in case of disease or when you are losing weight.
Individuals that do not consume sufficient protein or calories tend to lose muscles. Adequate supply of valine can also be used to keep muscle tissue alive even in these difficult times.
Where to Find Valine in Your Diet
Top Food Sources
Valine is present in lots of protein food. The following are some of the best sources:
Animal-Based Foods:
- Chicken breast is a better source of valine and other essential amino acids.
- Beef and pork provide full protein that is rich in all the BCAAs.
- Salmon and tuna are fish that provide valine and good omega-3 fat.
- Eggs are also rich in protein; it is of good quality, and the ratios of amino acids are perfect.
- Valine and calcium are provided through dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt to make strong bones.
Plant-Based Foods:
- Soybean and tofu contain all the essential amino acids.
- Beans and lentils are sources of valine and fiber among others.
- Nuts and seeds put the valine in small and convenient servings.
- Whole grains such as quinoa and brown rice have moderate quantities.
- Peanuts and peanut butter make good sources of increasing your valine.
How Much Valine Do You Need
Your timing of the valine intake requires a number of factors such as your age, weight and activity level. The scientists suggest adults to take approximately 26 milligrams of valine per kilogram of body weight daily.
This amounts to approximately 1,768 milligrams of valine per day of an individual with a weight of 150 pounds (68 kilograms). Individuals who exercise often need more to meet their higher muscle needs.
Majority of individuals who consume a balanced diet with sufficient protein do not make the effort to intake enough valine. Nonetheless, vegetarians and vegans should be more careful about the combination of various plant proteins so that they could receive all the necessary amino acids.
Valine Consumption Based on Various Objectives
For Athletes and Active Individuals
When you are an exerciser or a sporting athlete, your valine must be raised. During and after exercise, the BCAAs are burned more by your muscles, and hence you need to supply them either by eating or by taking nutritional supplements.
BCAAs are supplemented by many athletes at the form of 5-20 gram dosage during, before, or after exercises. This will give approximately 1.25-6 grams of valine per serving since the percentage of the valine that gets contained in the BCAA supplements is approximately 25-30%.
Timing matters too. Consumption of valine enriched foods or supplements during your workouts optimizes their utility in muscle recovery and muscle growth.
For Muscle Building
Individuals who are attempting to establish larger muscles require large amounts of protein and all the essential amino acids. When you want to build muscle aim at 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight on daily basis.
Disperse protein consumption during the day. Protein intake of 3-4 hours keeps amino acids high in your blood which promotes muscle protein synthesis all the time.
Do not forget that the valine has been shown to work better in the combination with other amino acids. Concentrate on eating whole protein foods or mixing various vegetarian proteins to achieve the complete range of amino acids to the muscles.
For Older Adults
The muscles naturally shrink and weaken as a person ages, and it is known as sarcopenia. Adequate intake of the valine and other BCAAs becomes all more essential among the elderly to ensure the preservation of muscle mass and strength.
Studies have indicated that elderly individuals might require protein and BCAAs in greater amounts compared to younger individuals in order to attain the same effect of muscle building. Certain specialists suggest that the elderly people should strive to have 1-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight in a day.
Valine Supplements: Everything You Should Know
Types of Supplements
There are a number of forms of valine supplements. All three branched-chain amino acids are found in certain proportions in BCAAs powders typically 2:1:1 (leucine:isoleucine:valine).
Other individuals use the full form of the amino acid supplements which contain the nine essential amino acids. These are the products that assist in wider nutrition than the BCAAs.
Valine is also present in protein powders derived out of whey, casein, soy, or peanut protein. The products provide valine and other nutrients and amino acids.
Benefits and Considerations
The supplements will assist you to achieve your valine targets with less effort particularly when you have higher requirements or when you are on a diet. They are easy and can be carried anywhere, they are absorbed into your body fast.
But supplements are not supposed to substitute whole food. The real foods contain valine and other vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other useful substances that the supplement cannot provide.
Valine supplements are not necessary in most healthy consumers who consume sufficient protein intake. Keep your money at home and concentrate on having a balanced diet full of foods rich in proteins.
Potential Side Effects
Valine is not harmful being taken in foods in general. Even the high levels of supplements of 20 grams a day seem to be safe as long as most individuals take them.
There are also minor side effects that some people might experience when using high doses of BCAA supplements such as nausea, stomach discomfort, or fatigue. To reduce these problems, it is possible to begin with small amounts and slowly go up.
Individuals who have some medical disorders must consult their physician before taking valine supplements. It covers any person with liver disease, kidney issues or one who has what is abbreviated as maple syrup urine disease.
Valine and Muscle Health: The Science
Research Findings
Hundreds of scientific works on the impact of valine on muscle health have been conducted. Researchers have found the following:
Research indicates that BCAA supplementation may decrease the level of muscle soreness by up to 30-40 percent following rigorous exercise. It will result in decreased pain and quicker recovery between training sessions.
A study on adults discovered that BCAAs when eaten along with meals led to the synthesis of muscle proteins within the body by almost 20 percent. This implies the use of valine among other BCAAs to prevent loss of muscles as a result of age.
Athletes who used the BCAAs in the long-term exercise preserved their performance and had less mental fatigue. Valine also seems to have an impact on the physical and mental performance of an athlete.
How Valine Works at the Cellular Level
Valine is used in complicated chemical reactions in the interior of your muscle cells. It assists in the stimulation of a protein known as mTOR that functions as a key of muscle growth.
Having a high level of valine will make your cells start new protein construction as signaled by mTOR. In case of valine shortage, the activity of mTOR falls and also muscle protein synthesis slows.
Valine is also useful in the regulation of neurotransmitter production in your brain. This relationship between valine and brain chemistry could be the reason why the BCAAs could alleviate mental fatigue during intense workouts.
Some Frequently Asked Questions on Valine
Can you get too much valine?
Excessive valine in normal food is hard to consume. The body controls the level of amino acids on its own; it gets rid of the excess level in the urine.
Nevertheless, excessive consumption of isolated valine supplements could result in imbalances in other amino acids due to very high dosages. This may have a tendency of disrupting the uptake of other vital nutrients.
Should vegetarians have any concern about valine?
Valine is not normally problematic among vegetarians that consume dairy and eggs. Vegans need to be more concerned with blending various plant proteins during the day.
By consuming a number of legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, you are sure to receive all the necessary amino acids in reasonable quantities. The soy products contain full proteins and all the amino acids that you require.
What is the most advantageous time to take valine?
Valine is used by your body during a day, and thus time is not a serious issue with most people. Nevertheless, ingesting valine protein during the periods of your physical exercise could allow it to have the greatest positive impact on muscle recovery and development.
Protein in the morning is beneficial and only assists in initiating protein production in the body to prevent muscle wasting due to the nighttime starvation. The protein content of each meal ensures that the level of amino acids in your blood is constant.
The Best Way to Maximize the Benefits of Valine
Combine with Other Nutrients
There are some nutrients that valine is enhanced with. Carbohydrates facilitate the transportation of amino acids in your muscles more particularly after physical work.
Vitamin B6 is important for amino acid metabolism. Eating of this vitamin in sufficient amounts will make sure that your body is able to utilize the valine it takes.
Sufficient hydration is important as well. Water aids in the transportation of nutrients all over the body and in all the chemical reactions that include the amino acids.
Lifestyle Factors That Matter
Adequate sleep enables your muscles to rest and be able to repair and develop by utilizing valine. The amount of quality sleep required by most adults is 7-9 hours per night.
The stress should also be managed since a lot of stress may enhance muscle breakdown. Stress management through healthy means helps to save your muscle size.
Regular physical activity particularly resistance training enhances a greater capacity of your muscles to utilize valine to build and repair themselves. The harder you push your muscles the more efficiently they utilize amino acids.
Real-World Applications
For Fitness Enthusiasts
Provided you exercise on a regular basis, you should pay attention to consuming foods high in protein within 2 hours of physical activity. This is the best time that your muscles are open to the amino acids such as valine.
It would be a good idea to have protein snacks at hand to use after exercise. Valine can be easily supplied to your recovering muscles by Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs or a protein shake.
Monitor your protein consumption over one week so that you know you are satisfying your needs. Most individuals have unrealistic assumptions about the quantity of the protein they consume.
For Weight Management
The extra importance of muscle mass is experienced when one attempts to lose weight. Sufficient amounts of valine are good to save muscle as you burn fat.
Goal: Consume at least 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight on a restricted calorie intake. This increased protein diet, rich in valine prevents the loss of muscle.
Disperse your protein consumption all over the day instead of consuming all in a single meal. The method maintains the levels of amino acids constant and assists in maintaining the muscles.
Measuring Your Progress
Monitor your body reaction towards varying intake of valine and proteins. Higher muscle strength, less soreness and a quicker recovery are all indicative of sufficient levels of valine.
Maintain a basic record of exercise and record any improvements or feelings after exercise. Patterns will be identified with time that will enable you to maximize your nutrition.
It is also worth considering taking progress photos after 4-6 weeks. Physical transformations in muscle definition will be apparent in time before the scale shifts particularly when you are gaining muscle mass with fat loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the case of failure to receive sufficient valine?
A deficiency in low levels of valine may cause muscle weakness, fatigue and reduced post exercise recovery. Severe deficiency is uncommon and may result in impaired muscle growth and muscle breakdown.
Is protein powder superior to valine?
The component of protein is not only valine. Complete protein sources contain valine and all other amino acids which your body requires and therefore are effective as compared to isolated valine supplements.
Should valine be used to lose weight?
Alone, valine does not promote weight loss, but sufficient consumption prevents the loss of muscle mass with calories. An increased number of muscles facilitates an increased metabolism that helps in weight management.
Do I take valine on rest days?
Yes, your muscles do require valine to maintain and repair on the daily basis, not only on the day of workout. Regular protein consumption helps the general body muscles to stay healthy despite whether you exercise or not.
Should we buy the BCAA supplements?
In the majority of individuals consuming enough protein, there is no need to take BCAA supplements. Nevertheless, they can be useful in athletes who have extremely high training loads or individuals who have fewer sources of protein in their diets.
What is the time interval between the increase of valine intake and results?
Majority of individuals report the recovery and muscle soreness improvement in 1-2 weeks of the optimal protein and valine intake. Obvious muscle growth normally requires 4-8 weeks of regular nutrition and training.
Wrapping It All Up
Valine is very important in ensuring that your muscles are healthy, strong, and in excellent condition to be put into action. This amino acid is necessary as it aids in building muscle proteins, energy given to the body during physical activities, recovery, and prevention of muscle breakdown.
It is not a complicated task to get sufficient valine. Eat foods high in protein as much as possible. Foods such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy are excellent source of animals. Legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds can be mixed by plant-based eaters to satisfy their demands.
The valine supplements are not very necessary to most people provided they are getting sufficient protein in whole foods. However, training athletes who may have high training needs or older adults who may be attempting to maintain muscle mass may require extra assistance.
It is important to remember that valine can be used only in the context of a full nutritional strategy. Eat enough protein, exercise, sleep, hydrate, and deal with stress. This whole body approach puts your muscles in the best position to be healthy and strong all through the years.
Take time to assess the amount of protein you are taking. Do you consume adequate levels of protein-rich foods during the day? Do you schedule the consumption of protein with your exercises? Making minor modifications to your diet can help your muscles to appear, feel and perform much better.
Your muscles do all the work on your behalf. Keep them healthy by supplying them with the valine and nutrients and they will keep serving you well in a lifetime.
