One of the challenges in maintaining focus
during intense training and physical
exercise is mental fatigue. Whereas most
athletes worry about and take corrective
action to ward against muscle fatigue,
mental fatigue must be combated as well. In
fact, recent research has placed increasing
emphasis on mental fatigue during exercise.
This mental fatigue is commonly referred to
as central fatigue because of the
involvement of the central nervous system.
While central fatigue does not affect
muscles, it can reduce the capacity to
perform optimally.There is a correlation
between the amino acid tryptophan in the
brain and the degree of mental fatigue. Upon
entry into the brain, tryptophan has the
ability to "calm" the central nervous
system, causing sleep and drowsiness.
Normally, there are sufficient amounts of
branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)
circulating in the bloodstream to control
the entry of tryptophan into the brain.
During long-term and sustained exercise,
however, muscles use large amounts of amino
acids as a source for energy. The body
prefers to use BCAAs for energy, since they
readily replace glucose in the energy
production pathways. As muscles begin to use
BCAAs, the amounts of these amino acids
drop, which allows tryptophan to enter the
brain, inducing fatigue and tiredness.
Research shows that supplementation with
branched-chain amino acids can prevent
central fatigue by tightly regulating the
influx of tryptophan to the brain.
Supplementation before and during exercise
has been proven to enhance performance.
Branched-chain amino acids include
leucine, isoleucine and valine. These amino
acids are needed for the maintenance of
muscle tissue during physical stress and
intense exercise. From the perspective of
athletes, BCAAs function as anabolic agents
and induce sparing, which allows the body to
burn fat and not muscle.
Nutrient needs often increase faster than
calorie needs in athletes. Ultimate
Nutrition is committed to providing athletes
with the best products to fulfill exactly
those needs. Ultimate Nutrition's 100%
Crystalline BCAA 12,000 Powder is one
product designed to increase endurance,
lengthen the time to fatigue and improve
performance. |
