What the heck are Amino Acids? Here’s what you need to know and why I’m so thrilled to launch our brand new product.
For more than a year, I’ve been researching, planning, and testing behind the scenes to bring you my latest dream product, Be Well Essential Amino Acids!
It’s taken all of my heart, and now I’m so beyond excited to share Be Well Essential Amino Acids with all of you so you can feel the benefits I’ve been experiencing now for months. My Essential Amino Acids are going to become one of your favorite new habits. Here’s why…
Why I Created Be Well Essential Amino Acids
Everyone knows I’m a daily smoothie drinker, but there’s something else I’m drinking daily that’s been life changing. For my metabolism and appetite suppression. For my brain health. For my mood and nervous system health. And most importantly, for muscle synthesis. Be Well Essential Amino Acids has been a game changer for me.
How can amino acids do so much? Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle protein. And they’re involved in nearly every process within the body, from building skin cells to boosting the brain’s messaging system!
I knew I needed to bring this product to the market for…
+ My female clients who struggle to eat enough protein every day
+ Those who intermittent fast or who skip meals
+ Chronic snackers who need appetite support
+ Those who are looking to support their gut barrier
+ Vegans and vegetarians who need more protein sources
+ Those looking to support brain health and mood stability
Whether you’re looking for the physical benefits of trimming down and toning up, the beauty benefits of healthier hair and skin, or the mental benefits and energy, amino acids can get you closer to your goal.
And, shocker – amino acids aren’t just for gym bros and body builders! Clinical research supports their benefits for anyone battling stress and those frustrated by not hitting body composition goals.
They’re my key to moving my wellness goals forward. Keep reading to see why this self-admitted supplement minimalist now considers Be Well Essential Amino Acids a daily necessity.
In this article:
- What are amino acids, anyway?!
- Essential vs. Non-essential Amino Acids
- Benefits of Be Well Essential Amino Acids
- 7 Reasons to Supplement with Amino Acids
- Who Should Supplement with Amino Acids
- Be Well Essential Amino Acids
- How I Use Amino Acids
- Who Should NOT Use Amino Acids
Why supplement with essential amino acids?
If you’re into wellness, you probably regularly eat wild caught salmon or grass fed beef and take a daily omega capsule, right? You consume foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, but also know how compelling the science around the benefits of supplementing with it are, too.
Same story with amino acids and protein. Yes, your diet should be high in clean, whole food proteins, including protein powders like mine, but you can also benefit from supplementing with amino acids directly!
Supplementing with amino acids lets you quickly absorb the maximum benefits of protein.
In fact, supplementation with 1.5 g of Be Well Essential Amino Acids is just as effective at protein synthesis as supplementation with 40g of whey protein within 2 hours after intake without exercise and up to 4 hours of intake with exercise, according to a study among older women (Wilkinson, 2018)! (Source)
What are amino acids, anyways?!
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. While there are hundreds of known amino acids, your body needs 20 different amino acids for structure and function. 9 of the 20 are called “essential amino acids”. That’s because the body cannot synthesize, or create, these essential amino acids on its own. They must be consumed through food.
The nine essential amino acids include:
- Histidine
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Lysine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Threonine
- Tryptophan
- Valine
Because essential amino acids are only obtained through consumption, these are widely accepted as the most beneficial type of amino acid for which to supplement. Be Well Essential Amino Acids includes all 9 essential amino acids at optimal ratios for muscle protein synthesis.
Once eaten, our bodies break protein down into amino acids. These amino acids are absorbed into the bloodstream as they travel through the digestive tract and then used to build thousands of different proteins within the body.
The body needs amino acids as its “raw materials” for manufacturing proteins. Spoiler alert, proteins are vital for so much more than just building muscles. Keep reading to see why they’re important for metabolism, mood, and more…
Benefits of Essential Amino Acids
Essential Amino Acids help build and repair proteins within the body. Proteins – chains composed of one or more amino acids – activate most chemical reactions in the body. They regulate gene expression, make up the major structural elements of all cells, regulate the immune system, and form the major constituents of muscle tissue. Every aspect of bodily function relies heavily on proteins. Source
Amino acids also serve as neurotransmitters, hormones, and aid in modulation of countless physiological processes. Intake of all 9 essential amino acids is necessary to support muscle growth, maintenance, and repair (NIH ODS, 2024). In addition, intake of protein and all essential amino acids can promote positive changes in body composition, including fat loss, when consumed as part of an exercise regimen (Jager, 2017).
Some of the many roles amino acids play within the body include:
- Protein synthesis, or simply, the creation of proteins within the body
- Growth and repair of tissues, including collagen and elastin
- Repairing and rebuilding muscles – an ongoing process in everyone, but demands are
higher in those who exercise - Supporting immune function
- Synthesizing neurotransmitters and hormones
- Energy production and fat metabolism
- Regulation of digestion as the precursor to digestive enzymes
7 Reasons to Supplement with Essential Amino Acids
1. Account for Amino Acid Loss:
Proteins are being broken down and rebuilt continuously within the body. Several times more protein is turned over daily within the body than is ordinarily consumed, and protein is turned over and reused for other purposes. This process is not completely efficient, and some amino acids are always lost. Essential Amino Acids help replace these losses, even after growth has ceased. (IOM, 2005)
Supplementing with Essential Amino Acids is an efficient way to support muscle protein synthesis. In a study in older women, muscle protein synthesis after intake of 1.5 g of Essential Amino Acids was not different than 40 g of whey protein within 2 hours after intake without exercise and up to 4 hours of intake with exercise (Wilkinson, 2018).
Two client populations I consistently see under eating protein include my female clients and my vegan/vegetarian clients. Vegan-friendly Essential Amino Acids are particularly beneficial for these populations to ensure they are getting all essential amino acids.
I made Be Well Protein Powders to provide a convenient and satiating way to increase whole food protein intake through smoothies and other recipes. While all of my protein powders contain all 9 essential amino acids, supplementing with amino acids is a more efficient way to optimize amino acid levels.
4. Hitting Body Composition Goals:
Essential Amino Acids can support positive change in body composition... Intake of all 9 essential amino acids is necessary to support muscle growth, maintenance, and repair (NIH ODS, 2024). In addition, intake of protein and all essential amino acids can promote positive changes in body composition, including fat loss, when consumed as part of an exercise regimen (Jager, 2017).
5. Skin Benefits:
Essential Amino Acids help build the proteins which are responsible for collagen and elastin creation as well as skin cell structure. Amino acids can support uniformity of skin texture. In one study, young adult women having no fitness habit showed more uniform skin texture with intake of an amino acid supplement containing similar levels of leucine after 6 weeks of intake compared to skin texture before taking the supplement. (Source)
6. Brain Boost:
Amino acids have varying and important roles in the neural pathway circuit. Results from a study that tested the effects of a blend of 7 essential amino acids in adults 55 years and older suggest that intake of amino acids results in better executive function (as shown in one cognitive function test), well-being, and social functioning scores compared to intake of the placebo. (Source)
7. GI Health and Supporting Digestion:
Essential Amino Acids can positively affect gut structure and function. Research on
mammals has shown amino acids are beneficial for maintaining gut health, and the
health of your GI’s mucosal lining. Studies in pigs have even shown supplementation with specific amino acids as an effective means to reverse gut dysfunction under disease conditions and help to reconstruct the gut structure after its damage. (Source)
Who Should Supplement with Essential Amino Acids
Those who are not meeting body composition goals…
Many of my female clients along with my vegan/vegetarian clients struggle to eat enough protein every day, which in my professional opinion is a huge factor behind their inability to shed fat while maintaining or building lean muscle. If you struggle to optimize your protein intake or hit body composition goals, I recommend drinking Be Well Essential Amino Acids in Lemon in the morning can help you get there with just one glass of lemony water to start your day.
Vegans/vegetarians looking to get enough protein in their diet…
So many of my vegan/vegetarian clients struggle to find easy, quick sources of complete proteins. Getting enough protein every day as a vegan or vegetarian is a wellness topic that’s been well documented. By supplementing with vegan-friendly Be Well Essential Amino Acids, vegans can instantly improve their quality protein intake with just one small scoop a day.
Those who struggle with recovery, feeling sore and weak after workouts....
If you work out daily – weight-lifting, pilates, hot yoga, hiking, or beyond – you may find yourself struggling with recovery and post-workout soreness. Intake of essential amino acids after your workout can increase muscle protein synthesis and reduce the breakdown of muscle (NIH ODS, 2024).
Those with a snacking problem…
If you’re prone to late night eating, feeling out of control in the pantry, eating your kids’ treats, or constant snacking, I tell my clients they may be undereating protein! In fact, researchers found that high protein meals reduced late-night preoccupation with food by 60% and cut late-night desire to eat at night by 50% compared to normal protein meals in overweight or obese men. A single scoop of Essential Amino Acids paired with a protein-rich diet has the power to optimize your protein intake, cut your cravings, and kick your late-night desire to eat to the curb. (Source)
Those intermittent fasting, skipping meals, or on-the-go and forgetting to eat…
These populations may have trouble consuming adequate amounts of protein or holding onto lean muscle mass. Essential Amino Acids may be especially helpful in these cases!
Those who have an allergy or aversion to specific protein powders…
Limited protein options can make it hard to meet daily protein goals. Be Well Essential Amino Acids has 1-3 allergy-friendly ingredients, depending on the flavor. They provide your body with the building blocks necessary to create proteins, which can then be used for things like muscle synthesis, skin cell structure, neurotransmitters, hormones, and beyond.
Those who want to preserve a youthful appearance, particularly of the skin…
Beauty is an inside out job, and healthy skin texture starts with healthy skin cells. If you want to keep skin cell structure strong in order to improve texture, Essential Amino Acids will be your new BFF. Amino acids aid in the production of collagen and elastin, which are necessary for a youthful look.
Those who want to support brain health and mood stability…
Amino acids are precursors for neurotransmitters that are involved in mood regulation, especially during periods of stress. We all have a lot on our plate, but one daily serving of Essential Amino Acids may help support your resiliency to the daily stresses that used to affect your mood. (Source)
Those who are looking to support their gut barrier…
Essential amino acid threonine is used by the gut to maintain gut barrier integrity. Threonine, along with the other amino acids, plays an important role in mucosal synthesis and maintenance of the gut barrier in mammals. With one scoop of Essential Amino Acids, you can protect what is foundational to your overall health – your gut! (IOM, 1999; Marriott, 2024; Yang, 2019)
Be Well Essential Amino Acids
Be Well Essential Amino Acids are here after over a year of uncompromising development and refinement. They are proudly manufactured and fulfilled in the USA using meticulous sourcing. Made the Be Well way: maximum quality, minimum ingredients.
And they will be the new game-changer for hitting your health goals. I’ve been using them for months, and as someone who’s already optimized protein intake and eats a healthy diet, I’ve still enjoyed the added benefits of easier protein synthesis, greater stress resilience, improved body composition, and a deeper sense of satiety.
Be Well Essential Amino Acids are sourced from a plant in Japan, which is then fermented. This makes them vegan-friendly. The fermentation process breaks down protein in the plant and turns it into amino acids.
Available in two varieties – lemon or unflavored – Be Well Essential Amino Acids have a short ingredient list, as you’d expect from my products:
- Be Well Essential Amino Acids in Lemon: amino acid blend, organic lemon powder, organic monk fruit
- Be Well Essential Amino Acids: amino acid blend
Never any emulsifiers, fillers, dyes, natural flavors, or artificial flavors. Free from preservatives, sugar, gluten, and dairy. It is vegan, paleo and keto friendly. The cleanest amino acids on the market!
How I Use Be Well Essential Amino Acids
Be Well Essential Amino Acids are easy and seamless to incorporate into your daily routine. I typically take my amino acids one of two ways:
- Upgraded lemon water first thing in the morning – it doesn’t break my fast. Just one scoop blended into warm water.
- Or, in my Fab 4 smoothie. One scoop of Be Well Essential Amino Acids blended into my smoothie to support protein synthesis.
But if neither of these work for you, you can simply blend them into your beverage of choice – even plain water!
Who Should NOT Use Amino Acids
While amino acids supplementation is beneficial for nearly everyone, there are a few
populations for whom they may not be appropriate:
- Those with kidney or liver conditions may want to monitor their protein intake.
- Those following a low-protein diet for medical reasons or as prescribed by a doctor.
- Children.
As always, consult with your healthcare provider before supplementing.
Get started with Be Well Essential Amino Acids today!
If you’re like me, you want easy ways to level up your well being without complicating your life. Be Well Essential Amino Acids are the ultimate hack to better mind-body health in one easy, daily scoop! Grab yours and start experiencing the benefits of essential amino acids!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Appendix C. References
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