There’s a berry that can bankrupt the whole healthcare industry! But in the meantime- while it actually does so- it can also help you get optimal benefits from your workout routine.

The wondrous little fruit is Sea Buckthorn. In India, it grows wildly in the Ladakh region. Sea Buckthorn most accessible in the form of juice, which is also the best way to reap its goodness.

To understand its benefits fully, we need to go back to secondary school biology.
Firstly, What are AMINO ACIDS?

Amino acids are what all living organism are made of, even the ones with a gym membership. Here’s a brief illustration to make the relation clearer.

How does our body metabolize proteins?

When we ingest proteins, in any form, our body breaks them into constituent amino acids. These acids are then used to build up new tissues and repair the damaged. So, when we’re busting chops in the gym, we’re simply breaking targeted muscle cells. To repair those cells we need bricks and mortar in the form of amino acids.

You might be thinking, “If it’s all amino acids in the end, doesn’t it make sense to skip the proteins and consume the aminos directly?”

Well, it does. And as a support to this argument, amino acid supplements are readily available to the average consumer. These supplements mostly contain Branched Chain Amino Acids, or BCCA, which are a class of amino acids containing valine, leucine, and isoleucine. These acids are essential for muscle growth and repair.

In fact, a 2001 study found that these aminos can increase resistance to exercise related fatigue by up to 17%. This simply means that if you take a diet rich in BCCAs, you can be busting chops for longer time.

But why Sea Buckthorn?

Sea buckthorn juice is rich in 18 types of free amino acids, including the BCAA. In addition, they are also rich in calcium, potassium and zinc, all of which help in muscle recovery.

Concluding remarks:

• BCAAs are essential for muscle growth. They can help decrease fatigue and reduce recovery periods for Gym-goers.
• You can take them through supplements, or go with natural sources like lean meats, low fat dairy products, beans , and of course, Sea buckthorn.
• Its juice can serve as a valuable addition to your post and pre-workout diet.

References:

Zeb, Alam, Chemical and Nutritional Constituents of Sea Buckthorn Juice. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 3 (2): 99-106, 2004

Gualano, A B, et al. Branched-Chain amino acids supplementation enhances exercise capacity and lipid oxidation during endurance exercise after muscle glycogen depletion. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, Mar. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21297567.