Amino acids are the fundamental building blocks of proteins. They’re crucial for muscle protein synthesis, tendon formation, ligament formation and repair of these tissues.
Essential amino acids (EAAs)must come from your diet. Conditionally essential amino acids (CEAAs) are non-essential, however become essential during periods of stress. Key amino acids have been shown to improve muscle recovery after surgery or injury and help ligaments and tendons to heal.
Supplementation with the essential amino acids has been shown to improve injury related and surgery related muscle recovery. In studies evaluating knee surgery these improvements are shown up to two years after surgery.
Supplementation with arginine, glutamine (CEEAs), HMB(a metabolite of luecine) have been studied in orthopedic patients showing improved muscle recovery, and improved performance results in athletes.
Supplementation with cystine and theanine (CEEAs) have important anti-inflammatory and immune modulating effects.
Taken together, the current evidence seems to support a biological basis for improved recovery after shoulder injury or surgery.
References:
Gwin. Church. Hatch–McKenzie, et al. Essential amino acid-enriched whey enhances post-exercise whole-body protein balance during energy deficit more than iso-nitrogenous whey or mixed-macro nutrient meal: a randomized, crossover study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18:4.
Dreyer. Owen. Strycker. Essential amino acid supplementation mitigates muscle atrophy after total knee arthroplasty: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. JBJS open access. 2018;3:e0006.
Stechmiller. Childress. Cowan. Arginine supplementation and wound healing. Nutr Clin Pract. 2005;20:52–61.
Cordova-Martinez. Callabero-Garcia. Bello. Perez-Valdecantos. Roché. Effects of glutamine supplementation and muscular damage biomarkers in professional basketball players. Nutrients 2021;13:2073.
Wilson. Wilson. Manninen. Effects of HMB on exercise performance and body composition across varying levels of age, sex, and training experience: A review. Nutr Metab 2008;5:1.
Kurihara. Shibakusa. Tanaka. Cystine and theaninie: amino acids as oral immunomodulating nutrients. Springerplus 2013;2:635.
Reza. Utkarsh. Zuckerman. Role of amino acid supplementation in orthopedic surgery. JAAOS. 32:162-68.
Michael Howard, M.D.
Shoulder & Upper Extremity
Plano Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center
Plano, TX