Question

Would you recommend an amino acid supplement to a friend who is recovering from illness and wants to promote muscle mass gain? Why or why not?

a. Yes; Amino acid supplements are an excellent way to quickly provide energy to muscles for rebuilding.
b. Yes; Taking amino acid supplements helps keep the digestive system from overworking while you recover from illness.
c. Yes; But, one should also do plenty of exercise to promote muscle regain.
d. No; Extra carbohydrate and fat, but not extra protein, are needed for recovery from illness.
e. No; Whole protein is better handled by the digestive system and will promote muscle mass gain better than amino acid supplements.

Answer 1

The correct answer is option E: No; Whole protein is better handled by the digestive system and will promote muscle mass gain better than amino acid supplements.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a person is recovering from an illness, it is not advisable to recommend an amino acid supplement since these work well together with plenty of exercise. For example, they help reduce the mental fatigue that is caused by long workout hours, or they enhance the process of muscle growth (stimulated by workout). However, a person who has been ill is usually very weak and unable to do that much exercise. What that person needs is a nutritious diet consisting especially of whole proteins (also called "complete proteins") since these contain a balanced proportion of the 9 essential amino acids necessary for the human body and they are better handled by the digestive system.