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Benefits of BCAAs – Can They Boost Athletic Performance?
Building muscle mass – this is exactly what you want to do. Who wouldn’t fancy walking around with a perfectly shaped body and attracting every woman’s attention? Even women themselves couldn’t possibly remain indifferent to being the main topic of a conversation during an early morning tea party.
Branched Chain Amino Acids or BCAA’s, as they are frequently called are currently some of the best selling sports supplements in the entire industry. BCAA’s are used by bodybuilders and other athletes from different backgrounds to enhance their overall look and performance in a safe yet efficient way.
The problem with Branched Chain Amino Acids and other supplements such as creatine and whey protein is that they are currently the main subjects of negative criticism amongst the inexperienced field of gym goers.
Supplements have always been talked about in a negative manner and have been said to not work, this is false, supplements work, but they are not steroids.
What many people don’t seem to understand is that supplements are a way to improve an athlete’s physique by enhancing his or her physique in a natural, safe, fast and effective way.
Branched Chain Amino Acids are crucial when it comes to building muscle, losing fat and staying energized throughout the day; arguing that BCAA’s don’t work would be completely irrational.
What are BCAA's?
Branched Chain Amino Acids are a series of nutrients found in food that are essential for the human body and its protein synthesis process. Leucine, Valine and Isoleucine because of their chemical structure are referred to as Branched Chain Amino Acids.
Branched chain amino acids are found in many of the foods that we eat.
These nutrients are essential for humans due to the fact that they aren’t naturally occurring inside the body. Amino Acids are also known as the building blocks of protein; sources of BCAA’s include eggs, chicken, and fish. You can also get BCAA’s from beans, lentils, nuts, and soy protein.
Benefits of BCAAs
Branched Chain Amino Acids are commonly associated with the bodybuilding realm, but there’s a lot more to them than people think.
BCAA’s are used in medicine to treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, liver disease, and certain brain conditions.
BCAA’s are also used to increase low appetite, reduce muscle loss, prevent fatigue and improve concentration levels.
As far as bodybuilding goes, Branched Chain Amino Acids have their fair share of benefits. BCAA’s have been scientifically proven to reduce the body’s Serotonin levels during workout sessions, reducing and possibly eliminating any existing fatigue while increasing the body’s overall energy levels.
Branched Chain Amino Acids also aid in repairing damaged muscle fibers, decreasing muscle soreness and increasing muscle building.
BCAAs are very popular among athletes, but can actually be quite beneficial for anyone else using them – be it an ultra-enthusiastic teenager or a renowned athlete in search of the way to step up his or her game:
Decreased fatigue
Several studies have shown an obvious decrease in fatigue after an exhausting training session.
Weight loss
Regular use of BCAAs can reduce the amount of fat and lead to a smaller number showing on the beam scale, though the overall effect may not be too inspiring – still, it’s surely better than nothing.
Improved physical capabilities and endurance
Amateurs and untrained beginners can prolong their workouts since it takes longer for them to get tired (unfortunately, this does not seem to account for professional athletes).
Thanks to the increased production of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) in the cells, you will feel like you’ve got some extra energy and your performance will be taken to the next level.
Stimulation of protein synthesis
Protein synthesis stands out as one of the BCAAs’ key roles. Leucine activates p70 S6 kinase, which is part of the mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) signaling pathway.
mTOR is a kinase that is a component of protein complexes (mTOR complex 1 and mTOR complex 2) and regulates cell growth and protein synthesis (among many other functions).
Increased level of insulin
Leucine is known to stimulate the secretion of insulin, which has a positive effect on your health in the long run. Namely, one of the main functions of insulin is to control the level of glucose in the blood, which means that, every time you take a BCAA, you help your body maintain balance and keep the level of glucose in optimum.
Increase muscle mass
If you think that creatine is the only supplement to help you boost muscle mass, think again. Branched chain amino acids.
Why? Because they are responsible for protein synthesis, in order for your muscles to recover the more protein available to your muscles the faster they can heal and grow. BCAA's can also help improve stamina and endurance, training hard and heavy results in thicker and dense muscle.
Best sources for BCAA's
As mentioned above eating plenty of BCAA rich foods can help boost these levels. The average person who does not train very hard and is not looking to increase muscle mass is probably getting enough BCAA's through a normal diet.
However, if you train hard and lift heavy you will need to supplement your diet with a good supplement. Many pre-workout supplements and legal steroids are a good source that will ensure adequate amounts of Branched chain amino acids.
Are Branched Chain Amino Acids worth the money?
This is a question that only you can answer; it depends on what your goals are and how you are willing to achieve them.
As it was stated previously in the article BCAA’s can be found naturally in certain foods but the problem here is that there is no real way to measure the amounts of amino acids found in each portion of food, that said, in order to increase and enhance your physique and workout intensity you might need to step it up a bit.
Branched Chain Amino Acids definitely work if not they wouldn’t be used to treat patients in delicate conditions.
Professional Bodybuilders and athletes use BCAA’s before, during or after their workouts in order to maximize their performance and muscle growth.
Branched Chain Amino Acids are not that expensive and there are some good pre-workout supplements that contain good amounts of BCAA’s.
If you are looking to take your training and physique to the next level you might want to give BCAA’s a try, you have nothing to lose and a lot to gain.
Conclusion
If for whatever reason, you can’t stand eating any food that contains proteins, BCAAs might be the right choice for you. Not only will you compensate for the missing amount of proteins in your body, but you will also improve your athletic capabilities and become much more competitive.
Even though these supplements won’t do all the work for you, you’ll certainly feel a noticeable improvement the moment you start taking them and be prepared (both mentally and physically) for any upcoming challenges.
