What are BCAAs? What does it really mean? Which supplement should I take? How much should I consume daily? Where can I get them? Why am I hearing so much about BCAAs lately? Let’s dive into the nutrition facts of these protein supplements…
BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) are essential amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and must therefore come from food sources. They occur naturally in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy foods, and are also added to some nutritional drinks. The two major types are leucine and valine.
There is compelling evidence that supplements such as amino acids can improve muscle mass in older adults. By improving protein synthesis, they promote faster recovery from exercise and reduce fatigue. They also play a key role in preserving muscle strength and preventing sarcopenia. Studies have shown that people who take these supplements recover faster than those who don’t.
This kind of additives aren’t just meant for athletes either, they’re great for anyone looking to improve their mental focus. Your brain uses them as building blocks to make neurotransmitters, hormones, and enzymes. By building them up, you get smarter!
As we mentioned earlier, there are several reasons why the body needs these supplements, and they are as follows:
1. Improve muscle recovery time after exercise
BCAAs have been shown to speed up muscle recovery time after intense workouts. One study showed that BCAAs were effective at reducing muscle soreness by about 50% compared to a control group. Another study demonstrated that supplementing with BCAAs increased strength gains by 70% in subjects who went through a 10-week strength training program.
2. Help prevent fatigue
During prolonged (or exhaustive) workouts, amino acids may help reduce feelings of fatigue, according to research findings. When athletes performed exercises that lasted over four hours, researchers noticed that the use helped reduce mental and physical fatigue.
3. Boost endurance performance
Many experiments have demonstrated that consuming BCAAs before exercise can improve endurance. In one trial, participants who took a BCAA supplement before exercising for two hours reported greater power output than those who did not take supplements.
A similar study showed that the addition of boosters of this type helped cyclists go longer between rest breaks while riding a bike.
What is the recommended daily dose?
To determine the optimal dosage of supplementation, researchers conducted a study using mice to test various levels of branched-chain amino acid consumption. The study concluded that mice that consumed 20 grams of BCAAs per day gained less body weight and had lower blood insulin levels compared to mice that consumed 15 or 30 grams each day.
These findings indicate that mice who consumed 20 grams of amino acids per day did not suffer from any negative side effects. Therefore, it can be inferred that humans require approximately 2 grams of BCAAs (20 grams divided by 6 calories equals 3 grams per calorie), which means a person weighing 50 kilograms requires 100 grams of this nutriment every day.
Which supplement to take?
Are you looking for the perfect formula? Well, you’ve come to the right place. BCAAs are becoming ever more popular, because they are thought to help build muscle mass, suppress appetite, reduce fat storage, and support recovery after exercise. They can also improve athletic performance and mental focus. If you want to start using them today, click here to make your order and buy the best formula.
When to take them?
If you’ve ever felt sluggish after working out, then you know how hard it is to get back into shape. But now imagine feeling even worse. After training, you might feel exhausted, tired, and sore. These side effects are called Post Exercise Fatigue (PEF), and it happens because your muscles use protein during exercise to build muscle fibers and repair damage.
When you stop exercising, the protein built up over time becomes wasted. This causes your body to release adrenaline and cortisol, both of which cause the symptoms described above. Nutriments like this replenish your muscles’ supply of protein, making it easier to burn fat and build muscle while you rest. So take BCAA supplements after workouts to reap the benefits.
Should I take them with food or on an empty stomach?
Professionals say that this type of supplement is not recommended to be consumed on an empty stomach. Eating something before taking your supplement helps your body digest it better. Make sure you choose a product that comes with a 100 mg dosage of BCAAs per serving. That way you won’t need to eat anything extra – just stick to water and coffee.
Taking acids of this kind before bedtime may increase sleep quality and improve your mood. Studies show that consuming a single dose of it before going to bed improves sleep quality and decreases anxiety levels. However, taking them first thing in the morning can help reduce fatigue and boost athletic performance.
If you are wondering what type of problem you can experience if you take it on an empty stomach, well the number one is the laxative effect it can cause. If you consume BCAAs on an empty tummy and then go right to bed… chances are good that you’re going to get some sort of gastrointestinal issues (and I’m not just talking about constipation).
That’s because BCAA consumption actually causes the release of water from your stomach lining. If you don’t have anything else to drink before bed, you could end up suffering from dehydration if you wake up feeling dehydrated.
Another thing to have in mind when using this type of supplement is according to some studies show that having a protein supplement before working out is better than taking one afterward. If you’re going to work out at night, though, you should consume your protein shake within 30 minutes of finishing your workout.
Otherwise, you won’t see much benefit from it. By consuming amino acids before and after workouts, we can reduce the negative effects and maximize our performance. By taking supplements, we can maintain a steady supply of BCAA’s throughout the day without having to consume huge amounts of food.
I hope that this article helped you find the answers to the most frequently asked questions related to this type of supplement and that you understood the need for its consumption, as well as all the positive and negative effects of improper use.
