Supplements aren’t mandatory for fitness, but they can be there to give you that extra boost if you choose to take them. BCAAs are an option that can help enhance your training performance. In this article, we will go over what BCAAs are, the benefits and when to take them.
What are BCAAs?
BCAAs stands for “Branched Chain Amino Acids” and includes the essential amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine. These are essential because the body cannot produce them by itself, so they must be ingested from outside sources like foods or supplements. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and protein contains the building blocks of the human body. Protein is a macronutrient essential for building and maintaining tissue and muscle in the body.
What are the benefits of BCAAs?
BCAAs can help stimulate protein synthesis and promote muscle growth. They can be useful for both when you are trying to lose fat, while keeping as much muscle as possible or working on building and gaining muscle. BCAAs can increase energy for better performance, help maintain muscle mass and reduce post workout soreness.
If you are in a cutting phase (i.e. trying to lose fat in a caloric deficit), your body can go into catabolism (the breakdown of protein to use the amino acids for energy) which can lead to the loss of lean muscle mass. BCAAs can help your body preserve muscle by decreasing the rate of protein breakdown.
If you are trying to gain muscle (i.e. building in a caloric surplus), BCAAs can provide you with more energy to train harder, while also stimulating protein synthesis for muscle growth. They can give you more endurance and help you train harder for longer.
When to take BCAAs?
A good time to take BCAAs is around your workouts. Taking them pre-workout and during can help increase energy and performance. Taking them post-workout can help stimulate and preserve muscle. BCAAs are essentially great for any point in time, so sipping on them throughout the day can be beneficial as well.
When looking for a good brand of BCAAs, look for quality ingredients and make sure there are not a lot of chemical/artificial filler ingredients. For more nutritional guidance, contact the team at Crux Fitness. We would love to help!
