The branch chain amino acid supplement or
BCAAs have the three essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
From a chemical structure each of these amino acids has a forked outcropping
that looks a lot like a branch. This
ability of BCAAs to delay fatigue via this brain mechanism also means that branch
chain amino acid supplement is not just beneficial for the body but also in the
brain as well. By reducing levels of exercise-induced 5-HT in the brain, you
reduce mental fatigue, which keeps you sharper mentally. This is one reason
that endurance athletes and other high-intensity competitors take branch chain
amino acid supplement which is to keep sharp when they're approaching physical
exhaustion. Many people take on branch chain amino acid supplement throughout
the work day for the same reason. They are metabolized
primarily in skeletal muscles, while other amino acids are metabolized in the
liver, which is why some think they must take branch chain amino acid
supplement if they're engaging in strenuous exercise. BCAAs are often referred
to help repair damaged muscles, decrease muscle soreness and increase muscle
function. Some research shows that BCAA supplementation before and after
exercise has beneficial effects for decreasing exercise-induced muscle damage
and promoting muscle-protein synthesis.
The intake of
branch chain amino acid supplement may promote an anabolic hormone profile
which is causing muscle repair after workouts while also decreasing the
likelihood of training-induced muscle damage. A study examined a group of men
and women given BCAA supplements and others given a placebo as they did multiple
testing days involving intense activities which were used to promote delayed
muscle soreness. Both sexes reported less soreness when they were given the
supplements. Studies like this one and many others lead experts to believe it's
possible to consider branch chain amino acid supplement as a useful for muscle
recovery. Branch chain amino acid supplement appears to be safe for most people
when used. Side effects may include fatigue and loss of
coordination. For healthy people, excess protein hasn't been proven to be
harmful. Athletes on high protein diets should stay well-hydrated, as water
loss can be increased from nitrogen excretion during protein breakdown.
In the absence of branch chain amino acid
supplement, testosterone levels drop to baseline levels when exercise is
stopped. However, branched chain amino acids have been shown to keep
testosterone elevated for up to several hours after exercise which explains
that protein synthesis can take place long after the last repetition has been
completed. The branch chain amino acid supplement is clearly great
mass-building supplements, but they also can aid in fat loss. Researchers have
yet to determine precisely how this happens, but they've offered up several
theories to explain the startling results they've seen.
One of the first studies to discover this
benefit was on competitive wrestlers, which found that those who were
supplementing with BCAAs while following a low-calorie diet experienced a
greater drop in body fat, particularly in the waist, as compared to those
taking a placebo. Some studies also found that the lifters taking branch chain
amino acid supplement lost about twice as much body fat as those people taking
whey protein without added branch chain amino acid supplement.