Why People Love Amino Acid Supplements

The branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a collection of amino acids that are classified together based on their similar branching molecular structure. There are three BCAAs in total leucine, isoleucine, and valine, and they are considered essential amino acids because they are absolutely vital for fundamental processes (like growing muscle and breaking down sugar) and yet are not produced by the human body. BCAAs thus need to be consumed from protein-containing foods or supplements. Gym freaks love BCAAs due to their great leverage for muscle building and recovery.

Branch chain amino acid supplement is mainly taken to maximize muscle growth and improve recovery during resistance training. More specifically, BCAAs are used to:

• Decrease muscle protein breakdown

• Increase muscle protein synthesis

• Reduce exercise-induced muscle damage

Despite this, BCAA supplementation has often been questioned due to the simple fact that more than sufficient quantities may be consumed via everyday protein-containing foods and protein supplements. Because of this, branch chain amino acid supplements are best suited for providing muscle-building amino acids while working out fasted or when on a diet.

The sources of BCAAs:

• Supplement (Whey protein and shakes) 

Drinks with BCAAs have become very popular and come in lots of great citrus and fruit flavors that don't taste like you're just drinking protein. These products are fine to use right after exercise or during long training session (over 90 minutes). However, there isn’t a lot of scientific evidence to support unique benefits of pure BCAA supplements over other protein drinks or foods that has similar amounts of these amino acids, so don’t feel like you have to use a BCAA supplement. A simple shake with whey protein will deliver all the BCAAs that you need along with all the other essential amino acids to round out your muscle building and recovery efforts. Or you can simply have a glass of chocolate milk to serve as your nutritional recovery aid. Milk is naturally loaded with BCAAs and the little added sugar from the chocolate will further aid in recovery after a longer exercise session.

• Whole and plant foods

Fish, eggs, lean beef, chicken, and turkey all contain ample amounts of these key amino acids. Plant protein is generally lower in BCAAs, but pea protein is an exception in this area. Just make sure to take in more total protein to get all the essential amino acids your body needs. One study published in Nutrition Journal found that 40g of rice protein worked just as well as 40g of whey protein when it came to improving body composition. But when calories are at a premium, whey becomes the superior post-workout choice as you could most likely get a similar effect as shown in the study with half the amount of whey (20g) than you would obtain with rice protein due to the lower proportion of essential and branched chain amino acids.

Aside from their muscle-building and recovery benefits, research shows branch chain amino acid supplement can also improve performance. Taking them before your workout allows your body to utilize the supplement for fuel and repair during the exercise, which helps increase strength and endurance.