Have you noticed how more and more people in the gym carry shaker bottles with some sort of pink concoction? Well, I for one did, and from snooping around I discovered that most of them took some sort of branched-chain amino acid drink. I’ve heard about these Bcaa amino acid supplements, but haven’t given much thought to it, since I was getting enough protein. But as much as I was hitting my beef and whey powder intake properly, I found that there is a large difference between the various amino acids important for protein synthesis. And that was the reason why I wasn’t as pumped up as I wanted.
The fact is, the human body needs around 20 different amino acids in order to reach its peak state. Out of them, some are “non-essential” and produced by the body itself, while the others are “essential” and can only be derived from diet or supplements. While most amino acids we get from food take a lot of time to break down and might not even be put to use by the body, branched chain amino acids are a special group that operates much more effectively. BCAAs consist out of three different components: leucine, isoleucine and valine. The term branched is inspired by the structure of these amino acids, but if they were named after their effects on the body, we would have called them BC Yeys!
After trying some Bcaa amino acid supplements, you will quickly become hooked and ditch all other workout supplements. Opposed to whey powder which travels to the liver first, BCAAs are directly transported to the muscles, giving you the necessary pre-workout kick. Just after 15 minutes of taking s BCAA supplement, the body feels energized and ready just like after the ideal 2 hours of ingesting food. As you might notice, this is especially good for those that workout fasted in the morning because it provides them with the proper nutrients to fight fatigue.
However, there are a lot more advantages to using BCAAs besides warming up for workout. While during exercising these supplements act like a source of fuel, after you’re done they can start to repair and build muscle. And we all know what that means – being less sore, reducing your recovery period, and the best thing – new, lean muscles. That’s why fitness trainers argue for the use of BCAAs pre-workout, during workout and afterwards. We simply can’t get enough of them!
Concerning proper dosage, BCAAs should be taken according to one’s body weight. Those who weigh 68 kilograms or less can take 3 grams of the supplement prior, during and after a workout. Everyone weighing more, should increase the dosage to 5 grams, also pre, during and post-workout. If you are torn apart between tablets or powder, consider because of its crushed state powder is more quick to act and much more potent. Moreover it can be easily mixed into your delicious strawberry shakes.