By now, I hope you would have probably read about fundamentals of BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids). If you haven’t then you may want to read this article first up – BCAAs and Bodybuilding | Best Amino Acids for Muscle Growth. Well, in this article, I will take you through some of the major benefits of BCAA supplement. Know more below –
Benefits of BCAA
BCAAs help Lose Fat while preserving Muscle Mass
Cutting down on calories is the fundamental step to lose fat. However, going low on calories will take its toll on your muscle mass up to certain extent. And that’s when BCAAs come into play. The three vital amino acids namely – Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine are broken down in the muscle and used for fuel. This process ensures that protein synthesis rates in your body are high enough to minimize the catabolic effect of a calorie deficit diet.
Although BCAA is no fat burner supplement, it may help you lose extra pounds of weight indirectly. It does so by reducing cortisol aka stress hormone which in excess promotes storage of fat in the body. Apart from this, BCAAs may also act as an appetite suppressant, thereby preventing consumption of too many calories.
BCAAs Improves Training Performance
What does it take to get big? Or lose fat? Well, it’s all about our effort that we put in when it’s easy to quit. Those few seconds on a treadmill or let’s just say an extra rep when you are absolutely depleted is all that counts.
A study by Astrand Laboratory, Sweden confirmed the effectiveness of branched chain amino acids for counteracting muscle fatigue caused during an exhausting workout. Not only does BCAA benefits in bodybuilding, but also helps endurance athletes to improve their performance in their sport.
In addition to increasing workout performance, BCAAs have shown to reduce muscle soreness and aid a speedy recovery. You may want to look at this study which demonstrated the efficacy the BCAA supplement in reducing muscle soreness and fatigue sensation during an intensive training program.
BCAAs Promotes Ideal Hormone Balance during Workout
BCAA supplements promote normal hormonal balance during intense training loads which in a way plays a significant role in an individual’s ability to withstand strenuous training sessions.
For instance, a study aimed to analyze the effect of supplementing BCAAs prior to high-intensity workout session concluded that compared to a placebo group, BCAA group had high levels of testosterone and low levels of cortisol at the end of the workout. Besides, subjects in BCAA group responded better to training than those in the placebo group.
Several studies conducted in this regard have all shown that BCAA benefits hormone balance during intense workout sessions and thereby increases strength and body’s ability to handle loads effectively.
BCAAs are Beneficial for Good Health
Keeping in mind the general health, supplementing with BCAA powder benefits the user in terms of improved glucose tolerance, metabolic rate, and better insulin sensitivity. You should know that improved insulin sensitivity is directly related to better weight loss results.
Moreover, branched chain amino acids are also used in medicines to reduce mortality risk with cancer, prevent muscle loss and treat liver disease.
Furthermore, in a study conducted on rodents, BCAAs have shown to have anti-aging effect by extending lifespan while maintaining optimal cardiac health.
Conclusion
As you can see, BCAAs are important to muscle growth and good health in more ways than one. Right from benefiting with quick recovery to preventing muscle loss, BCAAs does it all. And it does pack a punch for supporting good health. What else do you need? All in all, BCAA supplements are worth your money.
Also published on Medium.
