If you’re looking to build muscle and cut fat then you need to start thinking about BCAAs
With growing popularity in the weights room — enough to rival that of whey protein we’ll wager — BCAAs have earned themselves a spot on any serious sportsperson’s supplement shelf.
4 BENIFITS OF BCAA SUPPLEMENTS
There’s far more to BCAAs than a quick fix or to look like you know what you’re doing to your mates in the gym. Below, we talk you through four of the most pertinent BCAA benefits that are applicable to anyone and everyone, whether you lift five times a week, swear by short and sharp HIIT sessions or just want to recover from exercise easier.
BCAAs Build Muscle
A well-rounded diet will contain all the essential amino acids needed to build muscle. “A high-protein diet from things like meat, eggs and dairy is absolutely vital to provide the full spectrum of essential amino acids for the body.” Real food should always be the priority and getting your diet right should be fundamental before looking to supplementation.” One cup of cottage cheese, for example, a scoop of whey protein or 85g of chicken breast will serve up two to three grams of leucine. In fact, any animal-based protein will contain leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Here are a few of our favorite’s.
BCAAs Can Limit Fatigue
Research suggests BCCAs can fight the rate at which you tire from exercise . Of course, there are several factors in any workout that can contribute to this — intensity, duration and fitness levels, to name three — but BCAAs help restore levels of tryptophan in your brain, a chemical that converts to serotonin and causes fatigue during exercise. In the study, participants supplemented with BCAAs showed signs of improved mental focus during exercise.
BCAAS Could Help You Burn More Fat
When it comes to fat-burning, BCAAs and leucine intake could help with weight loss. “Supplementation of the BCAA leucine, especially in combination with glutamine, has been shown to help overweight subjects on a hypocaloric diet. Helping to reduce excess fat, and helping to normalise visceral fat, which is a marker of metabolic problems.”
BCAAS Can Reduce Your DOMS
Consuming the correct amount of BCAAs can help iron out delayed onset muscle soreness. The study suggests that BCAA supplementation can help decrease muscle soreness after a particularly strenuous workout, with the study comparing a placebo group against a supplemented group, with the latter showing “a reduction muscle soreness.
5 FOODS HIGH IN BCAA
Chicken: Per 170g; 36g protein, 6.6g BCAAs, 2.9g leucine, 1.8g isoleucine, 1.9g valine
Eggs: Per egg; 6.3g protein, 1.3g BCAAs, 0.54g leucine, 0.3g isoleucine, 0.4g valine
Cottage cheese: Per half- cup: 12 protein, 4.7g BCAAs, 1.7g leucine, 1g isoleucine, 1g valine
Tinned tuna: Per 170g; 33g protein, 5.6g BCAAs, 2.5g leucine, 1.5g isoleucine, 1.6g valine
Wild salmon: Per 170g; 34g protein, 5.9g BCAAs, 2.7g leucine, 1.5g isoleucine, 1.7g valine
