Recently, sport has taken a leading place in the lives of most of us, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle has become the norm, not a rarity. It is unlikely that anyone will argue with the fact that regular physical activity is not only a way to build muscle and improve your body, but also an opportunity to improve your health by normalizing the work of the whole organism as a whole. However, in order to get the desired results, it is not always enough of the nutrients that we get from the food we consume daily. One of the methods to increase strength, speed and endurance is the use of sports nutrition, which allows you to improve the performance of the body and speed up the process of its recovery. Among the most common sports nutritional supplements today are BCAA amino acids, which rightfully occupy a leading place among all types of sports nutrition used by both professional athletes and beginners in sports.
What is BCAA
As mentioned earlier, BCAAs are amino acids, or rather a complex consisting of three amino acids that are indispensable in the process of building and strengthening muscles. The complex includes amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine and valine. The peculiarity of these amino acids is that they have a unique branched chain structure, due to which they stand out in a separate class. It is these amino acids that are responsible for the restoration of muscle tissue at the cellular level and make up the third part of muscle protein, the reserves of which must be regularly replenished during physical exertion to create a strong and beautiful muscle frame. These amino acids are among the essential, however, none of them is synthesized in the body, so you can get them in sufficient quantities only through the intake of BCAAs. The effect on the body of the amino acids included in the complex is carried out simultaneously, in addition, each of them is able to complement each other and enhance the effect.
The effect of BCAAs on the body
In order to be convinced of the benefits and effectiveness of BCAA amino acids, it is necessary to become more familiar with their properties, of which there are quite a lot. The first thing to mention when talking about BCAA amino acids is that they are the main material for building muscles and take direct participation in their restoration. BCAAs are anti-catabolic and prevent the body from wasting protein, which is so important in muscle building. Moreover, BCAA amino acids contribute to the stimulation of protein synthesis and protect muscles from destruction. Thus, if you are looking to build muscle mass, you must definitely include this group of amino acids in your diet.
The beneficial properties of BCAA amino acids do not end there. It is also worth mentioning their ability to significantly increase the endurance of the body, quickly and efficiently replenishing energy reserves, which are rapidly spent during intense physical exertion. Due to this, strength indicators increase, and the body is able to work more efficiently and stay in an excited state much longer.
The intake of BCAA amino acids allows you to normalize the process of producing insulin by the body, which is responsible for blood circulation. In addition, an increase in insulin levels has a beneficial effect on blood sugar, which is one of the main sources of nutrition for muscle fiber cells. A stable level of insulin allows you to normalize the absorption and production of other amino acids by the body, which are also necessary for its work.
It is impossible not to say about the ability of BCAA amino acids to eliminate fatigue and increase the endurance of the body. This happens not only due to the ingestion of a sufficient amount of amino acids and the normalization of their production process, but also due to the increase in the level of serotonin, which occurs under the influence of BCAA amino acids. Serotonin is a substance that is a hormone of joy and is a source of energy for muscles.
BCAAs and weight loss
Another property of BCAA amino acids, which cannot be ignored, and which, for sure, will be of interest to the beautiful half of humanity, is their ability to burn fat. Studies have shown that this group of amino acids contributes not only to gaining muscle mass and increasing muscle definition, but is also used with great success in losing weight, effectively and quickly burning fat. This happens due to the replenishment of leptin reserves in the body, which controls metabolic processes at the cellular level and does not allow fat deposits to form in your body. body. The more body fat you have, the higher your leptin intake should be. It promotes the conversion of fats into energy needed during training, and also reduces appetite, so you will not overeat, reduce calorie intake and you can adjust your diet while increasing the load on the muscles without compromising health.
How to take BCAAs
Given the fact that BCAAs have a number of different properties, the way you take them will vary depending on exactly what you want to get from a given nutritional supplement. That is why, before you start using BCAAs, you need to decide why you are introducing them into your diet.
One of the main functions of this group of amino acids is to build and strengthen muscle mass. If your goal is to gain muscle mass, then it is recommended to take BCAA amino acids before, during and after the end of the workout in small quantities. This will prevent unwanted breakdown of muscle tissue, increase the level of protein in the body used to repair damage in a timely manner, and also ensure that sufficient nutrients are supplied to the bloodstream during the entire workout, which will significantly increase the body’s endurance and improve your results.
If your goal is weight loss, then the scheme for taking BCAA amino acids will be slightly different from the previous one. Use this food supplement for burning fat should be immediately before training and immediately after it. This will allow the body to make the most of the available fat reserves, which will be used for muscle recovery, increased endurance and energy production needed to perform physical activities. In addition, BCAAs can be consumed in between meals, this will allow you to reduce portions and reduce appetite, which is especially important when following certain diets.
Dosage
As for the amount of amino acids, it all depends on the characteristics of your body. As a rule, when losing weight and when gaining muscle mass, the optimal single dose of BCAA is 5 grams. For faster results, you can increase the amount of amino acids consumed up to 8 grams. It is recommended to take BCAAs one to three times a day. day. The course of the use of amino acids does not require breaks and can last as long as necessary to achieve your goals.
It is worth considering that BCAA amino acids are much faster absorbed by the body than any other substances that enter it. Therefore, it is recommended to use them separately from other amino acids. At the same time, when gaining muscle mass, BCAAs can be combined with protein or a gainer, which will significantly speed up the muscle building process.
Side effects
The only possible side effect of BCAA amino acids may be food poisoning, which will occur when this dietary supplement is abused. The fact is that BCAAs are amino acids that make up the usual protein food for us, only purified from unnecessary impurities. Therefore, they do not pose any danger to the body and may not be recommended only in case of individual intolerance to the body.