BCAA (branched chain amino acid) supplements are widely used by bodybuilders and athletes to enhance performance, build muscle size and reduce muscle breakdown..
The three BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) are L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine and L-Valine. BCAA’s are essential amino acids meaning we must get them through dietary sources because our bodies do not produce them. BCAAs make up around a third of the amino acids within muscle tissue, making them a vital amino for building muscle.
Research now suggests that BCAAs helps stimulate muscle growth, provide energy to muscles as well as improving muscle recovery and reducing muscle soreness.
5 Powerful BCAA Benefits for building muscle.
BCAA Benefits for muscle building #1 – Increased Muscle Protein Synthesis
Protein synthesis is a muscle building process that generates new proteins in the body. The more protein your body stores during protein synthesis, the larger your muscle will grow.
A well known BCAA benefit is their ability to help stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Combining BCAAs with resistance training results in maximal protein synthesis because they both help to trigger the mTOR signalling pathway that is essential for building muscle.
In more recent studies it has also been suggested that BCAAs by themselves may independently stimulate muscle protein synthesis, meaning they may have the ability to build muscle even without resistance training!
BCAA Benefits for muscle building #2 – Reduced Catabolism
BCAAs also help to build muscle by reducing the rate of muscle protein breakdown (catabolism). This anti-catabolic activity suppresses the use of muscle protein for fuel, meaning less breakdown of muscle tissue that is needed to build muscle. With less muscle protein being broken down during resistance training and increased protein synthesis (discussed in point 1) the net result is greater muscle gains.
BCAA Benefits for muscle building #3 – Increased Muscle Energy
Studies have suggested that BCAAs, unlike many other amino acids, can also be used as fuel by producing energy to support your muscles during prolonged, intense exercise. This is because BCAAs are metabolised within muscle tissue, allowing them to be used as energy by muscle cells to produce ATP. ATP is the primary source of energy that fuels muscle contraction and lifting weights.
As the body requires more energy when put under stress, there is a significant increase in BCAA metabolism during prolonged, intense exercise. Therefore, supplementing with BCAAs pre-workout or during your workout may help to supply energy to your muscles and help you to train harder and for longer.
BCAA’s are the preferred group of amino acids for muscle energy use in both power and endurance athletes. Research has concluded that the body uses all three branched chain amino’s for energy during exercise as well as during rest, but uses leucine most often
BCAA Benefits for muscle building #4 – Test Boost
Studies have suggested that BCCA supplementation can help to naturally increase growth H in the body including test, G-H and insulin that have many benefits for building muscle.
A recent study showed that when athletes were given BCAAs before training, post-workout test levels remained elevated for several hours, whereas the control groups noticed a significant drop in test once training stopped. This pro-longed elevation in test levels may help to maximise muscle growth after your workout.
BCAAs are recognised as a safe and effective supplement to help naturally increase H levels leading to greater muscle gains.
BCAA Benefits for muscle building #5 – Muscle Recovery
The BCAA benefits for muscle recovery are also well known. Supplementing with BCAAs may help to significantly decrease post exercise muscle soreness and increase muscle recovery by helping to repair muscle tissue faster. Greater muscle recovery means you can train more frequently and harder resulting in bigger muscle gains.
Now you know the BCAA benefits for building muscle we recommend that you BCAAs that contains the Branched Chain Amino Acids L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine & L-Valine in an optimum muscle buliding 4:1:1 ratio.
A powdered BCAA supplement offers you the versatility of being able to vary your serving size as required. Research indicates a serving size of between 8g-15g of BCAAs per day for a person undertaking physical activity, noting that some of this will be obtained by BCAA rich foods. Taking a BCAA supplement twice a day is a convenient way to boost your daily intake.
