BCAA’s Beneficial Link to Our Muscles

BCAA’s Beneficial Link to Our Muscles

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) are a set of three specific essential amino acids out of the nine essential amino acids. The term “Branded-Chain” refers to the chemical structure of these amino acids. BCAA’s are popular in the bodybuilding world due to the benefits they have on our muscles. The three essential amino acids which make up BCAA are:

  • Leucine
  • Isoleucine
  • Valine

There are thousands of different proteins in our body, which all are made from 20 amino acids. Nine amino acids are considered “essential,” meaning the human body cannot make them alone. Essential amino acids need to come from our diet or supplementation. Those who want BCAA’s eat a tailored diet or supplement with BCAA powder1.

Foods That Are Rich In BCAA

Foods that have concentrated BCAAs are mostly protein and dairy products; however, there are other foods that you can add to your diet to get a natural boost of these essential amino acids. Some of these foods are:

  • Chickpeas
  • Salmon
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Whole Wheat
  • Brown Rice
  • Lentils
  • Baked Beans2

Benefits from BCAAs

There are numerous benefits from supplementing with BCAA powder or raising your intake of foods with these amino acids. Here are some of the reasons why athletes and those looking to gain or tone muscle mass turn to BCAA.

Increased Muscle Growth

This is the most popular reason why many chose BCAA as part of their daily supplementation. Muscle protein synthesis is our body’s process of making or building muscle. The essential amino acid leucine has been shown to set off a specific pathway in our body that spikes muscle protein synthesis. Although all nine essential amino acids are needed for protein synthesis to occur, BCAA plays a vital role in this process3.

Aids In The Recovery Process

BCAAs are used to recover from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage (EIMD). Research also suggests that BCAAs may help with Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). When you are lifting weight, you are causing slight tears in the muscle, known as “micro-tears.” The body repairs itself and adapts to better handle the outside force that causes the micro-tears the next time you lift weights. This is why it is crucial when you are lifting to give yourself time to recover before your next workout4.

During this recovery period between lifting weights, your muscles can become quite sore and painful even to move. BCAA is often used to reduce this soreness (DOMS,) which quickens recovery time. BCAA lowers the levels of the two enzymes lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase in the blood. By lowering these enzymes in our blood, BCAA protects muscles from damage, thereby reducing soreness4.

BCAA Used To Prevent Muscle Breakdown

There is a balance between muscles being broken down and synthesized or built up. The term “muscle wasting” refers to a period when muscle wasting exceeds the growth of muscle or muscle protein synthesis.

This can be good for those injured athletes who have to go on a hiatus from their regular workout routine. BCAA could also improve the quality of life for specific populations where muscle mass deterioration is problematic, such as the elderly or patients with degenerative diseases like cancer5.

BCAA’s are three of the nine essential amino acids we need to ensure we obtain through our diet or supplements. Since our body cannot produce these amino acids on its own, we must include foods and supplements that contain the nine essential amino acids. With the added health benefits of BCAAs, this might be the next supplement on your “to buy” list.

Contact your sales rep. or email us at sales@vitajoyusa.com to take advantage of special pricing.

**These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References:

  1. 5 Proven Benefits of BCAAs, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-bcaa.
  2. Natural Food Sources of BCAA, https://fitbod.me/blog/natural-food-sources-of-bcaa/.
  3. 5 Benefits of BCAAs and How to Take these Supplements to Improve Your Workout, https://www.insider.com/guides/health/fitness/bcaa.
  4. The use of BCAA to decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness after a single bout of exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34669012/.
  5. 2022’s Top 10 BCAA Supplements, https://topsupplements.com/pages/best-bcaa?gclid=CjwKCAjwvsqZBhAlEiwAqAHElXQblAlSsVNYRBaB_REZIP1FWxtrIxk39y6tzy3MpMjD2fumaYuDFxoCck8QAvD_BwE.

 

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