BCAA Supplementation https://www.facebook.com/dyannparhamfitness https://www.parhamfitness.com I started using Branch Chain Amino Acids when I realized how protein deficient my nutritional plan had become. I am Dairy-FREE, Gluten-FREE and I limit my intake of animal proteins……all of which are great sources of essential amino acids. Branched-chain amino acids are essential amino acids (specifically, valine, leucine and isoleucine) meaning we must get them in our diet because our bodies do not produce them. The term ‘branched-chain’ just refers to the molecular structure amino acids. Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein (think: meat, dairy and legumes) and have various functions related to energy production during and after exercise so they are needed in adequate amounts A balanced diet with adequate protein provides enough BCAAs. As long as you’re getting enough dietary macronutrients—such as proteins, fat and carbohydrates—lean body mass, or muscle, will be spared. While BCAA supplementation may be useful for gaining mass, BCAAs are especially helpful for maintaining muscle mass while on a calorie-deficit diet. Dieting is catabolic, which means it can lead to muscle breakdown. The leaner a body gets, the more likely it is to lose muscle mass as the body tries harder and harder to hold onto body fat stores. In doing so, the body will turn to muscle to satisfy its energy needs. Working out compounds the metabolic effects of dieting. The leaner one becomes, the more lethargic one can become. Decreased energy intake and decreased glycogen storage can make you feel fatigued during your workouts. If you’re too tired or weak to workout at the maximum intensity level your body is used to your muscles will adapt, and they won’t use as much energy to get the work done. That means your body won’t increase lean muscle mass; it might also mean that your body will use lean muscle for energy because you aren’t using it to lift a heavy load or you are not working out at as intense of a level you are used to. BCAAs have even more positive benefits than reduced breakdown and increased protein synthesis. They might also help improve workout intensity! BCAAs compete with the amino acid tryptophan for entry into the brain, where tryptophan can be converted to the neurotransmitter serotonin. During exercise, serotonin levels rise and can increase the perception of fatigue—that means a less intense workout for you. BCAA supplementation reduces the amount of tryptophan that enters the brain, and therefore reduces the amount of serotonin produced. This might allow you to work harder, longer. BCAAs in supplement form are free-form, require no digestion, and are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. They spike blood amino acid levels to a much greater and faster extent than peptide-bound aminos. The reason BCAA supplements have such a powerful effect on blood-BCAA levels is that, unlike other amino acids, BCAAs are not significantly metabolized by the small intestine or the liver. They are metabolized primarily in skeletal muscles. With that in mind, BCAAs are often touted to help repair damaged muscles, decrease muscle soreness and increase muscle function. Some data shows that BCAA supplementation before and after exercise has beneficial effects for decreasing exercise-induced muscle damage and promoting muscle-protein synthesis. You can use BCAAs to prevent fatigue and improve concentration. But the most relevant to you, perhaps, is the common practice of taking branched-chain amino acids to improve exercise performance and reduce muscle breakdown.