You’ve probably overheard someone in the gym talking about their aminos or BCAAs as they mix a scoop of powder into their water bottle. What if we told you that that magic scoop can help you recover faster, build muscle proteins and decrease fatigue? We’re not lying.
Here’s the low-down on BCAAs and how to make sure you’re getting enough of them.
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What are BCAAs?
BCAA is short for branched-chain amino acid. The three essential amino acids included in BCAAs are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. When looking at their molecular structure, it’s no surprise that these three are grouped together since they are the only amino acids to have a chain that branches to one side—making them a “branched chain.”
Every protein contains a specific sequence of a few dozen to thousands of the 20 amino acids. Of the 20 amino acids, only nine are considered essential, and 11 are non-essential. Both work to produce energy and build proteins, and while our bodies are great at creating the non-essentials, we tend to fall short with the essential ones. That’s where food and supplements (i.e. protein powder, fish, chia seeds, nuts, and other sources fo amino acids.) come in. Since our bodies are unable to naturally produce the essential amino acids, it’s important that we get them through diet or supplementation
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Why are BCAAs important?
A study in The Journal of Nutrition found that BCAAs account for 35 to 40 percent of the dietary-indispensable amino acids in body protein and 14 percent of the total amino acids in skeletal muscle. BCAAs are necessary in helping our bodies produce energy, and (more importantly for our readers), build the proteins that, in turn, build our muscles. It’s why they’re usually referred to as the “building blocks” of protein. There is also research that suggests they can reduce fatigue by having a positive affect on our brains, according to another study in the same journal.
Besides helping our bodies build muscle proteins and produce energy, there’s evidence that BCAAs also help our bodies with blood sugar regulation by taking the sugar from our bloodstream instead of our liver and muscle glycogen stores. BCAAs can also help reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), and speed up recovery time.
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How do we get BCAAs?
The easiest and most foolproof way to make sure you’re getting your BCAAs in is through supplementation. You can use BCAA supplements or whey protein, but the best way to ensure you’re getting the optimal amount is by maintaining a BCAA-enriched diet. Some of the foods with the highest BCAA content are, according to the Nutrient Search from the United States Department of Agriculture, include:
Meat, Poultry and Fish
Beans and lentils
Milk
Tofu and Tempeh
Cheese
Eggs
Quinoa
Low-Fat Greek Yogurt
According to an article by Mac Nutrition, the proper BCAA dose is six to eight grams with some sort of carbohydrate before your workout, followed by a post-workout shake and meal that’s high in protein.
Since we push our bodies through grueling training sessions, why shouldn’t we give it the essentials that it needs?
