What are BCAAs? In this article, we will go through the benefits of BCAAs so you know how they can help boost your workout routine!
F
irstly, BCAA stands for Branched-Chain Amino Acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which is an essential part of muscle tissue and other body parts. BCAAs are the three essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, which make up about 35% of your body's muscle protein. They're "essential" because our bodies don't make them on our own. They can only be obtained through food sources and supplements.
Here are 6 benefits of supplementing with BCAAs:
- Increase muscle growth
- Decrease muscle soreness
- Speed up recovery time
- Improve athletic performance
- Help boost energy production
- Promote liver health
What do BCAAs do?
BCAAs work together to help repair damaged muscle cells by increasing their ability to synthesize new proteins. This helps prevent muscle breakdown and promote recovery. Each of these essential amino acids plays a special role:
- leucine: stimulates muscle protein synthesis and reduces protein breakdown
- isoleucine: helps regulate energy and blood sugar levels
- valine: enhances energy levels, increases endurance, and aids in muscle tissue recovery and repair
A good BCAA powder like Tropeaka Tone + BCAA is comprised of a 2:1:1 ratio of these 3 amino acids.
Benefits of BCAAs
1
Increase Muscle Growth
Whether your workout goals include weight loss, improving exercise performance, toning up, or staying active, you're probably going to want to increase your muscle mass somewhere along the way. BCAAs help to retain muscle mass and prevent muscle loss, so they're a must when it comes to muscle building, even if bulking up isn't your main goal.
Tropeaka BCAA powder has 5.25 grams of BCAAs per serving, so it's the perfect supplement to give you the daily intake of building blocks your body needs for muscle growth and repair.
BCAAs can help decrease muscle soreness after physical activity
2
Decrease Muscle Soreness
You know that sore feeling you get the morning after a hard workout? There's a name for that, and it comes from those tiny micro-tears after you stretch and contract your muscles over and over. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) starts to develop anywhere between 12-24 hours after your workout and can last up to 72 hours (which is why you sometimes feel even worse on post-workout day 2).
Research suggests BCAAs can help decrease muscle soreness after physical activity by decreasing protein breakdown during exercise and decreasing levels of creatine kinase, an indicator of muscle damage.
Tropeaka Tone BCAA+ has a powerful combination of BCAAs, sea minerals, sea buckthorn, and coconut juice powder
3
Speed Up Recovery Time
Because BCAAs help to reduce protein breakdown during a workout and stimulate muscle tissue and recovery, not only will you feel less sore afterward, but you'll also speed up your recovery time. Tropeaka Tone BCAA+ has a powerful combination of BCAAs, sea minerals, sea buckthorn, and coconut juice powder that work together to promote optimal workout performance and post-workout muscle recovery, getting you back in the gym in less time!
4
Improve Athletic Performance
Some people prefer to take their BCAA supplement before or during a workout in order to improve performance. Research shows that taking BCAAs before a workout can help athletes perform better because it can help to prevent muscle protein breakdown from happening in the first place.
A study conducted by Leeds Metropolitan University demonstrated that participants who supplemented with leucine during resistance training showed significant improvements in strength performance compared to the placebo group.
If you're working towards a big goal or focusing on improving your performance, consider taking BCAA powder as your pre-workout.
5
Helps Boost Energy Production
Everyone experiences some level of post-workout tiredness and fatigue. How quickly muscle fatigue sets in and its intensity depends on a number of factors, including your current fitness level, your nutrition habits (and how you fuel your body both before and after your workouts), and the intensity and duration of your workout.
Tropeaka's BCAA powder combines superfoods, electrolytes and a deep-sea mineral complex that, when taken as a pre-workout, boost energy both during and after the workout while also reducing tiredness and fatigue and sharpening mental focus. There are no artificial ingredients to slow down your body's ability to absorb nutrients, which means you'll be able to train harder and longer.
BCAAs may aid in hepatic function in people with certain liver conditions and liver cancer
6
Promote Liver Health
Even if you aren't a hardcore athlete, there are some other benefits to getting enough of these essential amino acids in your diet. Some research has shown that BCAAs may aid in hepatic function in people with certain liver conditions and liver cancers. A different study showed that regular BCAA consumption may reduce the risk of liver cancer in obese patients with decompensated cirrhosis of the liver.
What's The Difference Between BCAAs and Protein?
The molecular structure of BCAAs and protein are exactly the same, but the difference is in the composition. Protein is one of three macronutrients that our bodies need to survive. Protein is made up of two types: complete proteins which contain all nine essential amino acids, and incomplete proteins, which lack at least one essential amino acid.
Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids that our bodies need, and branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs) make up three of the nine essential amino acids. So while it is possible to get BCAAs in some protein supplements and whole protein-rich foods, you can't get complete protein from BCAAs alone.
Where can I find protein and BCAAs naturally in food?
You can find BCAAs in foods that contain complete proteins, like:
- beef
- chicken
- fish
- eggs
- beans and lentils
- brown rice
- almonds, Brazil nuts, and cashews
- pumpkin seeds
Branched-chain amino acid supplementation through products like Tone BCAA+ is a good way to complement your protein intake and ensure you're getting the right amount of BCAAs for muscle recovery based on your fitness goals.
What to Look For in a BCAA Powder
There are a lot of branch-chain amino acid supplements on the market, but not all are created equally. In fact, many workout or nutrition supplement companies use some seriously questionable ingredients. Some BCAA powders on the market are made from human hair, skin, hog hair, and even duck feathers. (Ew!)
In order to get the most beneficial effects from your BCAA powder, look for the following:
- The right amino acid ratio: look for the right ratio of Leucine to Isoleucine and Valine. The idea ratio is 2:1:1, meaning you're getting twice as much leucine as isoleucine and valine. The proper ratio is important because Leucine plays the most crucial role in muscle protein synthesis.
- Serving size: You should also look at how many grams of BCAAs you get with each scoop or serving. More doesn't always equal better, and depending on your fitness levels and goals, you may need a different amount than someone else. A good amount to aim for is 5-7 grams of BCAAs as part of your pre- or post-workout drink, or even added to your water while you workout.
- Ingredients: It's always important to look at the whole list of ingredients before purchasing a BCAA supplement (or any workout supplement, for that matter). What other positive ingredients does it have that you might need? On the other hand, does it contain questionable ingredients? Try to avoid supplements that are high in sugar or have artificial flavoring. Finding a supplement that is vegan and all plant-based is always a good option.
Add Tropeaka Tone BCAA+ to Your Diet!
Tropeaka Tone BCAA+ is a complete blend, designed to support not only the toning and building of lean muscle but also whole-body recovery during and after a workout. It's packed full of highly soluble BCAAs, and it includes mineral-rich additions like Coconut Water Juice Powder and Sea Mineral Complex, both of which provide great support after a hard workout!
Tone BCAA+ is refined-sugar free and a super healthy option for those looking for a scientific approach to help them tone and build lean muscle. And it's made from 100% plant-based and non-GMO sources, meaning it is naturally free from soy, gluten, and dairy.
Bless your body with a healthy option that doesn't have any of the nasties associated with many gym-related supplements, and nourish your body from the inside out, to truly Conquer The Day The Healthy Way!™
