What is BCAA?
BCAA stands for Branched Chain Amino Acids. Proteins are made up of 20 different building blocks that are called amino acids. These amino acids have different structures and have very diverse chemical specifications and characteristics. There are three amino acids with similar chemical structures known as BCAAs that directly have a positive impact on muscle growth. BCAAs are generally found in protein-rich food such as eggs and meat. If taken as a supplement, the intake of BCAAs amino acids can positively affect the body and muscle growth.
The BCAAs consists of these three amino acids: Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. If an athlete does not have enough intake of BCAAs, taking BCAA supplements can result in triggering muscle protein synthesis and acceleration of muscle growth. Another positive impact of BCAA is to increase energy and performance and decrease the fatigue during the workout.
Leucine
This BCAA amino acid is an essential amino acid for the synthesis of skeletal muscle protein. In fact leucine has the strongest impact, among all amino acids, on the muscle protein sysnthesis and muscle growth. in fact among all 9 essential amino acids that our body needs, no amino acid is more important that leucine when it comes to muscle growth for bodybuilders. Some researches recommend the supplementation of leucine at a rate of 45 mg per each kg weight of the body. It has been shown that taking leucine prior to or during the exercise can prevent protein degradation in the muscle which indicates the anabolic characteristics of leucine.
Isoleucine
Isoleucine is the second amino acid in the BCAA family. The main purpose of supplementing with isoleucine is to provide energy to the athletes and enhances their performance during the workout. All the proteins you eat during the day as well as the proteins in your body all have different levels of isoleucine in them. As mentioned earlier, the primary function of isoleucine is to boost the energy level of the muscle cells.
Valine
The third member of the BCAA group of amino acids is Valine. The function and performance of valine in the body is probably the least researched amino acid and is not as documented as Leucine. Valine, as an essential amino acid, has a stimulating effect in the body. Valine is an essential amino acid that is required in order to maintain muscle cell metabolism and acts as a source of energy to the muscle cells and helps with repairing muscle tissue.
Dosing and Timing
The dosage and amount of BCAA needed for the body depends on your goals. However, generally the recommended dosage is around 8 g of BCAA per 1 kg weight of your body. This is more critical especially for athletes and bodybuilders.
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