Branch Chain Amino Acid Supplements – Keeping Proper Amounts

From the outset, it had already been an established and accepted fact that amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The branch chain amino acids (fondly called by everyone as BCAAs) are called as such because their structure includes a “side chain” of one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms. Today, it is a body-building staple available as branch chain amino acids supplements.

These three acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) combine and are hydrophobic (water-fearing). Since they are involved in protein synthesis and energy production, BCAAs plays an important role in many of the body’s metabolic processes.

Muscle metabolism

One of their unique characteristics is that they can be metabolized in skeletal muscles which helps exercise performance and reduce muscle breakdown. The other essential amino acids are metabolized through the liver.

The intake of BCAA directly influences the plasma levels and concentration in the muscle tissue. They are oxidized for energy during exercise proper, acting as the exercise fuel. With its consumption before training, the muscle tissues can increase their routine uptakes.

More benefits

With BCAA as supplement, the lactate levels during resistance training are lowered, hence improving the oxidation in the muscles. It may also induce the increase of growth hormones in circulation, directly related to the anabolic mechanisms that cause muscle growth.

The mechanism suggests that BCAAs are known to increase protein synthesis to reduce muscle protein breakdown. Also, they are known to reduce muscle soreness after the workouts. In effect, they may also interfere with the transport of tryptophan to the brain and reducing the synthesis of serotonin to reduce the feeling of fatigue.

In the muscles, there is increase cell concentrations and breakdown of BCAA in the muscle tissues. These are continuously released from the liver to the skeletal muscles. With it, the BCAAs are enabled to assist in maintaining blood sugar levels.

Additional info

BCAAs are important to muscle tissues and in the maintenance of blood sugar. Consuming carbohydrates, protein, and amino acids beverages during and after exercises can induce insulin response.

This helps transport BCAAs into the body’s cells, in the muscle cells, the pathways for protein synthesis is dependent on leucine (a component of BCAA). This means that protein synthesis (and the building of muscles) is dependent on the amount of available leucine. Since BCAA levels decline in exercise, there is need to supplement them.

Synthesis

If you are doing strenuous exercise after a fast, or if you don’t eat after a routine, you will lose more protein than you can rebuild them. If you consume the sufficient amount of BCAA during this time, especially leucine, you will help the body’s protein synthesis.

Like all the other BCAA nutrients needed for supplementation, the body would need the appropriate amount of leucine to make proteins. The minimum intake has to be met to be able to impact the insulin signaling pathway.

With regards to the reduction in muscles soreness after a workout, Branch Chain Amino Acid supplements is a big help. Taken before and following damaging resistance exercise routines, branch chain amino acids supplements the amino acids was shown to reduce markers of soreness.