Are BCCA Supplements Good for You?

BCCA Supplements for Your Workout Routine

Almost every day, you hear the name of a new supplement. With so many dietary supplements in the market, each one is trying to offer something new, something different to its consumers. 

Many of these supplement ingredients sound like medical jargon to your ears; you can’t pronounce the names, let alone understand their benefits and implications. An athlete friend, a nutritionist, or a regular gym-goer would, however, have heard of BCCAs, if not consumed it at some point.

Let’s understand what BCCAs are and what benefits this powerful supplement holds for you.

What Are BCCAs?

BCCAs stand for Branched-Chain Amino Acids. 

We remember what amino acids are from our science class, right? There are 20 different amino acids in our body which are responsible for making proteins.  9 of the 20 amino acids are essential, meaning that your body cannot produce them, and you have to obtain these from eating foods that are rich in them. Out of these 9, 3 are branched-chain amino acids, namely isoleucine, valine, and leucine. They have been given the name “branched-chain” because of their chemical structures, which all have one branch shooting off to one side. See, that wasn’t so hard, right? But what good does consuming it do for us? 

Benefits of BCCAs for Athletes and Gym-Goers

BCCAs are usually popular with gym-goers and workout freaks because it helps them perform at their best.

Decreases Muscle Soreness

BCCAs are said to help with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which occurs after a few hours of exercise due to tiny tears in the muscles post-workout. Studies show that BCCAs help prevent muscle damage by limiting protein breakdown, indicated by the low levels of creatine kinase in people who supplemented with BCCAs.

Alleviates Exercise Fatigue

There is a direct relationship between serotonin production and BCCA depletion in the body. As the body uses up its BCCAs during a workout, it makes more serotonin, leading to post-workout fatigue. Experiments show that people who took BCCA supplements overcame fatigue faster than those who didn’t. 

Increased Muscle Growth

The BCAA leucine, when consumed, activates muscle protein synthesis that aids in muscle formation. Multiple types of research have shown that people who consume BCCA rich supplements post-workout develop muscle mass.

BCCA Supplements

BCCAs are naturally present in beef, chicken, tuna, eggs and whey and soy protein powders. However, if you do not consume a diet that is rich in BCCAs or your required daily recommendation of BCCAs isn’t being fulfilled merely by natural foods, there are many dietary supplements in the market. Powdered BCCA supplements are commonly used by athletes, bodybuilders, and gym-goers who indulge in intense workouts. Because of how it helps relieve fatigue and muscle soreness, it is incorporated into a lot of gym supplements, like Lenogize by Lenovie. With the combined benefits of BCCAs and Creatine, you will stay pumped up at the gym throughout your workout session.