1 What is BCAA?
Is it useful for our body?
The full name of BCAA is branched-chain amino acids. It also belongs to the amino acid class. Branched-chain amino acids are actually a complex amino acid that includes three amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine). These three amino acids are essential amino acids for the human body. The body cannot synthesize them by itself and can only be taken from food. Amino acids are the basic units that make up proteins and are essential substances for our body. Simply put, they are substances that synthesize muscles.
Now that we know what BCAA is, what are the benefits of eating them for the body? In fact, there are many benefits, and they are also very tempting:
(1) Anti-fatigue effect
Branched-chain amino acids have the effect of resisting central nervous system fatigue (that is, what we call brain fatigue) and muscle fatigue. This is the most important and useful point of branched-chain amino acids.
Many friends have experienced brain fatigue. In layman's terms, this feeling is that the body can keep up but the brain cannot, and this situation often happens. Central nervous system fatigue is actually very common, and supplementing with branched-chain amino acids can delay and relieve central nervous system fatigue.
Fatigue caused by exercise is actually a very complicated thing. The supplementation of branched-chain amino acids is mainly to speed up the recovery and removal of a series of substances in the body after exercise (free radical removal, blood lactate removal, glycogen recovery, etc.); branched-chain amino acids can reduce and delay the occurrence of delayed muscle soreness (the body will feel sore after a period of time after fitness. Friends have experienced the feeling of muscle soreness, so sour! It really makes people sit or stand, it can be said to be very painful).
The enhancement of the body's anti-fatigue ability can not only effectively ensure the quality of training, but also help improve athletic ability and performance, while also promoting fatigue recovery and avoiding sports injuries. There are still many benefits!
(2) Providing energy to the body in an emergency
In addition to being an important component of protein in the body, branched-chain amino acids can also help our muscles synthesize. They can also be broken down in peripheral tissues such as muscles and oxidized to produce energy (in layman's terms, for example, when the body is about to run out of energy or has run out of energy, branched-chain amino acids will play their role and provide energy to our body in time so that we can continue running). This advantage is very important when energy is about to run out.
(3) Promoting muscle synthesis
Long-term endurance exercise (marathon is a typical example of this exercise) is particularly prone to muscle loss, and supplementing branched-chain amino acids can promote protein synthesis (protein synthesis can be understood as muscle synthesis), help muscle recovery, and reduce muscle damage.
2 How to choose the ratio of branched-chain amino acids?
There are many brands selling branched-chain amino acids on the market now. Those who have bought them should know that there is a ratio problem with branched-chain amino acids. There are ratios ranging from 2:1:1 to 10:1:1 on the market. What is this ratio? It is actually the ratio of leucine: isoleucine: valine. So which one is the best? In fact, it depends on the main purpose of supplementation.
Leucine plays the most important role in muscle growth. Studies have shown that those who add extra leucine to protein and carbohydrate supplements after training have more significant muscle protein synthesis. Although leucine is good, the main function of branched-chain amino acids is to resist fatigue, so the recommended ratio is: leucine: isoleucine: valine = 2:1:1 products. This ratio can better play the role of branched-chain amino acids.
3 Who is suitable for supplementing branched-chain amino acids? When to supplement branched-chain amino acids?
After knowing the use of branched-chain amino acids, who is it suitable for? Simply put, anyone who wants to relieve fatigue can supplement it, such as athletes, fitness enthusiasts, etc. Generally healthy people can easily get enough branched-chain amino acids in their daily food, while some high-consumption people need additional supplements.
The anti-fatigue effect of branched-chain amino acids has been proven by animal studies a long time ago, so athletes have also started to eat branched-chain amino acids to resist fatigue. Of course, people who exercise regularly can also take branched-chain amino acids appropriately. Branched-chain amino acids are particularly suitable for long-term endurance exercise, so marathon runners are recommended to take them, which can effectively delay the occurrence of fatigue. Some parents also let their children with heavy academic pressure take branched-chain amino acids, which is also acceptable. Branched-chain amino acids can reduce brain fatigue (central fatigue), but be careful not to take too much!
Choosing the right time to supplement branched-chain amino acids is also very particular. Supplementation at different time points plays different roles. The following time points are ideal for marathon running:
1. Supplementing branched-chain amino acids before exercise is to reserve more BCAAs to prepare for marathon running. The body not only has sugar and fat to supply energy, but also has backup energy such as branched-chain amino acids, so the marathon running process is naturally handy.
2. It can also be supplemented appropriately during the marathon running process. This supplementation node is mainly when the energy substances in the body are almost exhausted, but there are still several kilometers to go. At this time, supplementing branched-chain amino acids can stimulate muscle cells to absorb glucose and prevent protein degradation. The catabolism of branched-chain amino acids can further strengthen the energy supply, which can enhance exercise capacity and prolong exercise time. Supplementing branched-chain amino acids during exercise can effectively slow down the occurrence of fatigue.
3. Supplement within 2 hours after exercise. After long-term endurance exercise such as marathon running, the body's glycogen (energy-providing substance) is consumed in large quantities, blood sugar content is also reduced, and the amount of alanine is also reduced accordingly. At this time, the content of lactic acid and free radicals in the body is very high. Timely supplementation of branched-chain amino acids can effectively prevent the accumulation of lactic acid in skeletal muscle, help lactic acid to be excreted from the body, effectively delay and reduce fatigue, and relieve the occurrence and development of muscle soreness.
Although branched-chain amino acids have no toxic side effects, don't take them in excess! Excessive supplementation of branched-chain amino acids can easily lead to increased ammonia concentrations in the blood and brain, which can easily cause ammonia poisoning, with disastrous consequences! So when you take branched-chain amino acids, you should still supplement them according to the recommended amount. There are also some chicken essence foods on the market that say they can resist fatigue and have passed the certification of healthy foods. In essence, branched-chain amino acids are added to chicken essence, and when a certain content is reached, the anti-fatigue effect can be marked. Recently, "burning amino acid" drinks are very popular in the market, and similarly, they are drinks with branched-chain amino acids added. Seeing this, do you find that the mysterious "fitness supplements" that are "unclear and powerful" have immediately become much more approachable!
