{"id":22723,"date":"2023-04-20T13:00:42","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T12:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/?p=22723"},"modified":"2024-11-26T15:27:26","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T15:27:26","slug":"when-to-take-bcaa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/when-to-take-bcaa\/","title":{"rendered":"When to take BCAAs"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re into working out or going to the gym, you\u2019ll have heard about <\/span>BCAAs<\/b><\/a>. With some insights from <\/span>Simon Jurkiw<\/b><\/a>, Product Director at <\/span>Bulk\u2122<\/b>, we\u2019ll be diving into when to take BCAAs, but also their composition, their benefits and who should take them.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are BCAAs?<\/b><\/h2>\n

BCAAs, or <\/span>B<\/b>ranched-<\/span>C<\/b>hain <\/span>A<\/b>mino <\/span>A<\/b>cids, are a collection of three essential amino acids (EAAs). An <\/span>essential amino acid<\/b><\/a> is an amino acid that the body can\u2019t produce itself, so it must be obtained through the diet or through supplementation. Hence, essential. BCAAs contain leucine, isoleucine and valine, all of which are essential amino acids.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of BCAA products, they tend to be created in a 2:1:1 ratio\u201d, informs Simon, \u201cSo if you had a 10g serving of BCAAs, that would be 5g of leucine, 2.5g of Isoleucine and 2.5g of valine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can get different variations, from 4:1:1 to 8:1:1. All with leucine in higher quantities. So BCAA is a leucine dominant supplement.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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What do BCAAs do?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The main advantage of BCAAs is that they give you additional protein during your training session. They are also high in leucine, which plays a key role in muscle protein synthesis.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a scientific viewpoint, there really isn\u2019t a huge benefit in taking BCAAs above and beyond just hitting your daily protein requirements\u201d, says Simon.<\/span><\/p>\n

“There is some research on muscle soreness and on endurance, but mostly, BCAAs help to reach your total daily protein requirements and are a convenient way to have protein during a training session.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

By taking BCAAs, you are better equipped for building muscle mass, stimulating protein synthesis and reducing muscle breakdown. BCAAs are also useful for calorie-restricted diets. Easy to mix with water, a refreshing BCAA drink is an enjoyable, efficient way to increase your protein intake.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s take a quick look at research for the benefits of BCAAs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reducing muscle soreness\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

As part of a balanced diet, BCAAs may help to relieve muscle soreness. A range of studies trialling placebos against BCAAs have suggested that they may be useful for improving muscle soreness after bouts of exercise. However, within the studies there were discrepancies over timing of supplementation and range of exercises (<\/span>1<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>2<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>3<\/b><\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Readily accessible and easy to supplement<\/b><\/h3>\n

BCAAs are accessible. By upping your protein intake or taking a BCAA-based supplement, you can easily increase your intake. BCAA supplements come in a range of fruity flavours, so there\u2019s something to suit everyone. It\u2019s an easy way to get a steady supply of protein throughout the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Summary:<\/span><\/p>\n