What are Essential Amino Acids? Prolab Nutrition Explains

What are Amino Acids?

BCAA supplements are popular among athletes and fitness enthusiasts, but what exactly are they? BCAA stands for branched-chain amino acids, which are essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own. These aminos must be obtained through diet or supplementation. BCAAs are made up of three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. Together, these three aminos make up around 35% of your body’s muscle protein. That’s why BCAA supplements are often marketed to help preserve muscle mass and promote muscle growth. But that’s not all BCAAs can do. Studies have also shown that BCAA supplements can help minimize protein breakdown during exercise and improve exercise performance. In other words, BCAAs can help you get more out of your daily workout. And while BCAA supplements are often marketed toward men, they can be beneficial for women as well. So, if you’re looking for a way to improve your workout performance,  PROLAB BCAA Plus may be right for you.

What Do BCAAs Do?

BCAA supplements are a win-win for your muscles—they help sustain and safeguard them. That's potentially more energy, more reps and more gains. BCAA stands for branched-chain amino acids. BCAA benefits fuel your skeletal muscles during training, which can help give you the edge you need to push your limits. Supplementing with BCAAs helps preserve your stores of glycogen—the primary fuel your muscles use for energy production. This means your body has a reliable energy source to tap into while you work out, which can keep you going. Plus, abundant glycogen stores keep your body from breaking down muscle protein for energy instead. What do BCAAs do for the body? BCAA supplements are a win-win for your muscles—they help sustain and safeguard them. That's potentially more energy, more reps and more gains!

What Are BCAAs Good For?

BCAA supplements are often added to protein powders since they can help enhance muscle protein recovery after your workout. BCAA supplements can help you reach your fitness goals by increasing muscle growth and improving exercise performance. They may also help with weight loss and reducing fatigue after exercise. In one study, people who consumed a drink with 5.6 grams of BCAAs after their resistance workout had a 22% greater increase in muscle protein synthesis compared to those who consumed a placebo drink.

Some research suggests that BCAA supplements can help to decrease muscle soreness after a workout, making them an appealing option for those who are looking to improve their exercise recovery. While the exact mechanism is not fully understood, it is thought that BCAA supplements may help to reduce the amount of muscle damage that occurs after exercise. This, in turn, can help to reduce the length and severity of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).