5 REASONS WHY WOMEN SHOULD TAKE BCAA'S
Are branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) the missing key to your wellbeing?
What are they, and why are they important for female health?
And how can you ensure that you consume enough BCAAs to succeed in the gym, get the body you want, and flourish?
Let’s start at the beginning…
What are branched chain amino acids?
The body uses amino acids to build proteins. Different proteins digest food, promote growth, repair damage, speed up processes, and act as a fuel, when necessary. But amino acids take different forms…
Some are essential: you cannot survive without consuming them in your diet.
Some are non-essential: your body can produce them, when required.
Some are conditional: your body is able to make them under normal circumstances. However, when illness or stress hits, they must be included in the diet.
Branched chain amino acids, often called BCAAs, fall into the essential category. You must consume them in your diet to remain well (alive, in fact).
The “branched chain” term simply refers to their chemical structure; the way these proteins are configured. Three proteins are formed in this way: leucine, isoleucine and valine. These amino acids are the three BCAAs.
In food, branched chain amino acids are found in dairy, eggs, fish, and meat, plus vegan sources like beans, nuts, and whole grains. They are also popular as a dietary supplement.
The recommended intake should account for “46% of all essential amino acids, namely 39 mg leucine, 20 mg isoleucine, and 26 mg valine per kilogram body weight every day.”
But, as with other nutrients, many people miss the mark. Deficiency is common. So, it's important that you take steps to ensure you consume enough or your health will suffer.
With that said, the benefits of consuming BCAAs are numerous. Let’s look at our 5 favs…
1. An immediate source of natural energy
Branched chain amino acids are a usable form of energy. Yes, an alternative to carbohydrates, or sugars.
As the article, Metabolic and Physiological Roles of Branched-Chain Amino Acids, says:
In muscle, BCAAs… provide [a] source of oxidation for production of energy but also act as a precursor for muscle protein synthesis. BCAAs are more energy efficient than glucose.
In short, these proteins are a more efficient source of energy than carbs…
And they help to increase your muscle bulk too (more on this soon)!
If you feel your every day and your workouts would benefit from extra firepower, BCAAs might just be what you need; the shot of energy you've been missing.
2. Reduces muscle soreness
When you hit the gym, it’s common to feel tender for a day or two (even three) afterwards. This discomfort is called delayed onset soreness, or DOMS. It can be severe enough to limit further performance in the short-term, even causing you to second guess a follow-up session.
DOMS is thought to result from tiny muscle tears sustained during physical exertion. Lifting weights, for example.
But BCAAs, with their ability to reduce exercise-induced muscle breakdown, have been shown to reduce soreness following exercise.
3. Boosts lean muscle mass gain and accelerates recovery
Increasing lean muscle mass leads to a fitter, stronger, more streamlined and toned body that can better burn fat.
So, how can you encourage these positive changes in your body?
BCAAs might offer a way to amp up your muscle growth efforts and aid your recovery, promoting a virtuous cycle.
A 2013 study investigated recovery after a period of immobilization. Supplementing with the BCAA, leucine, and an antioxidant and polyphenol mix led to the acceleration of muscle mass and recovery.
The authors concluded that this type of “nutritional supplementation accelerated the recovery of muscle mass via a stimulation of protein synthesis throughout the entire day.”
Other research has shown that the combination of resistance training and essential amino acid supplementation:
— enlarges the myofiber cross-sectional area; it bolsters muscle fiber size
— increases lean mass
— induces muscle protein synthesis (leucine, a BCAA, can do this in isolation)
— appears to enhance exercise recovery
4. Supports healthy fat loss
Are you struggling to shed unwanted fat?
Stuck on a frustrating plateau?
Or wondering if there's a natural secret to attaining a slimmer silhouette?
Branched chain amino acids might be the answer that solves these questions.
BCAAs appear to be beneficial for metabolic health. Their breakdown increases the body’s ability to burn fatty acids and reduces the risk of obesity.
Unsurprisingly, research has shown that a higher dietary intake is linked to lower rates of overweight and obesity.
As supplementation improves body composition, exercise performance, glucose control, muscle properties, and reduces exercise fatigue, there is little wonder BCAA products are super popular!
5. Reinforces protective immune function
As we've learnt over the pandemic, there is more to health than we’ve tended to focus on. Ways to boost immune function have grabbed our attention as we’ve searched to proactively protect ourselves from infection.
Branched chain amino acids have an important role to play here, too…
As Professor Philip Calder from the University of Southampton puts it, BCAAs are “absolutely essential for lymphocyte responsiveness and are necessary to support other immune cell functions.”
In other words, these unique amino acids encourage white blood cells to kill invaders, and they reduce the risk of infection.
The BCAA takeaway
Branched chain amino acids offer a host of benefits…
From providing an immediate source of natural energy, to reducing muscle soreness, helping you to gain lean muscle mass, to accelerating recovery, supporting healthy fat loss, and protecting your incredible immune system, BCAAs are a key nutrient.
As essential amino acids, they must be consumed. Yet many people are deficient.
The easiest, fastest way to ensure sufficiency is by supplementing with a high-quality science-backed product.
AminoLoad contains hearty levels of each of the three BCAAs - leucine, isoleucine and valine — plus good doses of the remaining six essential amino acids. Additionally, electrolytes aid hydration and taste.
Together, the ingredients in this potent, natural product will support you to:
— ensure a sufficient dose (no more deficiency)
— gain additional nutrients that supercharge your health
— have ready access to an evidence-based supply
— spend your precious time doing what you love, rather than being chained to your kitchen
— stay hydrated
— promote better results
That's why Deborah M. says, I “can’t live without my AminoLoad. BEST BEST BEST tasting product! Never do I let my supply get too low… helps SO MUCH with my workout and muscle recovery; can’t imagine my fitness journey without it!”
Grab your AminoLoad now. We think you’re going to love it! (In fact, we guarantee it!)
