The BCAAs include leucine, isoleucine, and valine, and they support everything from anabolic muscle building to high-intensity endurance training to improving mental function and mood. They are among the nine essential amino acids that the body is unable to make, meaning they must be ingested through food or supplements. BCAAs are found in high-protein foods such as meat and whey protein. As their name suggests, BCAAs have a branched side chain that simplifies the job of converting each amino acid into energy during intense exertion. The more BCAAs that are present in the muscles, the more they will be used for energy, slowing the breakdown of muscles cells and preventing catabolism. At the most basic level, BCAAs trigger protein synthesis, increase energy expenditure and have been shown to improve glucose tolerance (glucose intolerance is a precursor to diabetes). What’s exciting about this is that BCAAs work even when you aren’t working out, meaning that if you have to take time off, BCAAs will help minimize fat gain and muscle loss from inactivity. Equally, on days when you don’t exercise, BCAAs are just as important as during and post-workout. 1) BCAAs Enhance Muscle Protein Synthesis A study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that BCAA supplementation can contribute to an anabolic environment in the body. Leucine-enriched BCAAs (a BCAA mixture that is 40 percent leucine) was shown to elevate and prolong protein synthesis after resistance training. There was evidence of a dose-dependent response to BCAAs, meaning that more is better, which is why I suggest taking them before, during, and after training. BCAA supplementation results in maximal protein synthesis because it increases the intracellular availability of amino acids and activates something called the mTORC1 signaling pathway that is essential for muscle building. Take note that aging is associated with an impaired ability to activate mTORC1 signaling and protein synthesis. Are you getting this? In older individuals, this pathway is not activated to the same extent as in younger trainees after training unless leucine-enriched EAAs are ingested! Another great benefit of BCAAs is that if you have to take time off from training due to injury, a need for a break, or lack of time, they will minimize muscle loss and fat gain. A study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that giving BCAAs to rats who had their hind-limbs immobilized for six days helped preserve protein synthesis that regulates cell growth. The BCAAs didn’t completely prevent protein degradation and muscle atrophy in the rats’ hind limbs, but they helped preserve the muscle to a greater extent than a placebo. The BCAA-fed rats also had lower body fat levels following immobilization. MY TAKEAWAY: Leucine-Enriched BCAAs Support Muscle Growth And Fat Loss 2) Higher BCAA Levels Correlate With A Lean Body Composition Research shows that individuals with a higher BCAA intake in their diets have lower rates of obesity, lower body weight, and better body composition. Researchers suggest that leucine increases energy expenditure and improves glucose tolerance. A review in the journal Aging found that BCAAs, and in particular leucine, “appear to have unique obesity-reducing effects” because they decrease food intake and body weight by increasing the gene signaling of that mTOR pathway that I mentioned in #1. The benefits of BCAAs for a lean physique are confirmed with a large study of 4429 subjects in which those with greater amounts of BCAAs in their diets were the slimmest and had significantly less chance of being overweight than those with lower BCAA intake. Researchers think leucine is the magic bullet for a slim body comp, although only in conjunction with the other BCAAs—a leucine-enriched mixture is best. MY TAKEAWAY: BCAAs Increase Fat Burning And Keep You Lean 3) BCAAs Result in a Better Testosterone to Cortisol Ratio and Muscle Building BCAAs will minimize the cortisol response that comes from the stress of exercise. This is ideal because cortisol degrades the muscles and can lead to greater fat gain. Less cortisol means a more favorable testosterone to cortisol (T:C) ratio that will result in faster recovery and more muscle development. Two studies highlight the role of BCAAs in decreasing muscle protein degradation. A 2010 study found that taking BCAAs in conjunction with resistance training produces significantly higher testosterone levels than a placebo. Participants who took BCAAs also had a lower cortisol response. This is significant because both strength gains and a decrease in protein degradation are more correlated with a better testosterone to cortisol ratio than total testosterone levels. Fitandfuel.org !?
Posted on: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 23:02:33 +0000
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