Our body needs a proper amount of protein, amino acids and other nutrients to stay healthy and keep our muscles stronger. If you are into fitness, then you must have heard about BCAA supplements and in fact you might have used it too and experienced the difference all by yourself. Don’t you want to know what exactly is this BCAA and how it works? Well! We are here to help you understand why your trainer is asking you to have BCAA supplements along with your daily workout regime.
What are BCAAs ?
Branched-Chain Amino Acids or commonly known as BCAAs are those essential amino acids that cannot be naturally produced by our body and therefore we need to either consume it in the means of dietary supplements or food. The BCAA supplements or food helps in enhancing the synthesis of protein in the muscles and also helps in suppressing the breakdown of muscle protein. The BCAAs act as a source of energy when the glucose levels in the body go down during hardcore exercise. The BCAA that contains leucine, isoleucine, and valine mixed in a proper ratio make up about 35% of our muscle mass.
What are the sources of BCAA?
Whey protein, milk products, baked beans, meat sources like beef and chicken, eggs, fish, soy proteins, pulses, seeds,almonds, chickpeas, brazil nuts,  and cereals are some of the best food sources of BCAA.
You can always consider having BCAA supplements as these supplements contain proteins and other vital nutrients along with BCAA. These supplements are super healthy and you can easily get them from any online or retail stores across the country. The BCAA price in India is quite affordable and especially if you get them from online stores like HealthKart or MuscleBlaze, you can get humongous discounts too. There are usually two types of BCAA supplements available in the market BCAA in the ratio 2:1:1 and BCAA 8:1:1.
What Are The Benefits Of Consuming BCAA Supplements?
Consuming BCAA supplements regularly will help you get the desired physique within a short span. Here are some of the benefits of using BCAA supplements:
- Helps in increasing the strength of your muscles
- Great for muscle growth
- Helps in quick recovery of muscles post a strenuous workout session
- Help in reducing hunger pangs and management of weight
- Help in preserving lean muscle mass
- Help in the synthesis of protein in the body
- Reduce soreness in muscles
- Help in preventing the onset of fatigue
- Keeps the body hydrated during strenuous workouts
- Maximizes the body’s anabolic state
- Prevents catabolism
- Help in producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which helps in maintaining the energy level of your body.
- Helps in maintaining the glucose level of your body and boost your energy level during rigorous workout sessions.
How To Consume BCAA supplements?
To consume BCAA supplements you need to mix one scoop of BCAA powder with about 200 ml of water, skimmed milk, almond milk or any cold beverage of your choice. If you wish to get the best out of the supplements, then try to consume the supplement twice in a day regularly. You can have it once between meals and again after a workout session. If you are into hardcore bodybuilding, then you can mix two scoops of this supplement. The supplements are available in delicious flavours so you can enjoy a good glass of chilled shake while staying healthy.
When to have a BCAA supplement?
If you are wondering when to consume these supplements, then here is the answer to your question:
- As these supplements help in keeping the muscles fueled with the necessary amount of amino acids and BCAAs, you can consume BCAA supplements during a workout.
- The Citrulline malate and active electrolytes present in BCAA supplements helps in providing your body with the extra dose of energy required before a rigorous workout session and therefore it can also be consumed before a workout session.
- BCAA supplements can help in rapid muscle recovery and reduce muscle soreness, thus they can also be consumed after a workout.
We hope we were able to give A to Z information on BCAA supplements along with its benefits. However, make sure not to exceed the dosage limits as mentioned by us or as mentioned by the brand of BCAA supplement. If you wish to increase the dosage then make sure to ask your trainer or doctor and work accordingly. Stay healthy, eat healthy and keep exercising.
Also Read: Stay Away From these diet foods to lose weight