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Of late, there has been a growing use in the consumption of BCAAs, especially among those looking to keep fit.
You might have perhaps noticed your fellow gym partners consuming BCAA for weight loss.
So, what exactly are BCAAs and how could they assist you to realize your weight loss goals?
Branched-chain amino acids, and, consist of the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
They are not naturally produced in the human body, and thus must be obtained from other sources in order to enjoy their benefits.
They occur naturally in protein-rich lentils and lean proteins like fish and chicken.
They are also available in capsule or powder form for easy consumption. Check out our guide: Best bcca for women brands!
When in the form of supplements, BCAAs get to the bloodstream a lot faster, thus making them more suitable for pre-workout.
Contents
Why BCAAs are good for promoting weight loss
BCAAs are a mixture of essential amino acids and they ought to constitute 40 percent of your recommended consumption of all the nine key amino acids.
Their structure (branched-chain) makes it easy for the human body to obtain energy from every amino acid when exercising.
The more your muscles have, the more the energy you will be capable of using from them.
This assists in preventing the breakdown as well as loss of muscles.
Benefits of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) for weight loss
Consumption of BCAAs s quite common amongst gym goers, especially those wanting to shed off some weight, while maintaining a lean muscular build.
So, how do they help and what are their benefits?
- Allows you to lose fat whilst retaining muscle mass
According to various researches and studies, these essential aminos work keenly to prevent the loss of muscles.
This is particularly good for those individuals going through a weight loss phase in their fitness journey.
Most of the times, when cutting fat, a fraction of muscle mass is usually sacrificed because of the limited calorie consumption and the more time dedicated to cardio compared to lifting weights.
BCAAs have, however, been proven to stop muscle loss during those periods when the muscles are completely immobile.
You can now shed off that fat without the fear of undoing your hard earned benefits.
- Eliminates muscle soreness allowing you to work out more
It promote protein synthesis; the formation of new muscle cells.
They assist in maintaining and growing muscles, speeding up the process of muscle tearing and gaining that leads to soreness.
They are also helpful when it comes to increasing the growth hormones in our bodies and assisting to maintain the levels of testosterone and cortisol that also help the body in quickly recovering from muscle soreness.
This is great news for those who train harder and longer.
- Minimizes cravings and binges of sugar
You could regulate your blood sugar and glucose levels by making sure that your intake of BCAAs is at a good level.
If available in the body, they promote the majority of blood sugar production when exercising.
This makes them very helpful for those exercising while on a restricted calorie diet.
They are constantly being released by the liver and they play a huge role in maintaining the steadiness of the body’s blood sugar.
This helps prevent a dip in your blood sugar, which makes you crave a quick solution from highly processed or sweet and sugary drinks and foods.
- Assist you to workout harder and longer
Similar to the way that branched-chain amino acids help minimize and prevent sugar cravings, their regulation of blood sugar also helps in maximizing your workout sessions.
In making sure that your muscles have sufficient energy, BCAAs power your performance to make sure that your goals are being met.
Through blood sugar regulation, your body will be capable of handling extended periods of exercise without any problems.
The flash of power will help you burn more body fat.
In addition, they also reduce serotonin levels in the body.
This helps in keeping the brain feeling alert and ready to concentrate on the training.
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How to use BCAAs to Lose Weight
Combine your demanding workout regime with BCAAs to maximize your outcomes.
After a certain period of time, your weight loss results will surely be improved.
BCAAs should be taken pre-workout in order to reduce muscle fatigue and maintain muscle mass when involved in cardio such as cycling, swimming, or even running.
It is also quite helpful for lower weight but higher repetition exercises.
This ensures that are burning fat without undoing muscle building.
To help avoid muscle tiredness, you should replenish your BCAAs in the course of your training.
This will boost your energy and helps to deter the effect of relaxing serotonin thus allowing you to concentrate more in your training.
In case you choose to ingest it post-workout, you will be assisting your body in absorbing other essential amino acids into the muscles.
This helps with muscle recovery, growth, and maintenance.
Other Supplements that can be used with BCAAs to Lose Weight
Other supplements that can be used in conjunction with BCAAs in losing weight include:
- Glutamine:
If working out makes you feel extremely tired or perhaps even sick, then glutamine could help minimize inflammation as well as the risk of infection.
Glutamine also encourages the growth of muscles through glycogen regulation within the body, thus encouraging performance and boosting muscle growth.
- Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA):
According to various research, CLA can help you to lose fat whilst maintaining muscle tissue.
In addition, CLAs contain omega fatty acids, also referred to as good fat.
When BCAAs should not be used and why
First, BCAAs should not be used by alcoholics.
Their dietary use in such individuals has been linked to liver disease which eventually results in damage of the brain (hepatic encephalopathy).
Second, infants with blood sugar should avoid BCAAs.
The consumption of one of the BCAAs, leucine to be specific, has been found to reduce blood sugar in children suffering from a condition known as idiopathic hypoglycemia.
Some studies insinuate that leucine causes the release of insulin from the pancreas, which in turn reduces blood sugar.
Lastly, it should be avoided before after surgery.
If you are scheduled for surgery, stop the use of BCAAs at least two weeks prior to your surgery.
BCAAs may affect the levels of your blood sugar, and this may interfere with the control of blood sugar both during and after surgery.
Conclusion
BCAAs have been proven to be quite effective when it comes to losing weight whilst maintaining muscle mass.
Apart from helping you to exercise harder and longer, they also get rid of muscle pain and minimize sugar cravings.
When combined with a demanding workout regimen, your weight loss goals will be realized sooner rather than later.
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