Fitness and Nutrition Facts for a Common Man - 3 (BCAA's)

                         Branched Chained Amino Acids (BCAA's)

My last blogpost on Protein and its benefits have now surely given you guys a concept on how important protein is and what benefits you could gain with proteins in your diet everyday. 

This blogpost will be a little intense for the readers and as well as for me is what I told a reader on Twitter. We will have very simple but a deep insight on Branched Chained Amino Acids. To start with let me tell you that there are actually 22 AA's but Proteins are made up of 20 amino acids only.  

The body needs amino acids for 2 reasons:

To make proteins and for their own individual functions.

BCAA's :

All the 20 amino acids are divided into 2 groups in the old school way but we will divide the amino acids into 4 groups for better and simpler understanding as follows:

Essential Amino Acids : 

There are nine essential Amino Acids  :

1. Methionine
2. Threonine
3. Trytophan
4. Valine                           BRANCHED
5. Isoleucine                     CHAINED
6. Leucine                       AMINO ACIDS
7. Phenylalanine
8. Histidine
9. Lysine

Now you must be asking yourself that why are these 9 in the category of Essential Amino Acids? If yes , your answer is as follows :

• Body cannot make these 9 amino acids
• Compulsory to give them in the diets (FOR EVERYBODY)
• Essential and Non-Essential does not refer to the importance
• ALL amino acids are important important for making muscle protein
• Essential means compulsory in diet for everyone
• Non essential means 'Not compulsory' in diet for everyone. But better if given so that muscle growth is faster.

Conditionally Essential Amino Acids :

1. Glutamine
2. Arginine

• Requirement increases due to exercise
• Body makes them but not in enough quantity
• Compulsory to give them in the diet (for exercising persons)

Semi-Essential Amino Acids :

1. Cysteine
2. Tyrosine

• Made up from essential amino acids - Methionine & Phenylalanine respectively
• Use up significant amount of Essential amino acids
• Required in the diet to spare both EAA for muscle repair & other functions

Non-Essential Amino Acids :

1. Alanine
2. Asparagine
3. Aspartic Acid
4. Glutamic Acid
5. Glycine
6. Proline
7. Serine 

• Body makes them but at a slow rate
• Not compulsory to give from diet
• If given readymade in the diet, body can make protein faster without waiting till amino acids are made

Even the most serious of lifters are left wondering why they need to take additional amino acids when they are already getting so many amino acids in all the protein they are consuming. The truth is that individual amino acids can influence muscle growth through a variety of different pathways, and of all the amino acids none have been shown to be more important than the branched chain amino acids.

The Three BCAAs

The BCAAs are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. The name "branched-chain amino acids" is derived from the structure of these compounds. Each one has a forked outcropping that looks a bit like a branch, hence the name branched chain amino acids and even though there are about 20 amino acids that the muscles use for growth, the BCAAs comprise roughly a third of the amino's within muscle tissue. So if muscle growth is your goal BCAAs are a must.

Metabolism

While most amino acids are metabolized in the liver BCAAs are metabolized primarily by muscle. Despite their structural similarities the three branched chain amino acids have different metabolic routes. The breakdown of leucine is accomplished solely through fat pathways.  Valine is broken down solely through carbohydrate pathways, and isoleucine through both. The different metabolic pathways of these three amino acids lead to varying requirements for each.

BCAAs, unlike most other amino acids, are metabolized in within muscle tissue, allowing them to be oxidized (used as energy) by muscle cells to produce cellular energy in the form of ATP. ATP is the primary source of energy that fuels muscle contraction and allows you to lift weights.

The fact that leucine, isoleucine, and valine are metabolized within muscle tissue allows them to be a quick energy source when the body needs it. There is a significant increase in BCAA metabolism during prolonged exercise simply because the body requires more energy during periods of stress such as training. This makes BCAAs incredibly effective when taken around workout time.

The unique metabolic processes, requirements, and versatility of BCAAs allow them to impact nearly every aspect of training.

BCAAs And Performance

Improving performance during training is of utmost importance no matter what your goals. If you are an athlete, improved performance will help you in your sport of choice during actual competition. Improved performance is just as important to bodybuilders

since improved performance translates into more weight lifted for more reps, which eventually translates into more muscle growth.

BCAAs have been proven in many studies to be a potent performance enhancer, and as previously mentioned, BCAAs make a great energy source for working muscles because of their unique metabolism. This can have a positive impact on performance. Not only can BCAAs be used as energy themselves but they also enhance fat oxidation in glycogen depleted subjects. This allows individuals to train harder for longer without fatigue due to the higher energy demands being met. This goes for both high intensity training as well as endurance training.

Another way that BCAAs can enhance performance is through their ability to spare glycogen during training. Found as stored carbohydrates within muscle tissue and the liver, glycogen is the favored fuel source for working muscles engaged in high intensity exercise. This makes glycogen availability and preservation vitally important if you wish to continue to train hard for longer periods of time. Studies have shown that by ingesting BCAAs before and during training glycogen levels can be spared by 25%. It is thought that the ingestion of BCAAs boosts blood alanine levels which gets converted to glucose in the liver and then sent back to working muscle to be used as fuel. This glycogen sparing effect of BCAAs will not only allow for longer more intense training sessions but also allows for faster recovery leading to a better workout tomorrow.

BCAAs And Fat Loss

The effects of BCAA intake on fat loss is something that has only been explored in more recent years. Newer research is showing that BCAAs can have a positive effect on fat loss. This doesn’t mean you can eat pizza at every meal with a side of BCAAs

Little Humor!! :D

and the fat will just melt away though. BCAAs seem to maximize fat loss when one is already on a fat loss diet. On any fat loss diet, carbohydrates will need to be lowered to some degree. It seems that BCAAs ability to spare glycogen and increase insulin sensitivity may play a role in speeding up the results of a fat loss plan.

BCAAs should also be used as a supplement during any fat loss plan because of the muscle preserving effects. On any calorie restricted plan muscle tissue loss is a serious concern that must be addressed. All of the positive effects that BCAAs have on muscle growth will also serve to protect muscle during periods of calorie restriction. It is always important to remember that anything which builds muscle will also preserve muscle.

So now we know how important BCAA's are and with proper nutrition and exercise BCAA's can do a lot of benefits in a short span of time. In fact, without taking BCAA supplements protein synthesis would be incomplete and give you results at a very slow rate. BCAA's taken pre , during and post workout will give you the best results in a very short span of time. Short span of time doesn't mean impatience or cheating , here we see it as deserving what you've worked hard for. 

Well, my faithful and "fitspires"(what I call my reader's and fitness freaks) next post will be a surprise to me and to you'll as well. If you have any doubts or comments to make you know what to do :) . Till next time and always  WAKE . RUN . LIFT . EAT . SLEEP. REPEAT , INSPIRE!!

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