
Say you’re finally making the commitment to lift weights and you want to maximize results. What do you do? You complement your workout program with a healthy diet and supplements like BCAA to achieve more muscle mass! But what is BCAA and why is it considered as a must-have by professional bodybuilders?
What is BCAA?
BCAA is a type of health supplement that contains three types of branched out amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These compounds increase protein synthesis as well as increase the body cells’ capacity for protein synthesis. In short, BCAA works on a cellular level to help you achieve a hard body.
Dieting alone will not help you achieve a leaner, toner body. A low-calorie diet actually does the opposite; it triggers the brain to “eat” muscle tissues to supplement the lack of calories from the food we eat. Think of it this way, if you’re dieting, your body’s breaking down your own muscle tissues. The level of protein synthesis in the body is decreased as well. If you’re trying to bulk up to perfect your physique, no amount of dieting will take you there.

Benefits of BCAA
Prevents Fatigue
Apart from helping you achieve a super-toned body, BCAA supplements also stabilize the effects of increased serotonin in the brain after you work out. You heard how exercising releases happy hormones in the brain. When you take BCAA supplements, it reduces the level of tryptophan that enters the brain. This will help you work even harder to achieve a hard body without dealing with chronic fatigue after!
This is why BCAA is a popular post-workout supplement. Compounds in BCAAs help minimize soreness, muscle pain, and swelling from physically demanding fitness programs and increases stamina and endurance.
Prevents Potbelly
Did you know those who take BCAAs after every meal have less fat accumulation in the abdominal area apart from having more muscle mass? Because BCAA triggers the body to burn off fat without breaking down muscle tissue, all that’s left is lean muscle mass that you can tone, sculpt, and shape to get the body of your dreams.
Triggers mTORC1
When you combine BCAAs with resistance training, it triggers a process called the mTORC1. MTORC1 signals pathways that are critical in building more muscles. The alanine, aspartate, and glutamate in BCAAs nourishes the muscle tissues, boosting its performance.
Helps You Burn Fat (Even in Inactivity)
Who says you only burn off fat when you’re exercising? By taking BCAAs, you also burn off more fat and preserve lean muscles even if you are inactive. What’s more, BCAAs stimulate the metabolic rate to burn off calories and inhibit the body from storing excess fat from the food you eat.
In fact, several studies conclude that people taking BCAAs have lower body fat and more muscle mass. They also have better body composition and less chance of gaining weight as opposed to others with low BCAA intake.
The leucine content of BCAAs may be responsible for leanness in muscles. It stimulates fat oxidation, pushes for greater fat mobilization to boost metabolism, and enables more fat loss from a combination of diet and exercise.