Have you heard people talk about BCAA’s and think to yourself “What the heck is that??????”

Have you been working out long-term and feel like you’ve hit a plateau? Do you take any supplements?

BCAA’s stand for Branched-Chain Amino Acids. Not like real acid though…. Haha

There are 3 BCAA’s which are isoleucine, leucine, and valine. You may be thinking why do I need these if I already take protein?

While protein provides all of these PLUS the essential amino acids, it does not provide a high amount of grams of each in which you would have to intake a higher dosage of protein. Maybe that’ll work for you but if you’d like a different and QUICKER approach, try BCAA’s!!!

To put into perspective, 30-40 grams of Whey protein would provide around 1 gram of isoleucine, 2 grams of leucine, and 1 gram of valine. Meanwhile, on average,

“ONLY 5 grams of BCAA’s alone can provide up to 1.25 grams of isoleucine, 2.5 grams of leucine, and 1.25 grams of valine!”

The most important Branched-Chain Amino Acid to focus on is leucine. It is known as the “main driver” for muscle protein synthesis and muscle repair by preventing the breakdown of muscle.

Why do we want these benefits if we are working out often throughout the week?

“Faster muscle recovery MEANS faster muscle growth!”

The most ideal time to intake BCAA’s would be before your workout and even during your workout. It’s purpose is to help reduce muscle fatigue by improving muscle endurance, reduce soreness, get quicker results from training, and even speeds up your metabolism!

If you recall from earlier, I spoke about how we don’t get as much BCAA’s out of our regular 1-2 scoops of protein. While just ONE scoop of protein carries up to 100 calories, a scoop of BCAA’s only carries up to 4 calories. If you are shooting for a calorie deficit, BCAA’s would be the most convenient and efficient way to intake the branched-chain amino acids.

How much BCAA’s should you intake? We mainly recommend to takw 2 scoops but to be more accurate, about 100 mg/kg of your body weight per day will provide the most benefit. If you range from 110-180 pounds of weight, this would be anywhere between 5-8 grams.

My WHY for writing this blog is because I, personally, noticed better results. Not only physically but endurance wise as well. Training often throughout the week, my body began to feel fatigued! I did not want to turn to preworkout or anything extremely high in caffeine. Knowing that BCAA’s would give me more energy as a result of allowing my muscles to recover faster was definitely what had me buy in and I don’t regret it! If you have any questions after reading this, feel free to ask me any questions! Stay awesome 🙂

Coach Lopez