Have you seen someone in the gym drinking some colorful liquids? So mostly these colorful liquids are BCAA (Branch Chain Amino Acid).
Our Supplement industry is a multimillionaire industry that has been projected to be 624.7 billion USD by end of 2030.
This is not bcoz of the growing awareness of supplements among people but bcoz of the cruel marketing strategy of the supplement industry. Where they are trying to create a need for a product that is not needed. This does not apply to all the supplements that are available in the market. Few work very well but most fail to hold their promises & claims.
Tomorrow your fitness influencer comes with a pack of BCAA saying that by only having it he has got his physique. Without any scientific research or reviews, he will claim those things and many of us will also believe him blindly. This is just his personal experience or feeling about that particular product nothing else.
Body building.com [1] which is one of the most famous fitness portals also promotes BCAA. Thereby creating a need for everyone who does a workout in the gym. And this article is written by a famous person in the fitness industry.
The fitness industry is full of so much misinformation & myths that a common man won't be able to judge what is wrong & what is right. When I started my journey 6yrs ago my gym trainer also suggested I have whey protein for muscle building & BCAA for muscle recovery.
I was also in the same notion that it works as I was unaware of the science behind it.
A few days before I made a poll in my social media story where 250 people participated & here are the results.
So before diving into any conclusion let's understand what is BCAA.
Branch Chain Amino Acid is consist of 3 essential amino acids i.e Leucine, Isoleucine & Valine. Essential amino acids are those amino acids that our body can't produce on its own but they need for daily functioning.
In total 9 amino acids can be completed from diet & supplements.
Our body in general needs 5-20gms of BCAA to enhance muscle protein synthesis & prevent muscle loss. And mostly we get it from our diet & don't we need to supplement it from outside through supplementation.
Studies say that BCAA can enhance muscle growth and alleviate muscle fatigue. But BCAAs alone do not provide an optimal muscle protein synthesis response, as all essential amino acids are required for muscle protein synthesis. There seems to be a role for BCAA supplementation in increasing muscle protein synthesis if they are taken along with a meal that has an adequate amount of essential amino acids. However, there is no evidence that BCAA supplementation enhances muscle strength or hypertrophy when adequate protein requirements are met. [2]
A few of my mentees say that after having BCAA they feel energetic & it's a good intra-workout. It happens bcoz BCAA acutely spikes insulin & mimics simple carbs.
So do you need BCAA?
No, you don't need this. Few people say that if you are not having enough protein then you should take it. But then also you should not bcoz it only contributes to your muscle's growth & muscle protein synthesis if all other essential amino acids are completed from food sources.
So to conclude focus on your protein intake with the help of whole food & protein supplements if required & don't go for any colorful drinks.
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