BCAA Fact Sheet, FAQs & Product List

BCAA (branched chain amino acids) fact sheet and information page. This page contains everything you need to know about BCAAs! At the bottom of the page you'll find a complete list of discounted BCAA products.

Quick jump to the sub-sections on this page:

1. What are BCAAs?
2. What do BCAAs do?
3. What is a metabolic pathway?
4. BCAAs and muscle growth.
5. The difference between essential and non-essential amino acids.
   
6. Common questions about BCAAs.
   
7. Complete listing of discounted BCAA products.
   

What are BCAAs?

BCAAs (branched chain amino acids) are the essential aminos leucine, isoleucine, and valine. The combination of these three amino acids makes up approximately 1/3 of skeletal muscle tissue in the human body. BCAAs play a very important role in protein synthesis (the production of proteins in cells from amino acids to build muscle).

What do BCAAs do?

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. When you eat food containing protein, it gets digested through the intestines and stomach. During this process the protein is broken down into individual amino acids and short chains of amino acids. These amino acids are small enough to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Once the amino acids are absorbed into the bloodstream they have far reaching effects across the entire body. Amino acids are involved in muscle repair (lean muscle building), essential brain functions and even hair growth just to name a few.

What is a metabolic pathway?

To understand just how important BCAAs are to muscle building and recovery you need to know what a metabolic pathway is. Put simply, a metabolic pathway is a chain of chemical reactions that takes place within a cell (in this case, a muscle tissue cell). When adequate amounts of BCAAs are ingested they create their own metabolic pathway which results in increased protein production. This means more muscle tissue will be grown and muscles will be repaired faster.

BCAAs and muscle growth.

Generally, after a session of resistance training the body is in a catabolic (the breaking down of muscle tissue) state, with a protein synthesis deficit. This is because post exercise the MAPK signaling pathway (the body's own way to signal muscle growth) is activated. While this is a pathway that will increase protein synthesis, it is not as effective as when combined with the BCAA signaling cascade.

The two pathways act independent of each other. Because of this, when adequate amounts of BCAAs are ingested post workout (usually in the form of a post-workout drink) the body is placed in a greater state of hypertrophy with a positive amount of protein synthesis. This is extremely important for athletes because it will decrease recovery time as it increases the rate at which lean body mass is gained.

Difference between essential and non-essential amino acids.

Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body. You must get them from complete protein foods or combinations of incomplete vegetable foods. See table on the right for list of essential aminos. Your body can make non-essential amino acids by itself from vitamins and other amino acids.

The term "non-essential" can be misleading since all amino acids are essential for proper metabolism. There are some non-essential amino acids, such as glutamine, that are very essential in the process of muscle tissue repair. The 13 non-essential amino acids are listed in the table on the right.

The essential BCAAs are of special importance for athletes because they are metabolized in the muscle, rather than in the liver. This means they are more likely to be used to build muscle rather than burned as fuel for energy.

BCAAs - COMMON QUESTIONS:

• Are BCAA supplements safe to use?
  Studies have shown that supplemental intake of the BCAAs in the range of 5-20 grams per day in tablet form and 1 to 7 grams per litre in liquid form with no adverse side effects. Higher intakes should be avoided due to the possibility of competitive inhibition of the absorption of other amino acids from the diet and the risk of gastrointestinal distress.
• Are BCAAs found in food?
  Yes. BCAAs are found in protein-rich foods. The higher the quality of the protein source, the higher amount of BCAAs. Out of all the protein sources whey protein has the best BCAA content.
• How are BCAA supplements taken?
  The most common form of BCAA supplements are pills. These pills are taken at staggered intervals throughout the day. BCAAs are also available in powder and liquid form.
• My protein supplement contains Glutamine, do I need more?
  Studies have shown that Glutamine plays a major role in protein synthesis and muscle repair. All whey protein supplements contain a small amount of Glutamine. Recommended dosages range from 10-40 grams per day, depending on activity, fitness and bodyweight. For more information see the glutamine information page.

BCAA PRODUCTS ON SALE NOW:

BCAA 1000 Caps Optimum Nutrition's BCAA 1000 Caps provide 1,000g of essential amino acids per serving! BCAAs are the building blocks of protein and lean muscle mass.	BCAA 4500 AST's BCAA 4500 gives you 4,500mg of pure BCAAs in every serving. BCAA's are metabolized directly in muscle tissue and help to prevent muscle breakdown and encourage muscle repair and regrowth.
BCAA Complex 2200 Dymatize BCAA Complex 2200 provides 2,200mg of pure free form Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's) per serving. Not only did Dymatize combine these highly effective amino acids with nutritional cofactors, but we also made it time-release for efficiency	BCAA Ethyl Ester BCAA Ethyl Ester (BCAAE2™) - an anti-catabolic powerhouse! BCAAE2 provides an effective way to experience the benefits of BCAA supplementation at a whole new level!
Instantized BCAA 5000 Powder Each serving of Optimum Nutrition Instantized BCAA 5000 Powder provides a 5,000 mg (5g) blend of the three Branched Chain Amino Acids (L-Valine, L-Leucine, and L-Isoleucine). Muscle and Strength has low prices on ON Instantized BCAA 5000 Powder!	Vassive-EA8 Vassive-EA8 combines seven essential amino acids with histidine in ratios similar to that found in nature’s best protein-rich foods. Vassive-EA8 is on sale now at Muscle and Strength!
NOW L-Lysine Lysine works with other essential amino acids to maintain growth, lean body mass, and the body's store of nitrogen. NOW L-Lysine contains 500mg of L-Lysine per serving!	BC+EAA BC/EAA is a precise blend of Branched Chain Amino Acids with extra Leucine (the king of all anabolic aminos) along with Hydrolzyed Essential Amino Acids!
PrimaForce BCAA Primaforce BCAA is lab tested for potency and purity and is a precise, scientific blend of Energy Aminos consisting of the proven 2:1:1 ratio of Branched Chain Amino Acids (L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine and L-Valine)!	Amino 2222 Liquid One serving of Superior Amino 2222 Liquid provides 22,222 milligrams of top-grade Amino Acids in its most absorbable form. This product contains a superior 18 amino acid profile formulated to ensure the athlete total protein utilization.
Instantized BCAA + Creatine Optimum Nutrition Instantized BCAA + Creatine Powder is made using a proprietary process that mixes easily and keeps the BCAAs and Creatine suspended longer. on Sale Now!	Monster Amino
Alpha Amino Prototype 216

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