Today, people strive to lead a healthy lifestyle, and at the same time improve their figure. For this, there are special sets of exercises designed to maximize the development of all muscle groups, and even individual sports, for example, bodybuilding.
Bodybuilding as a separate sports area has existed for more than 100 years, and during this time, scientists have developed a fundamentally new concept for creating the perfect figure. It turned out that exercise alone is not enough, and in order to dazzle a perfect body, you still need to eat right, take vitamins and special supplements. Speaking of supplements, we do not mean steroids that were so popular a couple of decades ago. We are talking about amino acids - this is a new word in sports nutrition. So, we will understand what BCAA is, how much to take this drug, and whether there is harm from amino acids.
What are amino acids
Amino acids are structural chemical bricks that form proteins in a bundle. And any living organism on our planet consists of proteins. Literally everything in the human body - muscle tissue, skin, ligaments, nail plates, hair - all this consists of proteins.
Why, then, in sports nutrition is the emphasis on amino acids, and not just on proteins? The fact is that there are a lot of proteins, and they are not interchangeable. These elements are the results of synthesis, and amino acids act as the starting material. That is why the latter are more important for the body.
Amino Acids in Sports Nutrition
The sports nutrition market currently offers a lot of preparations for sculpting the perfect figure. Some of them are very doubtful, the benefits of others are not confirmed by any serious research, others bring only harm. And what about the intake of amino acids?
I must say that interest in these supplements has appeared a long time ago, but only in recent years, official medicine recognized the effectiveness of the drugs. Bodybuilders took arginine, valine, leucine, as a result of which an improvement was recorded in a number of indicators, for example, the recovery period after a course of training, the degree of oxygen saturation of the blood and the level of muscle damage after exercise. So the benefits of such supplements have been proven, it remains to understand how to properly take BCAAs.
BCAA
BCAAs are a generic term that refers to a drug consisting of three amino acids - leucine, isoleucine and valine. These are the most common amino acids found in meat and milk. Their uniqueness lies in the fact that they are absolutely not synthesized by the human body, but must come from food. Each of the elements of the BCAA complex plays an important role:
1. Valine is a source of energy for muscle tissue. This element plays an important role in the production of serotonin, so that the human body can successfully cope with stress and fight fatigue.
2. Leucine - this amino acid is a very important component for the formation and growth of muscle tissue. It regulates the formation of protein and limits the process of destruction of its molecules.
3. Isoleucine is one of the catalysts for muscle processes. The lack of this component leads to fatigue, lethargy, drowsiness, muscle contraction and a decrease in blood sugar.
What provides the intake of amino acids
So, we found out what the BCAA amino acids are. How to take the supplement, and why are these three elements so important during sports?
BCAA is an indispensable training aid. This complex helps nourish muscle tissue with energy, get rid of excess fatty tissue and suppress catabolism.
Amino acid intake plays an important role:
- Supplements immediately after training and early in the morning provide neutralization of the “protein window” (this is the name for the urgent need for proteins in the body, which can only be compensated for by the fast intake of easily digestible amino acids);
- taking drugs after training gives a powerful energy boost and greatly increases productivity;
- Amino acids before bedtime provide muscle tissue with nutrition, activate recovery processes and intensive muscle growth.
How much do we consume amino acids
How to take BCAAs with food, and how many do our bodies really need? As mentioned earlier, these three amino acids are found in meat, fish and milk, as well as in protein shakes. On average, with the right diet, the BCAA content is 16-20% of the total amount of protein eaten. That is, a person with an average weight who consumes two grams of pure protein per kilogram of his weight receives 25-30 grams of BCAA.
And how much does the body need? The answer is quite simple - the minimum amount of leucine per meal should be 2.5 grams. Isoleucine and valine serve as support, but it is leucine, and only in such a proportion, that starts protein synthesis. With a four-time meal, the daily dose should be at least 10 grams, but this is only the necessary minimum. With serious and regular training with “iron”, a person needs at least 0.3 grams for each kilogram of their own weight.
How to take BCAA capsules and tablets
Tablets and capsules are the most convenient form of BCAA release. This supplement is produced by several companies, and each of them independently determines the content of amino acids. There are packagings of 500 mg, 1000 mg, 1250 mg, etc.
How to take BCAA tablets and not make a mistake with the dosage? You only need to carefully read the instructions - each package indicates the amino acid content in each capsule (or tablet). Based on gender and weight, you can calculate an individual dose. Recommendations for calculation can also be found in the instructions. As a rule, at one time you need to take 4-5 capsules (tablets), the frequency of administration - three times a day.
How to take BCAA Powder
Another form of release is a dry powder mixture. How to take BCAA in powder form?
When choosing a single dose, the opinions of bodybuilders were divided. Some believe that 5 grams is enough for a person with an average weight and with a daily workout of no more than half an hour. Others recommend increasing the dose to 10-12 grams, but dividing this amount into time before and after training.
However, most athletes take BCAAs in a very simple way: one teaspoon of the powder three times a day. This supplement is rather bitter, therefore it is not recommended to be dissolved in any drink. But you need to drink the supplement with a large amount of liquid, preferably juice. This will ensure the quick delivery of amino acids to the small intestine, where they will instantly begin to be processed by the body. Juice should be washed down because fructose activates the production of the hormone insulin, which promotes the active absorption of amino acids.
There is another form of BCAA release - in the form of a finished liquid. It is most convenient for taking directly during training.
Is there any harm from taking amino acids
So, we figured out how to take BCAAs. It remains to understand whether it is possible to harm the body if you take amino acids. After all, sports medicine is replete with all sorts of supplements that promise instant weight loss, fast muscle growth and an ideal figure for a minimum period. Not all of the advertised drugs are effective, but many are capable of undermining human health instead of making them strong and beautiful.
Amino acids stand out from this series. These are natural components obtained by special processing of protein, and not synthesized chemicals. Therefore, there will be no harm from taking BCAAs.
Amino acids are so safe that there is no need to somehow limit the duration of their intake, that is, each athlete can take BCAAs for any length of time without harm to the body.
A spoon of tar
It must be understood that amino acids do not cause harm, but can lead to problems in the body with an overdose. For example, an excess of valine can lead to hallucinations, an overdose of isoleucine causes a rapid accumulation of uric acid, and a large amount of leucine increases the level of ammonia. But in order to achieve this effect, you need to try - over a significant period of time, overestimate the dose of BCAAs.
Brief conclusion: the effectiveness of the BCAA is confirmed by serious medical research, but do not wait for miracles and hope for an instant result. Amino acids really help to create the perfect figure, but they help, and do not do all the work for you.