Amino Acids

The Facts

There’s three classified groups that make up these building blocks of protein. They are essential, non-essential, and conditional. An essential amino acid is one that the body is not capable of producing on its own, and therefore must be obtained from diet or supplementation. There’s nine essential amino acids. A non-essential amino acid is one that’s produced naturally, and not obtained from diet. An amino acid classified as conditional is generally only required by the body during illness or extreme stress.

BCAAs, or Branch Chain Amino Acids, are commonly used as nutritional supplementation in fitness training. BCAAs are categorized as essential and consist of valine, leucine, and isoleucine.

Common Uses

There’s several different ways to ensure proper intake of BCAAs. Diet is the most common way to ensure that adequate BCAAs are ingested. However, diet alone may prove insufficient for those performing endurance and strength training. In these cases, it may be wise to supplement diet with BCAAs. BCAAs can be obtained from whey protein supplements, as the protein in whey more easily breaks down for more pronounced benefits.

BCAAs are commonly used prior to training in order to increase anabolic processes by increased blood flow. Additionally, BCAAs allow the body to recover at a faster rate after exercise. Athletes concerned with weight loss due to an advanced exercise regimen may choose to supplement with BCAAs in order to prevent the body from breaking down muscle and thus causing unwanted weight loss.

Studies have shown that there’s an increased requirement for BCAAs in those attempting to lose weight by burning fat. BCAAs are thought to increase the occurrence of fat burning in favor of muscle degradation. Those attempting to lose weight or burn fat through endurance or cardiovascular exercise may benefit from BCAA supplementation.

There’s many benefits to supplementing with BCAA for athletes and those beginning an exercise regimen. Nutra Source has a variety of products that can increase Amino Acids for healthier and more efficient strength and endurance training. Consult a physician before beginning any new exercise regimen.