Supplement Series: Why take Amino Acids?

As we kick off this supplement series, there's one very important thing that should be addressed up front: No amount of supplementation can fix crappy diet. If you aren't fueling your body with quality food in proper portions then you aren't going to see the results you want in the gym, no matter how much protein or aminos or anything else you take.
If you are doing the right things in your diet, our friends over at Driven Nutrition are the best in the business when it comes to supplements. They've put together some great content on different products and the health/training benefits of each that we wanted to share with you. With so many different options and opinions out there, it's always a good idea to stick with the facts and trust a high quality product. Driven meets both of those expectations, and we're proud to be able to offer their supplements to our members.  Read up on these four benefits of BCAA's and then hop over to Driven's website and check out their products. 

- Chris

"If you are reading this we could assume you are already a supplement taker or at the very least, interested in what supplements you could be taking to help you reach your goals. If you also consider yourself an informed consumer, one who is thrifty and does not fall for gimmicks you probably choose your supplement stack based on what will give you the most bang for your buck. What we are discussing here is whether it is worth it to add BCAA’s (Branch Chain Amino Acids) to your supplement arsenal.  We thought we could simplify the decision and give you 4 BIG benefits of BCAA’s to strongly consider.

BCAA’s Increase Muscle Protein Synthesis (mTOR)
We lift weights and train to build bigger stronger muscles, duh, but exactly how does the building process work? Resistance training triggers protein synthesis, a signal that tells our body to use proteins to construct new muscle tissue. Supplementing with BCAA’s during and after resistance training can increase the protein synthesis signaling, meaning more muscle growth! Even without resistance training BCAA’s can aid in the preservation of lean tissue and help prevent fat gain! Which brings us to reason number 2…

BCAA’s Increase Fat Burning and Metabolism 
BCAA’s are made up of three amino acids, Leucine, Iso-leucine, and valine. Iso-leucine in particular, along with enzymes is used to breakdown glucose and fatty acids to be used as energy in the body. This increased energy outflow and fat oxidation allows for a more forgiving metabolism, especially when it comes to carbohydrates. BCAA’s are a great supplement for keeping muscle while staying lean.

BCAA’s Improve Strength and Endurance Performance
We all know that a protein rich diet is ideal for packing on lean muscle tissue, however a diet rich in protein can be boosted with the supplementation of BCAA’s particularly Leucine. Leucine increases muscle protein synthesis, thus allowing for more of the proteins you ingest to be used to build new muscle and add more strength. Because BCAA’s increase the efficiency of fat and glucose being burned as energy having them present in the blood stream via a dietary source can lead to greater endurance. BCAA’s also slow the uptake of tryptophan to the brain, reducing the feeling of exertion or tiredness brought about by high intensity training. Basically you slow your brains way of telling you “I’m exhausted, time to slow down”.

BCAA’s Decrease Soreness Experienced from High Intensity Training 
Did you hear that? Less soreness! If you have been unconvinced so far this should begin to sway you. BCAA’s ability to prevent muscle breakdown and aid in the rebuilding process of skeletal muscles means you experience less post workout soreness. This allows you to train with more intensity, more frequently!

When looking at BCAA supplements remember not all are created equal. Look for a product with at least 2 grams of Leucine and one that has Leucine making up at least 40 percent of the total content. Commonly a ratio of 2:1:1 (Leucine:Isoleucine:Valine) is found. Learn more about Driven’s Amino."