24Feb
16Feb
Do BCAAs make weight loss easier or more effective?
BCAAs and Weight Loss
One of the main alleged benefits of BCAA supplements is their ability to make weight loss more efficient. BCAAs are supposed to maintain muscle mass during weight loss, keep you out of a catabolic state, and give you energy during fasted cardio sessions. Let's see...
10Feb
Do BCAAs improve workout recovery?
BCAAs and Recovery
A popular claim of BCAAs is improving post exercise recovery. Workouts cause damage to muscle tissue which the body repairs during rest. During rest, the body needs sufficient amounts of nutrients, including protein and essential amino acids to adequately recover. Because BCAAs are thought to increase protein synthesis,...
23Jan
BCAAs and Body Composition
BCAAs and Body Composition
One of the many claims associated with BCAA supplementation is an improvement in body composition. BCAAs are supposed to help lower body fat percentage while also increasing muscle mass. While there is limited research on BCAAs and body composition, we can take a look at the...
31Dec
Supplement Database
Supplement Database
Many (maybe most) supplements are marketing hype over results. This tool is designed to help you figure out what works and what doesn't through research done on supplements. The Supplement Database looks at specific claims (examples: increases strength, increases muscle mass) of supplements (examples: whey protein, creatine, branched chain amino...
22Dec
BCAAs and Protein Synthesis
BCAAs and Protein Synthesis
All muscle is made up of protein, and more specifically, amino acids. When you eat protein, it's broken down into amino acids, which are then sent to tissues all around the body. There, they are reassembled into new proteins: muscle tissue. The body is constantly breaking down...
16Dec
BCAAs and Aerobic Exercise
BCAAs and Aerobic Exercise
In the previous post (BCAAs and Strength Training), we discussed whether BCAAs were effective in increasing strength. The same reasons BCAAs SHOULD increase strength are the same reasons they SHOULD increase aerobic performance. In this post, we'll go over research specifically looking into BCAAs and aerobic...
06Dec
BCAAs and Strength Training
BCAAs and Strength Training
In the first post of this series (Introduction to BCAAs), we looked at what BCAAs are, how they work, and some of their potential benefits. One of the areas where BCAAs have the most promise is improving strength. BCAAs can provide the muscle with energy, increase...
06Dec
Introduction to BCAAs
BCAAs
Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) have become one of the most popular supplements in the fitness industry. Both as a standalone product and ingredient in protein supplements, pre-workouts, and recovery drinks, BCAAs are everywhere. At approximately $18 per pound, its high price SHOULD deliver great results, right?What are BCAAs?
There are...
15Sep
Top 5 Ways to Get Stronger
Strength comes from three main areas: healthy diet practices, solid workout routines and genetics. Since you can't change your genetics, diet and exercise are the two areas that need attention. Through proper exercise, nutrition and supplementation, getting stronger is a very straightforward process. 1. Exercise. Your body strengthens muscles in response...