With regards to fat loss, they just might. While there is a lot of anecdotal
evidence of BCAA consumption while dieting contributing to increased fat loss,
there is some actual research to back up the claims.
First, let's define what BCAAs actually are. BCAAs, or
branched-chain amino acids, are three essential amino acids with a special
branched structure (hence the name) - leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAAs
can make up one-third of skeletal muscle, of which leucine appears to be the
main player in most of the benefits seen from BCAA consumption.
When on a very low calorie diet it has been shown that
supplemental BCAA consumption can help limit lean body mass loss as well as
increasing visceral fat loss. Visceral fat is the deadly fat that accumulates
around your central organs, it is metabolically active and it can wreak havoc
on your health. It is one fat that you definitely want to get rid of.
It has also been shown that when consuming BCAAs around your
training results in significantly less muscle breakdown. Adding just 12 grams
of BCAAs per day was all that was needed to achieve this effect. This can be
incredibly important while dieting, as maintaining lean mass is vital to
maximizing fat loss, as well as to achieve the body composition you began dieting
for in the first place!
Recently it has also been shown that leucine is one of the
key igniters of protein synthesis. It seems that leucine itself can stimulate
insulin production, increase protein synthesis, and modulate blood sugar. This
may partly explain why BCAA supplementation while dieting is so effective at
maintaining muscle mass, as they stimulate the muscle building components even
while in a caloric deficit.
One of the most common recommendations of BCAA
supplementation is to consume it before early morning training sessions. If you
are someone who simply can't train after eating, or prefers to train on an
empty stomach, BCAA supplementation could be incredibly important for you.
Many people exercise first thing in the morning, and no one
wants the potential gastric distress that can come from training on a full
stomach. It has also been postulated that due to low glycogen levels upon
waking, fat oxidation will be increased when training on an empty stomach, but
no one wants the potential increase in muscle breakdown that can accompany
fasted training.
BCAAs are a perfect compromise as they do not inhibit the
oxidation of carbohydrates and fats, yet they will work to maintain your lean
mass as well provide some blood sugar via gluconeogenesis if necessary.
Conclusion:
It is clear that BCAAs can help you retain lean mass and increase fat loss,
especially visceral fat loss, when dieting, can help to ignite protein
synthesis on their own accord, and can be especially beneficial during early
morning training sessions. If you are looking to slim down for summer while
maintaining the muscle you built over the winter, supplemental BCAAs can help
maximize your results.Richel Sidney.Ezinearticales.