Pure BCAA powder

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are essential amino acids and the building blocks of protein.

The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and valine are among the nine essential amino acids for humans and make up 35% of the essential amino acids in muscle proteins and these three can be oxidised in skeletal muscle where the other amino acids are oxidised in the liver.

It is has been studied that physical activity promotes oxidation of BCAAs and that BCAAs serve to provide energy metabolism during exercise. If at any point there is a lack of amino acids available during an intense workout, the body will most likely begin to cannibalise muscle tissue to make up for the deficit. Leucine is directly linked with increasing protein-synthesis and activates a critical compound in muscle called the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin)

Therefore the benefits of supplementing with BCAAs, particularly in and around training sessions, are clear - if you want to avoid catabolism and promote protein-synthesis you need to be supplementing with BCAAs