BCAA ‘s The Key To Optimal Muscle Growth

A branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) is a combination of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. Together, they make up more than a third of the protein content in your muscles. Their job as a building block of protein is to maintain your body’s store of glycogen, which is used by muscles to produce energy. 

The body doesn’t produce BCAA, so you have to obtain the compound from food or supplements. BCAAs are found naturally in protein-rich foods like chicken, fish and beef, but can also be found in legumes, nuts and eggs. For a quality BCAA supplement, Growth Labs Australia provides a 100% Pure BCAA with a 2:1:1 ratio of Leucine to Isoleucine and Valine.

The Importance of the Ratio

The amino-acid distribution in BCAA is not one to one. In the body, the primary amino acid Leucine represents a 2:1:1 ratio to the other two amino acids of the trio, isoleucine and valine. This is likely due to the fact that Leucine is the only amino acid able to stimulate mTOR (mechanistic Target of Rapamycin), a precursor to protein synthesis. A 2011 study conducted on endurance athletes discovered that an increased concentration of Leucine in supplementation did in fact create a greater response of muscle protein stimulation during recovery.

Although you will find supplements with a greater ratio of Leucine to other amino acids, you should remember that the body utilizes a 2:1:1 ratio naturally, which indicates that this is probably the most beneficial ratio for the body.

BCAA ‘s for Building Strength


BCAAs serve as fuel for your muscles during intense training, so you can get more from your workout without losing valuable muscle protein your body needs. In essence, it increases the efficiency of your workout sessions. BCAAs also help muscles recover after a workout. Unlike other amino acids that must pass through the liver before being sent to other areas of the body, BCAAs bypass the liver and are available directly to skeletal muscles.

Combining Dieting with BCAA ‘s

One of the benefits of using BCAA to meet your fitness goals is that it keeps you from losing muscle mass while you’re trying to lose fat. Standard diets can lead to muscle breakdown, since the body prefers to keep its fat stores and will try to use muscle mass for energy. Taking BCAAs helps on two fronts:

  • BCAAs stimulate protein synthesis, so your body continues to make new muscle protein
  • BCAAs reduce the rate of protein breakdown to give your body time to build new muscles

Using BCAA can help you maximize the effects of working out without getting in the way of your weight-loss goals.

Other Benefits of BCAA ‘s

In healthy people, BCAA plays an important role in regulating glucose in the body and will induce an insulin response during and after exercise to help repair and build muscle tissue and reduce muscle soreness. For pre-workout routines, valine and isoleucine in BCAA can be converted to glucose to minimize fatigue and keep you working out longer.

Growth Labs Australia provides bodybuilders, athletes and fitness enthusiasts with quality, high-efficiency supplements, including 100% Pure BCAA 2:1:1.

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