These days most athletes of all levels understand the importance of using protein in their diet.
It provides the building blocks the bodies need to grow and repair the damage created by exercise. Protein is also needed to support the immune system and muscle-building hormones like testosterone.
These building blocks that are in protein are called Branched Chain Amino Acids. Imagine them like lego blocks. The body assembles individual Amino Acids into complete proteins which is used to repair damaged tissues.
For years BCAA supplements have been used by gym goers to increase muscle protein synthesis, reduced muscle breakdown and support faster recovery.
However there’s one problem with BCAA supplements.
While they are capable of stimulating protein synthesis, they are an incomplete option, and cannot sustain complete protein synthesis. You see in order to successfully construct muscle protein, the body requires NINE essential amino acids (EAAs). The BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) only supply three of the nine EAAs the body requires to build muscle.
So when you use BCAAs your body will break down existing proteins in the body to get the other amino acids it needs to complete protein synthesis. This could possibility create a negative protein synthetic balance in the body, which means you’re not building more muscle.
So how do you fix this problem.... Swap BCAAs for EAAs
The three BCAAs do not provide all of the mandatory building blocks required to build muscle tissue. It’s as simple as that, and there’s research to back it up! When compared head-to-head EAAs stimulate a significantly stronger anabolic response than BCAA supplements. While BCAAs were able to stimulate a 22% greater response of myofibrillar-MPS following resistance exercise compared with a placebo…
The magnitude of this increased response of myofibrillar-MPS was 50% less than the previously reported myofibrillar-MPS response to a dose of whey protein containing similar amounts of BCAA.
Other studies have found much the same thing:
In other words, BCAA supplements are a "good" option for supporting muscle growth and recovery, but if you want to maximize your muscle building potential, you should be using an Amino Acid supplement that supplies all nine Essential Amino Acids. Not only do EAA formulas support protein synthesis to a more complete extent than BCAAs, they also bolster immune function and collagen formation. The reason for this is that EAA formulas supply the body with Lysine, which supports antibody biosynthesis and immune system function which is required for the production of collagen.
Furthermore, EAA supplements also support a healthy mood and better sleep as they supply the body with Tryptophan, the amino acid used by the body to create the “feel-good” neurotransmitter serotonin.
Why you should choose EAA Hydr8 and Amino Chews
VOW Nutrition has specifically designed EAA Hydr8 and Amino Chews with professional athletes to support training and recovery. EAA Hydr8 and Amino Chews contains all nine Essential Amino Acids: L-leucine, L-lysine, L-valine, L-isoleucine, L-threonine, L-phenylalanine, L-methionine, L-histidine, and L-tryptophan. This matrix of amino acids helps support protein synthesis to promote healthy muscle while supporting your physique goals.
EAA Hydr8 has been loaded with Essential Electrolytes to support hydration during intense exercise and then to complete this advanced formulation we have added Cyclic Dextrin which is a cutting edge, performance carbohydrate that provides a source of energy for the body. This has obvious benefits before, during and after exercise as higher energy levels enables you to work harder, for longer periods and supports a faster recovery.
