BCAAs aren’t just a healthier option than soda. If you know how to use them, they can be your secret weapon for better workouts, better recovery, hydration and all-day craving control!
Branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, are one of those supplements that sometimes require some explaining. If you’ve been hanging out in gyms for a while, you’ve seen people sipping these brightly-colored drinks out of water bottles or jugs. But until you try them, you might wonder what the big deal is.
The best way to explain the “what” and “why” of BCAAs is by showing HOW experienced athletes like SteelFit athlete Jessica Iniguez use them in their day-to-day lives. Here are two crucial ways to use BCAAs like Steel Fuel Vegan Branched-Chain Amino Acids to support your health and fitness goals, plus Iniguez’s favorite way to use them to control a sweet tooth.
But consider yourself warned: Once you know the right way to use BCAAs and find a flavor (or a few) that speak to you, you’ll never look back!
What are BCAAs?
The three branched-chain amino acids of leucine, isoleucine, and valine are often called “the building blocks of protein.” What does this mean? Of all the 20 amino acids making up proteins, these three are the most integrally linked to muscle protein synthesis (MPS), the process by which the human body repairs and builds muscle tissue. Leucine in particular is essential for MPS, and can even activate this process on its own if you’re consuming enough.
These three amino acids are present in nearly all the foods we eat, but consuming them in drinks is an easy way to boost your amino intake, especially if you’re watching what you eat or training hard.
Use 1: Guilt-free flavor and hydration anytime
It’s easy to tell people “just drink water,” but let’s face it: it’s tough to stick with that approach day after day, month after month, year after year. Repeat after us: There’s nothing wrong with wanting a little sweetness in your life!
“BCAAs really help me get my daily amount of water in, because they make it enjoyable,” explains Iniguez. “For someone really focusing on my fitness goals, it’s so important to be able to really enjoy a drink without feeling guilty.”
This “guilt free” feeling is where BCAAs can be a game-changer for someone just starting out on their fitness journey – and also for someone who is years into hard-training and clean eating. Unlike sodas or sweet teas, BCAA hydration blends like Steel Fuel are:
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Calorie-free
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Stimulant-free
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Sugar-free
And the case for them doesn’t end with what they DON’T contain. Steel Fuel also contains raw coconut water powder and electrolytes (magnesium, potassium, sodium) to support daily hydration and replenish what you sweat off. If you’re someone who sweats on a regular basis, both in your workouts and because you use heat-generating topicals or supplements like Abs of Steel Fat-Burning Cream or Steel Sweat Thermogenic Pre-Workout, you’re in a perfect position to put these extra electrolytes to good use.
How to Use BCAAs for Daily Hydration: Sip on Steel Fuel throughout the day. You can also follow Iniguez’s example and make them into a mocktail. “My favorite way to get BCAAs is as a ‘Piña Colada,’” she explains. “I blend it up in ice so I can feel like I’m enjoying a sweet summer icee while getting all the benefits.”
Use 2: For Workout Endurance and Recovery
BCAAs benefits definitely don’t end with the fact that they taste good! Numerous studies support using BCAAs as a way to prevent muscle soreness and delay fatigue during hard training. This has made them an essential workout tool for athletes like Iniguez.
“They really boost my muscle recovery and energy. I feel like my body is never sore anymore after tough workouts!” she says.But there’s a catch: you need to drink them before or during your workout in order to experience these benefits. Don’t wait for the day after leg day to start looking for solutions!
The best BCAA drinks can also help to boost the quality of your workouts. For instance Steel Fuel also contains other amino acids that have been shown to have health and performance benefits, like L-citrulline malate to boost blood flow and fight fatigue, and taurine to enhance mental and physical endurance and strength.
Dehydration is also a well-known contributor to fatigue and weakness during workouts. Sipping on BCAAs during your training not only provides your muscles and brain with fluids, but also electrolytes to help support muscle endurance and both physical and mental energy levels.
How to Use BCAAs for Workouts: Add a scoop of Steel Fuel to your shaker bottle or water bottle and sip on it throughout your workout. You can also drink it before a workout as a stimulant-free pre-workout supplement.
What to look for in BCAAs
Leucine is the most important of the BCAAs when it comes to muscle growth and recovery. For this reason, experts recommend formulas with leucine in at least a 2:1:1 ratio to the other aminos. That’s the ratio in Steel Fuel.
But not all BCAAs are made to the same standards. Many popular BCAA blends are made of animal byproducts like pig fur and duck feathers. Others are derived from human hair. If you don’t want to consume those things (and why would you?) then look for a vegan BCAA product, like SteelFit Steel Fuel.
