Have you ever wondered how athletes can perform multiple days in a row with little to no downtime? It’s because they have a recovery strategy that includes BCAAs, allowing them to get back to their training faster and stronger.

But you don’t need to be a professional to recover like one. Ascent’s protein powders and drinks contain the optimum levels of BCAAs, helping your body recuperate faster, so you’re back to doing what you love.

Here’s everything you need to know about BCAAs and how they help you recover post-workout.

What are BCAAs - Branched-Chain Amino Acids?

Before diving into how they can help your workout recovery, it’s important to understand what Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are in the first place. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. The human body has twenty known amino acids that are critical to its growth and function. Out of those twenty, nine are essential, which means your body doesn’t produce them naturally, and they need to come from diet or supplements. Within these nine Essential Amino Acids (EAAs), there are three BCAAs to know about: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

BCAAs differ from the other six EAAs because of their branch-like molecular structure and critical role in building and repairing muscles. The amino acid leucine is particularly vital to post-workout recovery because it activates Muscle Protein Synthesis, a process where your body works to rebuild damaged muscle tissue.

The Benefits of BCAAs in Post-Workout Recovery

It’s well known that the amino acids in protein contribute to muscle growth, but new research has revealed the specialized benefits of BCAAs in athletic recovery.

• Decreased muscle soreness - A recent study tracked twenty young men for four days following acute lower body resistance exercise. The men who supplemented with leucine-rich BCAAs had less muscle soreness compared with the placebo group.1
• Muscle growth and repair - Ingesting BCAAs after your workout amplifies Muscle Protein Synthesis, with leucine being the primary stimulating amino acid.1
• Reduced muscle fatigue - Supplementing with BCAAS pre- or post-workout reduces the concentration of serotonin, a brain chemical that has been found to signal fatigue during and after exercise.2,3

Recover With Ascent

The hardest part of your workout should be the actual workout, not the recovery. With pain should come gains, right? Not days of delayed onset muscle soreness. The BCAAs found in Ascent’s formulas help your body rebuild and repair muscle tissue after your workout, so you feel less sore the next day and ready for your next challenge. Plus, you don’t need to worry about consuming extra calories or artificial ingredients, just simple formulas that deliver optimum athletic performance.

• Protein Powders - The most popular choice for post-workout recovery is our Whey Protein offering 25g of protein and 5.5g of BCAAs, perfect for a quick shake or smoothie. Or, Ascent’s plant-based protein powder contains a complete amino acid profile, including 4g of BCAAs and the same 25g of protein packed into one scoop.
• Micellar Casein - Have you ever had a tough week of training and needed a little extra support? You can enhance your body’s natural recovery process during sleep with Ascent’s slow-digesting Micellar Casein powder. Mix a scoop with almond milk and chill for 10 minutes for a tasty chocolate pudding before bedtime.

Resources:

1. (“Leucine-Enriched Essential Amino Acids Improve Recovery from Post-Exercise Muscle Damage Independent of Increases in Integrated Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis in Young Men | Nutrients, 2020)

2. (“Effects of Oral Branched‐Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Intake on Muscular and Central Fatigue During an Incremental Exercise | Journal of Human Kinetics”, 2020)
3. (“Branched-chain amino acid supplementation improves cycling performance in untrained cyclists | Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport”, 2020)