EEA and BCAA, what’s the difference and which one do you need?
Why is protein so important?
Lets start with protein. We are literally made of protein from our bones, muscles, arteries, veins, skin, hair, fingernails, blah, blah, blah, and BLAH. Our heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and lungs are built of tissue made from protein.
So if we are made of protein, what is protein made of?
AMINOS!
A protein molecule is a molecule made of amino acids bound together. There are 20 amino acids that make up protein molecules. Eleven of these amino acids are non-essential, meaning our body can make them on its own, but the other 9 others are essential amino acids (EAA’s), meaning our body cannot make them and we have to get them from the food we eat, or supplement.
So, that means we need to consume protein so we can get the EAAs that we need to help build or repair our lean tissues which are made from PROTEIN.
The more physically active you are the more that your body breaks down your lean tissue in an effort to put amino acids back into your blood stream to then be used by the body. (this is what people are generally talking about when they use the term catabolic)
So the more active you are, the more your bodies demand for amino acids goes up.
This lean tissue breakdown is what can lead to crappy recovery, excessive soreness, lack of energy, poor performance, lack of muscle growth, yada, yada, yada.
Its so super important and imperative, then, that we get enough protein/amino acid intake for our activity level.
This is why many people supplement with amino acids during training. During training, your body’s need for essential amino acids goes up. Especially for the 3 branch chain amino acids, or BCAAs.
Because your body can’t store amino acids, it breaks down lean tissue to supply EAA’s, and more specifically the 3 BCAAs. (leucine, isoleucine, valine) So are the BCAA all we need to supplement with, or should we be supplementing the rest of the essential amino acids, or EAA?
Some amino acid products contain not only BCAA, but all the EAA that the body needs to ensure protein synthesis and optimal recovery.
That's the important point! Your body needs to not only have BCAA but all EAA flowing through our bloodstream to get the best muscle building, and recovery enhancing effects.
But, that doesn’t mean that you need to supplement both EAA and BCAA, your favorite BCAA may work just fine.
Remember, when you eat protein from meals, or from a protein shake, you are getting all the essential amino acids, so you have them readily available in your blood stream to compliment the BCAA you’re using.
Basically, if your eating protein, or drinking it throughout the day regularly, you’re getting plenty of EAA and your good to just supplement with BCAA.
When you supplement EAA and BCAA together would be best is when you are taking your aminos without eating regular protein rich meals or snacks.
Example: An early morning workout where you are fasted, or heading to train not eating a protein rich meal at least 4-5 hours prior.
To sum it all up, if your eating regular, protein rich meals throughout the day, and you are going to train between meals, then a BCAA is perfect for you.
So, if you are training fasted EAA and BCAA supplementation would be the best option.
Hopefully you learned something about aminos and when you need EAA vs BCAA.
If you have any questions or want to just talk Aminos, that’s why I’m here.
Love your life
J Denesha