BCAAs Vs. EAAs: What Are They & Which Is Better for Muscle Growth?

What Are Essential Amino Acids?

Out of the 20 amino acids that are needed, nine are known as essential amino acids. The human body cannot synthesize them, so you need to consume them from food or supplements. You must give essential amino acids to the body, or else it will result in some serious situations.

The deficiency of essential amino acids is quite common in people who do not have sufficient protein intake. If you plan on taking a supplement to fuel the amino acid content of your body, then make sure that it contains all nine essential amino acids to avoid any deficiency in the body.

What Are Branched-chain Amino Acids?

Branched-chain amino acids contain three essential amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They have a crucial role in dealing with various body conditions. They are necessary to health and have indicated some health benefits on the body during some chronic diseases.

The recommended amount of dosage for them is not set yet. But depending on BCCAs' positive role in the body, various health experts have identified a safe dosage. It is essential to consume them via food or supplements to provide a multitude of health benefits. They do not have side effects and are generally safe to consume.

Important Tips to Choose One

There is an ongoing debate to understand the effectiveness of EAAs and BCAAs during exercises. Both have some promising roles in the body, but what should be the preferred choice to have more muscle growth?

Following are mentioned some of the important points that will help you to pick the right choice for your workouts:

1. Maintaining a Protein Balance. 

After you exercise, your body is in a catabolic state with more breakdown of protein. Hence, you must give the required amino acids to the body to synthesize more protein. When you choose BCAAs for this purpose, your body is not getting all the twenty amino acids it needs. So, it is better to opt for an all-rounder supplement during this phase.

2. Need for All Amino Acids

During normal days, your body needs all amino acids to carry out important functions as they are responsible for regulating cell signaling pathways and have a role in major cycles. Hence, you need to provide all amino acids to the body to work at an optimal rate.

3. Check Your Protein Intake.

If you have enough protein in the form of food and your needs are fulfilled, it is important to make your choice clear. Protein toxicity is real, and it can affect the body by causing a strain on our kidneys. So, in such situations, it is better to have BCAAs to boost your exercise sessions.

4. Understand Their Roles

Both BCAAs and EAAs have individual roles in the body. You must know their functions properly to provide your body with what it needs. It is better to adjust your supplement intake if your body faces some underlying medical condition to avoid any problem.

5. Look for Your Priorities.

People who are vegan and prioritize plant-based proteins over other options should opt for BCAAs. By consuming them, they can make sure that they are not missing out on any essential amino acids and can work for their muscle development and growth.

Benefits of Essential Amino Acids

Essential amino acids have a major role in different body functions. Some of these are written here for a better understanding of their share in the body:

1. Improves Endurance During Exercises

Essential amino acids have shown an improvement in exercise performance, as shown by research. They have shown an improvement in endurance and tolerance levels in individuals with chronic diseases. It proves that it is best to have EAA before exercises as it can help in delaying fatigue.

2. Boosts Energy Levels

Essential amino acids can significantly alter the energy levels by consuming them as they contain nine different categories of amino acids, each having a different and distinctive role in the body. Consuming them before exercises is best to give an instant boost to your energy levels.

3. Improves Mood and Sleep

Essential amino acids have shown a positive impact on improving your mood. They play an integral role in protein synthesis, which helps produce different hormones that regulate mood. Apart from that, tryptophan is an EAA that produces serotonin in the body and acts as a neurotransmitter.

4. Prevents Muscle Loss

Essential amino acids play a highlighting role in synthesizing protein in the body. After workouts, consuming a supplement of EAA has shown a decrease in the catabolic state. The positive balance of protein synthesis makes sure that you do not experience any muscle wasting after your workout session.

5. Works to Develop Immunity

A decreased protein intake has negative effects on the immune system of the person. People at a higher risk of developing diseases or having low immunity can benefit from EAA supplementation as they regulate the action of T cells in the body, which are necessary for fighting off the risk of different infections and diseases.

6. Adds Strength to Muscles

You will feel better and charged up if your protein intake is balanced and maintained for a longer time. If your muscles do not get enough protein, then with time, they become weak and lose their mass. So, supplements containing EAA can help to give strength to your muscles.

7. Prevents Muscle Protein Breakdown

Older people who experience excessive wasting can benefit much with the help of EAA supplementation. During periods of inactivity, EAA has been shown to preserve lean muscle mass by preventing protein breakdown, as proven by research. The supplementation has also been useful to increase the protein intake among elderly people.

Benefits of Branched-chain Amino Acids

Branched-chain amino acids, on the other hand, have countless other benefits to offer. They have an important role in regulating the mechanisms of different diseases. Some of these benefits are listed below:

1. Regulates the Growth of Muscles

The muscle growth receives an instant boost with the help of BCAAs. Leucine, an important component of BCAA, has shown many useful results on the body. It regulates the oxidation of fatty acids, which then helps grow muscles and decrease the body's fat content. It has an important signaling role in the fatty tissues and skeletal muscle.

2. Delays Onset of Fatigue

When it comes to delaying the onset of fatigue during exercises, then using BCAAs is the best option. They make sure that the body works at an optimal and steady rate during exercises without any tiredness. You can consume them before your exercise or during your workout to maintain adequate energy levels.

3. Treats Traumatic Brain Injury

BCAA supplementation and traumatic brain injury have a positive association. The supplementation of BCAA has shown positive results in the management of traumatic brain injury. BCAA consumption can also help in improving the outcomes of the disease in severe cases.

4. Ease Muscle Soreness

BCAAs can help you much to ease muscle soreness. BCAAs help to deal with exercise-induced muscle damage effectively. Experiencing cramps and fatigue in the body after exercise is common. You can easily deal with the symptoms by providing immediate care to your body after your workout session.

5. Helpful in Liver Diseases

The supplementation of branched-chain amino acids can effectively manage liver cirrhosis. According to a study, BCAA has shown to be an effective pharmacological intervention to deal with liver diseases. Supplementing or either giving food sources to such critical patients.

6. Reduces Risks of Breast Cancer

Branched-chain amino acids have shown significant improvements in metabolic diseases. They have also shown an influential effect in reducing the risk of breast cancer. Women near menopause or are in the early stages should use the supplements to subside the risk of developing breast cancer.

Food Sources of EAA and BCAA

The most common food choices for branched-chain amino acids are:

• Soy protein
• Chickpeas
• Lentils
• Fish and eggs
• Whole wheat

All these food items contain small proportions of BCAAs.

Some of the preferred choices for EAA are:

• Mushrooms
• Quinoa
• Turkey
• Cottage cheese
• Fish
• Legumes and beans

Supplements for EAA and BCAA

Supplements are the best choice when you need to provide sufficient amino acids to the body. The EAA hydration powder by DMoose works best during workouts. It helps in gaining muscle mass and improves the endurance of the body.

The supplement contains 6G of Branched-chain amino acids which meet the required criteria. It also supports hydration status and helps in the recovery phase of the body. The supplement is an excellent choice when it comes to providing ample protein to the body.

Conclusion

Both BCAAs and EAAs have an active role in promoting muscle growth and development. Each of them has a distinctive function to serve in the body. They can also help you to meet your daily protein requirements. When you are extensively working out, then it becomes essential to use protein supplements.

All these amino acids are important for the normal regulation of protein synthesis. If you exercise daily, then adjusting your protein intake is mandatory for you. So make sure that you do it either with food or supplements.