BCAA: Is it for Runners ?
Whether you’re an endurance runner or a high intensity runner, your body requires a lot of energy – even more so if you are on a calorie-deficit diet. However, even when cutting calories, protein levels need to remain high. For runners, protein could provide your muscles with the required energy to help maintain or even develop your muscles.
You can incorporate BCAA supplements into your regime before and after your workout, and intermittently throughout. They are available as tablets or a powder – it’s completely down to personal preference which form of BCAA you take. Powder is generally more potent, and comes in a variety of flavours, which can be added to sports drinks, water or cordial.
Here we explain how runners could get the most out of BCAAs.
Before a run
For a high-intensity runner – a sprinter or power runner – supplementing BCAAs pre-workout may be a viable option. The amino acids in BCAAs, leucine, isoleucine and valine can provide your body with additional essential amino acids, important for protein synthesis.
During a run
In long endurance running, you can burn around 100 calories per mile. You might hit a point where you have exhausted your muscles, and burnt all your calories, if you feel like this, energy and hydration may help you to feel less exhausted over a longer period of time. BCAA powder can also be supplemented into a drink and sipped during your training.
As protein levels are kept at a high, your body isn’t suffering a loss, as there isn’t a need for muscle to be broken down for fuel.
Additional BCAAs can also be supplemented after your run.
