Free Shipping
on all orders
Delivery TimeShipping Method
1 - 5 business daysFREE Standard Delivery
2 business daysFedEx 2Day
1 business dayFedEx Overnight

Carriers

fedex shipping logoups shipping logousps shipping logo
Orders under 1lb or to APO/FPO & PO Box destinations: These orders will ship with USPS and typically take 1 to 2 days longer than the Standard Delivery estimate. Free Shipping Offers: Only valid within the contiguous USA. Future subscriptions will renew with free shipping if the renewal amount is $49 or higher otherwise shipping will cost $7.95.
 
  • Hydration
    Hydration
    • All Hydration
    • Workout
      Workout
      • All Workout
      • Caffeinated
      • High Carb (>60g)
      • High Flavor
      • High Sodium (>750mg)
      • Low Flavor
      • Low Sugar (<5g)
      • Neutral
    • Daily
      Daily
      • All Daily
      • Caffeinated
      • Effervescent
      • High Sodium (>750mg)
      • Powder
      • Stevia Free
    • Pre-Workout
      Pre-Workout
      • All Pre-Workout
      • Caffeinated
      • Caffeine Free
    • Electrolyte Boosters
    • Cramp Solutions
  • Carbs
    Carbs
    • All Carbs
    • Gels
      Gels
      • All Gels
      • Caffeinated
      • High Carb (>40g)
      • High Sodium (>100mg)
      • Isotonic
      • Maple Syrup
      • Neutral Flavor
      • Nootropic
      • Real Food
    • Drinks
      Drinks
      • All Drinks
      • Caffeinated
      • 40g to 79g of Carbs
      • Over 80g of Carbs
    • Chews
      Chews
      • All Chews
      • Caffeinated
      • High Sodium (>100mg)
      • Neutral Flavor
      • Sour Tasting
    • Bars
      Bars
      • All Bars
      • Gluten Free
      • High Carb (>40g)
      • Kids
      • Meal
      • Nut
      • Oat
      • Protein (>10g)
      • Real Food
      • Rice
    • Waffles
      Waffles
      • All Waffles
      • Gluten Free
      • Thin
  • Protein
    Protein
    • All Protein
    • Whey
      Whey
      • All Whey
      • Chocolate
      • Vanilla
    • Clear Whey
    • Collagen
      Collagen
      • All Collagen
      • Peptides
      • Skin & Nail Health
    • Isolate
      Isolate
      • All Isolate
      • Clear
      • Whey
    • Protein Bars
      Protein Bars
      • All Protein Bars
      • Low Sugar (<4g)
      • Plant Based
      • Vegan
      • Workout (>20g)
    • Plant
      Plant
      • All Plant
      • Brown Rice
      • Hemp
      • Pea Protein
      • Soy
      • Vegan
    • Night Protein
    • Recovery Shakes
    • Blenders & Shakers
  • Supplements
    Supplements
    • All Supplements
    • Formulas
    • Vitamin & Minerals
      Vitamin & Minerals
      • All Vitamin & Minerals
      • Vitamin B
      • Greens & Reds
      • Gummies
      • Immune Support
      • Iron
      • Magnesium
      • Multi-Vitamins
      • Omegas
      • Vitamin C
      • Vitamin D
      • Women Specific
      • Zinc
    • Creatine
    • Athlete Performance
      Athlete Performance
      • All Athlete Performance
      • Adaptogens
      • Beta-Alanine
      • Bicarb
      • Caffeine
      • Creatine
      • Ketones
      • Nitric Oxide
      • Pre-workout
    • Strength
      Strength
      • All Strength
      • Aminos & BCAAs
      • Peptides
    • Sleep
      Sleep
      • All Sleep
      • Go to Sleep
      • Magnesium
      • Melatonin
      • Stay Asleep
    • Recovery
      Recovery
      • All Recovery
      • Aminos & BCAAs
      • Beets
      • Collagen
      • Injury
      • Joint Support
      • Tart Cherry
      • Turmeric
    • Gut & Biotics
      Gut & Biotics
      • All Gut & Biotics
      • L-Glutamine
      • Lactic Probiotics
      • Probiotics
    • Longevity
      Longevity
      • All Longevity
      • Brain Health
      • Glutathione
      • Heart Health
      • Liver Health
      • NAD
      • Resveratrol
      • Stress
    • Focus
    • Hormone Support
    • GLP1 & Weight Loss
      GLP1 & Weight Loss
      • All GLP1 & Weight Loss
      • Blood Sugar Regulation
      • Metabolism
    • Other
      Other
      • All Other
      • Apple Cider Vinegar
      • Copper & Silver
      • Energy
      • Keto
    • Ketones
      Ketones
      • All Ketones
      • Bulk Bottles
      • Ready to Drink
      • Shots
  • Gear
    Gear
    • All Gear
    • Packs & Vests & Belts
      Packs & Vests & Belts
      • All Packs & Vests & Belts
      • Accessories
      • Bladders
      • Hydration Pack
      • Insulated
      • Running Belts
      • Running Vests
      • Soft Flasks
    • Technology
      Technology
      • All Technology
      • Cooling
      • Headphones
      • Heat Sensor
      • Hydration Sensor
      • Sleep
      • Swim Goggles
      • Watches
    • Recovery Gear
      Recovery Gear
      • All Recovery Gear
      • Accessories
      • Back
      • Compression
      • Cooling
      • Cupping
      • Feet
      • Heat
      • Massage & Percussion
      • Muscle Stim
      • Red Light
      • Rollers
    • Bottles
      Bottles
      • All Bottles
      • Branded
      • Cleaning
      • Daily Hydration
      • Insulated Bottles
      • Running
      • Shaker
      • Soft Flasks
      • Water Bottles
    • Socks
      Socks
      • All Socks
      • Compression
      • Feed Branded
      • Run & Ride
    • Hats & Headgear
      Hats & Headgear
      • All Hats & Headgear
      • Beanies
      • Bucket Hats
      • Cooling
      • Headbands
      • Running Hats
      • Sweat Trapping
      • Visors
    • Bags
      Bags
      • All Bags
      • Bike
      • Day & Gym
      • Hike
      • Medical
      • Travel
    • Body
      Body
      • All Body
      • Anti-Chafe
      • Foot Care
      • Pain Relief & Recovery
      • Shaving
      • Skin & Hair
      • Sun Protection
    • Feed Gear
      Feed Gear
      • All Feed Gear
      • Clothing
      • Cycling Kits
      • Training Gear
  • Superfoods
    Superfoods
    • All Superfoods
    • Super Drinks
    • Functional Gummies
    • Mushrooms
    • Beets
    • Tart Cherry
    • Meat Snacks
    • Bone Broth
    • Snacks
    • Oatmeal
    • Pancakes
    • Granola
    • Baking
    • Coffee
  • Hot Deals
    Hot Deals
    Shop All Hot Deals
  • Insider
  • New
    Shop All New
  • Brands
    Top Brands at The Feed
    View All 175+ Brands
Top Brands
Hot DealsInsiderNewBrands
LoginCreate an account
Change country
All undefined
All undefined
The Feed Insider
Cycling
Running
Triathlon
How to Fuel
Feed News
Training Tips
Athlete Stories
Product Highlight
  1. Home
  2. The Feed Insider
  3. Getting to know Branch Chain Amino-Acids!
Jun 23, 2016

Getting to know Branch Chain Amino-Acids!

By Adam Galuszka

COO at The Feed

This article was written by Kevin Sprouse, DO, CAQSM. Dr. Sprouse is a team physician for the Cannondale Pro Cycling Team, has a degree in exercise science, and is board-certified in two medical specialties. He practices Sports Medicine at Provision Sports Medicine in Knoxville, TN. Branched Chain Amino Acids (or BCAAs) are something you may have heard of, may think you know what they are, and may even think you know how to use them effectively as a supplement.  Or this may be a brand new topic for you.  Either way, BCAAs can be a fantastic addition to your diet and training, and we’ll discuss a few interesting ways in which you can utilize them in your daily routine. Previously, there was a great blog post published about BCAAs, what they are, and how amino acids function in the body.  If this is an entirely new topic for you, take the time to re-read that article for some foundational knowledge.  Very briefly, amino acids are the “building blocks” of proteins in the body.  There are 22 different amino acids, nine of which are considered “essential”, meaning your body cannot synthesize them.  Of these, leucine, isoleucine, and valine are the “branched chain” amino acids.  Leucine is integral to muscle protein synthesis, and isoleucine helps your cells utilize glucose. I’m guessing you are not reading this for a biology lesson though.  Let’s talk about ways in which you can use BCAAs to train smarter and perform better! Anti-Catabolic Effect In a person who is training or exercising, there is a constant battle between catabolism (breakdown) and anabolism (rebuilding).  The harder you train, the more you breakdown your body.  Given the appropriate time to recover and adapt, that is not necessarily a bad thing.  The goal of training is to stimulate the body to respond to training stress and build itself to be stronger and better-suited to face that stress again in the future.  BCAAs can play an important role in this process. Fasted Training: Many athletes utilize fasted workouts, in which they may engage in lower intensity training after 10-12 hours without food.  Such sessions can be very beneficial metabolically for athletes, but they can quickly become a detrimental, catabolic event if not careful.  BCAAs have been shown to counteract the muscle breakdown that occurs during such fasted training.  The last thing you want to do when training is to sacrifice lean muscle!  BCAAs are not a source of calories, so you can ingest them prior to such a workout and remain in a fasted state.  Depending on the length of your training session, they are great to use during workout too.  You’ll be able to gain the benefits of a fat-burning aerobic training session while minimizing the catabolic effect you would normally encounter. Recovery and Adaptation:  Immediately following a workout or race, we are often told that there is a very defined window during which we need to refuel.  It can get a little complicated though.  You want to begin to replenish glycogen stores quickly, so carbohydrates are a necessity.  Protein is recommended as well, because you want to halt any catabolic effect and begin to rebuild.  However, if you take the two macronutrients simultaneously, the protein will slow the digestion of the carbohydrate.  A simple strategy is to start with a mix of carbs and BCAAs immediately after finishing your training or race.  The BCAAs will serve to diminish muscle breakdown while not impeding glycogen replenishment.  Once that drink is finished, give it 15-20 minutes to digest.  You can then start to replace protein with supplementation or real foods. Decrease Fatigue / Bonk Exercise Fatigue:  With extended bouts of exercise, it is not only the body that gets tired.  The brain begins to fatigue as well, which directly impacts performance.  Have you ever made a dumb mistake late in a race?  Yeah…I think we’ve all been there.  As you exercise, your body uses the BCAAs which are floating around.  As their level drops, another amino acid, tryptophan, is shuttled into the brain.  When this happens, serotonin is produced, eventually leading to fatigue.  Supplementing with BCAAs during exercise can help to stave off this serotonin-induced fatigue. Bonking:  Another experience that all athletes have had is the dreaded “bonk”.  (In Europe where “bonking” has an entirely different meaning, this is often called a “hunger flat”.)  It was once thought that this occurred solely due to emptying one’s glycogen stores, but there is more to it than that.  As I mentioned earlier, BCAAs help your muscles with uptake of glucose.  When BCAAs levels drop due to their utilization during exercise, you become less efficient at getting glucose into your cells.  Taking a BCAA supplement during exercise can help to delay or prevent “bonking”.  Since these studies were published, you may have noticed that many more companies that make gels have started to include BCAAs in their formula.  There is a reason for that! Given all of this info, I hope you can see that there is a very good case for making BCAAs a standard part of your nutrition and training regimen!  For most athletes, it makes sense to use a reasonable dose of BCAAs before, during, and/or after a training session.  Depending on the goal of your workout, you can tailor your use of this supplement to support your effort.

Looking to add some BCAAs to your nutrition plan? Here's are some great options to consider, available in drink mix or pill form:

GU Roctane Ultra Endurance Singles:

GU Roctane Ultra Endurance Singles contain an ideal carbohydrate ratio, electrolytes, taurine, caffeine, and beta alanine, branch chain amino acids and histidine amino acids to delay fatigue and increase muscle capacity at exertion. Use: Mix one packet with with 21 oz of water. Drink 20-30 oz per hour of activity.

Klean BCAA + Peak ATP:

Klean BCAA + Peak ATP supplies a 2:1:1 ratio of the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, as well as 400 mg of ATP in each serving. It has been shown to support peak physical performance by increasing strength, muscle gain, and allowing the body to train longer, harder and stronger. Use: Mix one scoop with 8-10 oz of water 30 minutes before a workout.

Hammer Endurance Amino:

Hammer Endurance Amino offers all the benefits of BCAAs in pill form. You’ll feel the endurance benefits of Hammer Endurance Amino during workout sessions and races longer than 2 hours. When taken after any workouts, it will allow your muscles to recover faster and reduce feelings of fatigue. Use: Take 2-4 capsules prior to and after exercise. During prolonged exercise, take 1-2 capsules every hour.
The Feed.
About Us
Careers
Feed Insider Blog
NSF Certified for Sport®
All Products
Mobile App for Android
Socials
Instagram
YouTube
Strava
TikTok
Facebook
Twitter
Policy
Privacy Policy
Satisfaction Guarantee
Returns & Exchanges
Subscription Policy
Terms of Service
Cookie Policy
Email Us
hello@thefeed.com
Text Us*
+1 (720) 864 0086
Call Us
+1 (720) 864 0086

Mon-Fri 9am to 4pm MT

Address
12303 Airport Way #350,
Broomfield, CO 80021
USA

*By texting us, you consent to receive texts messages from The Feed at the mobile number you used to text and you are opting-in to receive future messages or a phone call at the number you provided. Message and Data rates may apply. Reply STOP anytime to opt-out.

About The Feed

We are athletes like you. We have experienced how eating smarter can make a meaningful difference in our training. Improving your nutrition is one of the quickest ways to see meaningful improvements in performance.

Subscribe

Get the latest new products, pro tips and be first to know about sales and special offers.

Change your country
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases. (FDA Disclaimer)
image