New Research Examines BCAAs and Omega-3 in Combination for Athletic Performance & Recovery
Most athlete’s are in a never ending endeavor of seeking new ways to enhance their performance. In the age of the booming supplement and fitness industry, it seems like there are new popular performance enhancing supplements on the market every week!
Thankfully, you can receive enhanced performance without buying into pricey supplements with unpredictable results and unregulated ingredients. Whether you are an experienced athlete, or just beginning your sport or fitness journey, there is a lot of hope for natural performance enhancement! If you are an experienced athlete, you already know what BCAAs are and most likely supplement with them as part of a regimen. For beginners who may have never heard of Branched-Chain Amino Acids, or BCAAs, it is important to note that they are one of the most well-studied and loved supplements that have been used in the fitness industry for decades, but the literature surrounding BCAA’s is often misinterpreted.
How do BCAAs work?
BCAAs include leucine, valine and isoleucine. These are a few of the body’s essential amino acids found in protein dense food items, partaking in protein synthesis, aiding in energy production, and having anti-inflammatory properties (1). They make up over 30% of the essential amino acids found in muscle proteins (2). Although in theory BCAAs are a great choice to independently supplement with, studies have mixed results for them aiding in muscle development and recovery alone. This led to newer research methods of examining BCAAs in combination with other supplements, and the more refined belief that there are ways to better potentiate the effects of these orally ingested aminos.
Why is Omega-3 so important?
Maintaining healthy levels of Omega-3 through both diet and supplementation is shown to aid in the health of various critical systems in the body. Regular supplementation with Omega-3 has shown to reduce the likelihood of Alzheimer’s, dementia and other neurodegenerative disease (3). Other studies have demonstrated how Omega-3 supplementation aids in neuromuscular function compared to other fatty oils (4).
How well do these two supplements pair? Recent research is unveiling a newfound hope for natural fitness enhancement and recovery.
In a study containing 29 previously untrained participants, the effects of these supplements independently and in combination compared to a placebo were tested. The individuals supplemented with both BCAAs and Omega-3 fatty acids showed the best results, having a better range of motion during exercise and less muscle soreness after eccentric exercise than individuals who supplemented these things independently or with the placebo (5). In addition to this, those who supplemented with both options demonstrated greater post-exercise muscle strength. It is suggested that these results are due to the powerful anti-inflammatory effect they create in combination with one another.
Our recommended Products
With this information in mind, consider adding IV Lounge BCAAs and Omega Supreme into your fitness regimen! You can find them here along with many other of our favorite supplements https://store.theivlounge.com/collections/supplements-1 or contact our Orlando location at (877) 420-0052 for any questions regarding fitness and our products!
References
- Biswas, Dipsikha et al. “Role of branched-chain amino acid-catabolizing enzymes in intertissue signaling, metabolic remodeling, and energy homeostasis.” FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology vol. 33,8 (2019): 8711-8731. doi:10.1096/fj.201802842RR
- Shimomura, Yoshiharu, et al. “Exercise promotes BCAA catabolism: effects of BCAA supplementation on skeletal muscle during exercise.” The Journal of nutrition 134.6 (2004): 1583S-1587S.
- Shahidi, Fereidoon, and Priyatharini Ambigaipalan. “Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Health Benefits.” Annual review of food science and technology vol. 9 (2018): 345-381. doi:10.1146/annurev-food-111317-095850
- Lewis, Evan J H et al. “21 days of mammalian omega-3 fatty acid supplementation improves aspects of neuromuscular function and performance in male athletes compared to olive oil placebo.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition vol. 12 28. 18 Jun. 2015, doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0089-4
-
