Bodybuilding comes with requirements that go beyond working out and keeping up with a diet. Athletes consume supplements to help enhance their performance and compensate for any deficiencies. The market has thousands of options that guarantee several benefits, but it is difficult to narrow down on the right option. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently highlighted the BCAA variants and analysed them in detail.
In his newsletter, Arnold talked about the popular form of supplements that are reportedly one of the four most used supplements in the market. BCAAs — or branched-chain amino acids – are a group of amino acids that are supposed to promote muscle growth. But Schwarzenegger wasn’t too sure about that promise and revealed his concerns.
BCAAs consisted of leucine, isoleucine, and valine, where leucine primarily worked on the muscles. While they do help in muscle growth to some extent, Schwarzenegger believes they lack what complete proteins could provide.
Calling it a waste of money, he also highlighted a systematic review of BCAAs that made some surprising observations. Another study on the effects of BCAAs on muscle protein synthesis suggests that the supplement was stunningly inferior.
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“To build muscle, all 20 amino acids must be present. So, when you use a BCAA product, it’s like buying a fancy engine and acting like you don’t need any fuel.”
As a standalone supplement with just three amino acids, Schwarzenegger strongly felt that BCAAs don’t have a chance to improve one’s physique. Instead, he straight-up recommended protein powders for a fitness enthusiast’s intended purpose.
“A good protein powder will give you all the BCAAs and EAAs (the essential amino acids your body can’t produce on its own) but at a fraction of the cost.”
Therefore, Schwarzenegger set his final verdict in stone – If BCAAs were the only source of supplement, they could be rendered useless for hypertrophy. As such, he has previously raved about responsible supplement shopping.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Issues Guidelines for Proper Supplement Choice
With a myriad of options available in the market, fitness enthusiasts have often faced an overwhelm of choice and ended up with a shady product instead. This is why it is crucial to make the right choice for the sake of healthy and safe consumption.
Schwarzenegger provided an easy and significant sign to look out for during supplement shopping. Mainly, the product must carry an NSF Certified For Sport label or approval from Informed Sport. While packages can be misleading, this technique helps narrow down the choices to a select few safe options.
