BCAA Excellence provides the three branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine. It also includes lysine, another amino acid that works synergistically with the BCAAs to optimize health and performance.
The BCAAs are essential because the body is unable to make them out of other amino acids. They must be ingested through food or supplements. The BCAAs make up 40 percent of the daily requirement of all nine essential amino acids, indicating their importance.
The BCAAs are found in foods containing protein, with the highest concentrations in chicken, beef, salmon, eggs, and whey protein. They can be supplemented, which is useful for athletes because free form BCAAs bypass the liver and gut tissue and go directly to the blood stream.
As their name suggests, BCAAs have a branched side chain that simplifies the job of converting each amino acid into energy during intense exertion. They make up about 35 percent of all muscle tissue. The more BCAAs that are present in the muscles, the more they will be used for energy, slowing the breakdown of muscles cells and preventing muscle loss.