Does intraworkouts and BCAA's work?

           
           Now, a days everybody comes in the gym with there intraworkouts or BCAA supplements which they will be sipping in there bottles during workout. Intraworkouts and BCAA supplements are almost same. Its just that the intraworkouts contain BCAA's and some additional integrents like electrolyte, citrulline malate, etc. Now, understand what are BCAA's? They are branch chain amino acids. There are three BCAA's which are Lucine, isolucine and valine. Our body cannot produce these BCAA's on its own. So we need these from outside source like foods and supplements. Protein is made up of group of amino acids which have BCAA's in it. So any food which has protein will always have BCAA's in it. Without BCAA protein will not be formed.

 

       
        Supplement companies have marketed BCAA's as essential for muscle building and help muscle from catabolic state. Understand one thing that if you are taking protein powder or food rich in protein then it will have BCAA in it because protein is incomplete without amino acid ratios. So you are already getting 2g to 3g of BCAA per scoop of your protein. Now, any type of food like eggs, soyabeen, pulses, kidney bean, chickpeas, chicken breast, etc. which have protein will also have BCAA in it. So you are already getting enough of BCAA from foods and protein powder. Why don't you check your protein powder's nutrition label and also google that how many amino acids ratio make 1g protein.

          Let us discuss now the during workout phenomena of taking BCAA's or your intraworkouts. When you start your workout the body realize that certain part of muscles in body needs energy in emergency. So the body will shut down all process and shuttles maximum blood to that part of body. This is what we call the pump. The digestive system will also be shut down as there is more emergency going on in body which is the muscle training you are doing. So any food in the stomach will stay as it is because all the blood is send to the muscle you are training. So taking anything will stays in your stomach as the digestive system is shut till workout is over.

         The body's anatomy is that first it will empty the glycogen for energy then comes carbohydrate for energy and then fat cell with muscle breakdown for energy. First of all BCAA itself is incomplete to protect muscle from breakdown. We required protein in the blood stream to prevent muscle breakdown and BCAA is incomplete protein. When our body has empted glycogen and carbs to energy. Then comes muscle breakdown to protein and protein to energy. Now, to prevent muscle breakdown we need to have protein in our blood. If we take protein during workout then it will stay in our stomach as the body has already shut down the digestive system. In this whole phenomena where do you see the requirement of BCAA. Even if your body digested BCAA or intraworkout to blood stream during your workout, still they are incapable to produce energy for body because not BCAA but proteins breaks down to energy.

          Now, you get the whole idea about BCAA and intraworkouts. This paradigm was created by supplement companies through advertising and sponsored reviews. So, that we can trust them and start using their marketed products. Supplement companies generate most of there revenue from selling BCAA's and pre-workouts. You get addicted to both psychologically and also you cannot measure any muscle development by taking BCAA or intraworkouts. So the more you consume the more money is generated by supplement companies.

          The last part, very thing is based on researches. Like research done by so and so university says that BCAA helps to built muscle and prevent muscle breakdown. Now, doing any research on any subject needs lots of funding. As the experiment first is done on rats (mice) and then on number of humans. Then comes the overall result of the product. Now, you tell me where the funding come from? Government ! Or supplement companies. Quite obvious isn't it. If the supplement companies can give funding for the researches then they can fund them for the results in their favour.

          I have explained you all my research and perspectives. Now, you decide yourself is it worth investing money on BCAA's and intraworkouts or not.