Both EAAs and BCAAs have identical benefits for athletes; delay the onset of fatigue, promote recovery, and help to build muscle mass.
The difference between these two supplements is that BCAAs contain the 3 most important amino acids in larger amounts, and EAAs contain all the essential amino acids, albeit in smaller amounts.
And now you will ask yourself.
What is the best supplement for me? And the answer is it depends, and there are as many cases as people. But don’t worry, here you’ll find all the answers to your questions.
Our tips to help you choose are:
- If you practice an endurance sport, or you are not looking for great muscle development, we recommend BCAA supplementation. It is highly recommended to combine these BCAAs with glutamine.
- If you are looking for great muscle development, we recommend EAAs, as they encourage the formation of lean mass. Another equally good option is to combine BCAAs with other supplements, such as protein, creatine, or the mix of both, to achieve a greater volumizing effect. If you follow a very intense training routine, you can combine BCAAs with EAA, or choose a product that mixes both of them.
- EAA supplementation to increase nitrogen intake improves muscle function during bed rest in the elderly
- Nutritionally non-essential amino acids are dispensable for whole-body protein synthesis after exercise in endurance athletes with an adequate essential amino acid intake
- Exercise promotes BCAA catabolism: effects of BCAA supplementation on skeletal muscle during exercise
- Effect of BCAA intake during endurance exercises on fatigue substances, muscle damage substances, and energy metabolism substances
When to take the EAA?
The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends that people who are trying to build muscle consume between 1.4-2.0 grams of protein per kg of body weight daily. Because we’ve learned that EAAs (plus non-essential AAs) are all required for muscle building, people with an insufficient daily intake of protein would likely see the greatest benefit from an EAA supplement. If your diet is already very high in protein and meets the daily amount of protein recommended by ISSN, BCAAs might be enough for you, but EAAs are still a more comprehensive supplement to make up any shortcomings of your diet.
Vegans and vegetarians may also see greater benefits from EAAs because the number of plant-based proteins, which contain all essential amino acids, is significantly lower than for animal proteins.
When to take BCAA?
Cardio
Many people incorporate cardio into their regimes multiple times a week, both in the mornings and evenings. During cardio, BCAAs can come handy – especially in case of HIIT cardio routines or steady-state cardio.
Performing intense levels of cardio can often burn not only fat but muscle too. Combining a low-calorie diet with intense cardio workouts will accelerate muscle breakdown, which is something we want to avoid. If you take BCAAs supplement the moment you start your cardio, you’ll be able to prevent muscle breakdown. Add 5g to your shaker and sip on it throughout your cardio regime.
Pre & Post Workout
There are two important times to supplement with BCAA’s: Pre- and post-workout. Many pre-workout formulas contain BCAAs. Make sure to take BCAAs with your pre-workout meal before hitting the gym.
Following the gym regime, make sure you consume an additional 5-10 g of BCAAs either on their own or in a post-workout shake. Many people benefit from supplementing with BCAAs after they wake up and just before going to bed, as it promotes muscle recovery and growth.