Most people have heard of amino acids: basic components which are strung together like beads on a chain to produce all of the 150,000 or so proteins in the body. What’s less well known is the fact that some of these amino acids by themselves have interesting medicinal properties that can be exploited to take care of specific needs. One of the most significant of these protein building blocks is a class of molecules called “branched chain amino acids” or BCAAs, that are especially important for growth and repair.
Bodybuilders use the BCAAs as muscle development aids and human mother’s milk is packed with branched chain amino acids, which are not only an important source of growth of substances for the baby, but also provide raw material for the production of other amino acids, that play an important role in brain health and detoxification.
You can get BCAAs in high-protein foods like meat, fish and eggs. Whey protein is an especially good source and you can also buy BCAA supplements in health food stores or on the Internet. I like the powder form, which is easier for the body to process and absorb. For maximum muscle development, athletes should take their BCAAs 15 to 20 minutes before or after a workout with a little food. Everyone else, including pregnant and nursing moms, as well as the elderly and patients feeling from traumas and surgery, should take their branched-chain amino acids with meals two to three times a day.
