Do BCAAS Break A Fast?|BCAAS During Fasted Training
I’m a big fan of BCAAS during specific fasts due to their muscle building, anti catabolic benefits. But the question still remains, do BCAAS break a fast? Can you use BCAAS during fasted training?
Intermittent fasting is both a trend and a interesting way to think about your health and body composition. Bluntly, intermittent fasting is simply going an extended period of time without eating, no calories. You can drink play water and even black coffee or tea technically breaks a fast. Anything that causes digestion to happen breaks the fast, if we’re going to go with the textbook definition. But if you’re primarily using intermittent fasting to improve your physique then you should use BCAAS when fasted.
Does fasting burn more fat?
The key benefit of intermittent fasting for fat loss has a lot to do with an increase in the activity of certain genes that increase fat oxidation. When fasting your mitochondria produces less energy and since they have less calories to burn, ATP is produced more efficiently. Now a lot of the controversey in the online world surrounds if fasting is any more beneficial than a calorie controlled diet.
In my opinion, I don’t think it’s any better for fat loss but just viewing fasting through the lens of fat loss, to me, is myopic vision. Time restricted feeding can have profound effects on hormone health, an increased relationship with food and an overall education on how you feel when you eat less. Alternate day fasts have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides as well as inflammatory markers like interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Fasting helps lower the risk of cardio vascular disease.
Now just viewing fasting as a fat loss tool, you still see some benefits including heightened fat loss in individuals who are already insulin sensitivity. This is why you see high level athletes like Georges St Pierre say that fating as changed their life. By shifting and increasing the health of the metabolic fuel systems you may increase the activity of your genes to further use calories.
What are the benefits of using BCAAS during fasted training?
Do BCAAS kick you out of a fast?
Not only do calories kick you out a fast but so does protein, carbohydrates and fats, I want to be very clear. On the flip side, BCAAS by pass tradition digestion and are primarily used by skeletel muscle tissue. At the same time, BCAAS are zero calorie nutrients
BCAAS Fasting:What Are your goals?
You shouldn’t just just fast because you read about it online, you should have an objective. If your goal is to gain muscle mass and you are fasting as a way to sensitizes your hormones or reset yourself metabolically then BCAAs during a fast will absolutely help.
BCAAS,Fasting,Body fat
Already lean individuals such as athletes trying fasting should have the primary goal of preventing muscle breakdown. If the goal is to build muscle then BCAAS during a fast can be helpful.
Since the calorie load of BCAAS is so small and BCAAS increasse phosphorylation of p70, a key factor in muscle protein synthesis, consuming BCAAS during a fasted workout can delay muscle breakdown.
BCAAS when training in a fasted state?
Yes, absolutely. BCAAS in a fasted state should be consumed to reduce muscle breakdown and provide a fuel for working muscle tissues.
The problem with intermittent fasting and high intensity training is that many folks fast too often. They don’t follow any type of rules or practice, they just fast then don’t eat enough post fast so their overall calories are just lower. The smartest thing to do, in my opinion is start using BCAAS during a fast and experiment of yourself.
Are you measuring blood biomarkers like insulin and cholesterol? Fast for a few days per month with BCAAS and see what happens.
Are you trying to lose belly fat? Fast with BCAAS and see if you retain muscle and lose fast. Then try another cycle without BCAAS.
We know BCAAS can help build muscle, it’s up to you to experiment with how you use them.