BCAA HELPS MAINTAIN STRENGTH DURING INTENSE RESISTANCE TRAINING
Overreaching is a short-term training phase in which the volume and/or the intensity of exercise is increased beyond normal. The rationale is to overwork and then taper to produce a subsequent “rebound” in performance. During the overreaching period, performance may be decreased due to inadequate recovery. Certain amino acids, especially the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) have been reported to augment recovery during endurance and resistance exercise by mechanisms which are unclear. We conducted a study to examine the effects of amino acid supplementation on muscular performance during resistance training overreaching in resistance-trained men who were randomly assigned to either a BCAA or a placebo group. They underwent 4 weeks of resistance training designed to induce a state of overreaching. The protocol consisted of total body workouts performed 5 days per week for 4 weeks. Muscle strength was tested each week. The intense training resulted in a significant decline in strength in the placebo group, but BCAA supplementation prevented the decline in performance. The group taking BCAA also had higher testosterone levels and lower markers of muscle damage. The findings indicate that BCAA supplementation can prevent muscle strength loss during initial high-volume resistance training work, possibly by reducing muscle damage by maintaining an anabolic environment.

Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA, Volek JS, Hakkinen K, Rubin MR, French DN, Gomez AL, McGuigan MR, Scheett TP, Newton RU, Spiering BA, Izquierdo M, Dioguardi FS. The effects of amino acid supplementation on hormonal responses to resistance training overreaching. Metabolism. 2006 Mar;55(3):282-91.

Very nice and interesting paper, my problem is to find out what option is the best , BCAA powder as a consequence consume more BCAA obviously or EAA consuming the same amount of nitrogen but less BCAA due to the presence of the other EAA.

EAA or BCAA that is the question .

Indeed... I just mix EAA:BCAA:Leucine in a 1:1:1 ratio