I often get asked, "What should I take during my workout? BCAAs ? An EAA mix? Hydration ?" And honestly, I understand why it's confusing: the products look similar, the names blur, and the promises are often unclear.
So let's clear this up!
BCAA / EAA: Amino acids to prevent muscle loss
When we talk about BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine) or EAAs (essential amino acids), we are talking about a supplement focused on muscle recovery and the prevention of catabolism . Basically, it helps limit muscle breakdown during a workout, especially if:
You train on an empty stomach
You are in a calorie deficit (e.g.: fat loss),
Or you're doing a big block of training and you want to optimize your intra-session recovery .
It delivers amino acids directly into the bloodstream , so your muscles have what they need to survive your workout without drawing on your reserves.
Hydration: For cells ready to perform
When we talk about intra hydration, we are mainly talking about sodium, potassium, magnesium , essential electrolytes to keep your cells hydrated, your muscle contraction efficient, and avoid a drop in performance.
This is especially important if you do:
Endurance sports (running, cycling, prolonged HIIT)
You train for a long time (60 min +)
You sweat a lot . Because yes, water alone is not enough . If you don't have the right minerals to go with it, your body doesn't retain this water effectively in the muscle cells. Result?
Fatigue, decreased performance, cramps. We want to avoid that.
The beautiful thing about this is that you don't have to choose .
If you want to optimize your training, a good intra-workout combines the two :
Amino acids to nourish the muscle
Electrolytes to maintain optimal hydration and perform until the last set.
You can make a simple homemade mix, or opt for an all-in-one product that combines amino acids and electrolytes, which will allow you to maximize the impact on your training.
Besides, it's the kind of product that deserves its place among the essentials to have for the summer when you train in Quebec.
Félix Daigle, Ambassador of Shop Santé
