Did you know that supportive adjunct IV therapy from Toronto could help expedite your muscle recovery? This may be handy for professional athletes or for those who partake in strenuous physical activities. 

Inside our vitamin IV Lounge, our healthcare providers can blend a combination of amino acids to customize a post-exercise recovery drip. In particular, this IV drip therapy may include branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) for promoting optimal function. This is a group of essential amino acids that’s frequently used for improving athletic performances, for promoting a weight loss boost, and lessening post-workout fatigue. They include the following components: valine, leucine, and isoleucine.

“It has been suggested that BCAA supplementation may reduce protein degradation and/or muscle enzyme release, decrease skeletal muscle damage in response to intense resistance exercise, reduce feelings of soreness, mitigate central fatigue and promote subsequent recovery of muscle function,” explains a published study from Nutrients. 

When amalgamated with a medley of amino acids and a healthy standard of living, BCAAs could assist with reaching your fitness goals. The Toronto Functional Medicine Centre discusses how these vital nutrients can help with recuperating from an extensive workout and how to access them. 

Beneficial effects of BCAAs for athletic recovery

The human body thrives off of amino acids as protein-building blocks, aiding the functioning of your organs, cell health, and tissues. In particular, BCAAs could offer positive effects on athletic recovery, such as these: 

• May contribute to reducing muscle damage: In one study, 12 males were reviewed on how BCAAs affected them after completing 100 drop jumps. Overall, it was “…shown that BCAA administered before and following damaging resistance exercise reduces indices of muscle damage and accelerates recovery in resistance-trained males,” confirms an article from The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
• Could help with reducing aches: BCAAs also reduce lingering soreness after a workout, which is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It tends to form 12-24 hours after physical exertion, and the discomfort may continue up to three days. In one study, participants who were administered BCAAs prior to performing squat workouts had a reduction in both DOMS and muscle weakness in comparison to those given a placebo. 
• May also encourage the healthy growth of bones: BCAAs are natural ingredients used for activating muscle protein synthesis. This allows for the creation of new muscles, which can help amplify an impending physical performance. This notion has been validated in studies. For example, in 2017, a published study from Frontiers in Physiology showed that participants who consumed BCAAs after resistance training experienced a 22% boost in muscle protein synthesis.  
• Could act as adjunct support for decreasing fatigue: Workout fatigue can be problematic. According to studies, your body’s BCAA levels decrease during physical exertion; in turn, your brain responds by boosting tryptophan levels, which triggers fatigue. Some studies have shown that athletes who took BCAA supplementation experienced not only less fatigue, but also a boost to their athletic performances. 

Where to get them 

Would you like to add these vital nutrients to your daily routine? BCAAs can be purchased anywhere, though you may require help on how to use them. Our health care team from our private downtown clinic can offer assistance by determining if these are applicable for your chief health concerns. By becoming a new patient, we can teach you how to make dietary changes to include BCAA-rich foods and how to take these in capsule or powder form. 

We’re aware that not all patients can take oral supplementation, especially if malabsorption occurs from a chronic illness (i.e. Crohn’s). This is why we offer IV therapy drips (intravenous vitamin therapy) with a wide range of amino acids and BCAAs. IV therapy provides a full absorption rate of nutrients without unwanted side effects that can occur from ingesting oral supplements. Plus, IV nutrient therapy has additional advantages, such as providing complete rehydration, improving cellular functioning, and supporting red blood cell production.

Take note: Prior to your first post-exercise amino acid drip from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, a complete diagnostic session is mandatory to rule out underlying issues and to identify key components for your vitamin drip treatments. Learn how to seek help from our functional medicine team below. 

Getting support for athletic recovery and optimal functioning 

Let’s improve your process of recovery by upping your cellular function and energy levels! At our clinic, we pay close attention to your fitness health goals. By understanding these, as well as your unique medical history/genetics, environment and lifestyle, we can customize a treatment plan for your health needs.

Tailoring intravenous drip therapy is a personalized service we offer in our IV Lounge. Vitamin IV drips and therapeutic doses are modified in line with integrative functional medicine wisdom, which supports the notion that symptoms may manifest differently between individuals. Next to amino acids and BCAAs, we can also add other essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to your IV drip, such as: vitamin C (ascorbic acid), glutamic acid, major antioxidants (i.e. glutathione), N- Acetylcysteine, folic acid, NAD+, and other key nutrients.

If you have concerns outside of muscle recovery, let us know! Intravenous infusion drips are suitable for various health conditions, including those related to: a nutritional deficiency (mineral deficiencies, low iron levels), cognitive function, brain fog/mental clarity, immune health, chronic inflammation (intestinal inflammation), insulin levels, much-needed energy, functioning of nerves, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain, hair growth/restoration, cellular damage, chronic stress (depression symptoms), electrolyte imbalances, oxidative stress, menopausal symptoms, and more. When combined with a healthy lifestyle and other therapies, IV therapy may contribute to optimal functioning. 

Level-up your physical exertion, athletic performance, and recovery time! Let’s customize your treatment plan for your physical health goals. Click here for our contact info and let’s talk about booking an initial consultation for IV therapy in Toronto.  

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

 

References:

“BCAA Benefits: A Review of Branched-Chain Amino Acids” from Healthline, medically reviewed by Lisa Hodgson, RDN, CDN, CDCES, FADCES, Nutrition — by Alina Petre, MS, RD (NL) — updated on July 30, 2021, viewed on April 18, 2023. 

Chen IF, Wu HJ, Chen CY, Chou KM, Chang CK. Branched-chain amino acids, arginine, citrulline alleviate central fatigue after 3 simulated matches in taekwondo athletes: a randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2016 Jul 13;13:28. doi: 10.1186/s12970-016-0140-0. PMID: 27418883; PMCID: PMC4944315.

Costello JT, Baker PR, Minett GM, Bieuzen F, Stewart IB, Bleakley C. Cochrane review: Whole-body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise in adults. J Evid Based Med. 2016 Feb;9(1):43-44. doi: 10.1111/jebm.12187. Epub 2016 Jan 14. PMID: 26779801.

Howatson G, Hoad M, Goodall S, Tallent J, Bell PG, French DN. Exercise-induced muscle damage is reduced in resistance-trained males by branched chain amino acids: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012 Jul 12;9:20. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-9-20. PMID: 22569039; PMCID: PMC3395580.

Jackman SR, Witard OC, Philp A, Wallis GA, Baar K, Tipton KD. Branched-Chain Amino Acid Ingestion Stimulates Muscle Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis following Resistance Exercise in Humans. Front Physiol. 2017 Jun 7;8:390. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00390. PMID: 28638350; PMCID: PMC5461297.

Shimomura Y, Inaguma A, Watanabe S, Yamamoto Y, Muramatsu Y, Bajotto G, Sato J, Shimomura N, Kobayashi H, Mawatari K. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation before squat exercise and delayed-onset muscle soreness. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2010 Jun;20(3):236-44. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.20.3.236. PMID: 20601741.

VanDusseldorp TA, Escobar KA, Johnson KE, Stratton MT, Moriarty T, Cole N, McCormick JJ, Kerksick CM, Vaughan RA, Dokladny K, Kravitz L, Mermier CM. Effect of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation on Recovery Following Acute Eccentric Exercise. Nutrients. 2018; 10(10):1389. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101389