Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA)

Author:

Julio Valero

Published on:

11/4/2022

“Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are three amino acids that benefit muscle growth. They are found not only in supplements, but also in high levels in foods such as eggs or meat, making supplementation unnecessary for most people.”

Branched Chain Amino Acids Summary

There are three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAA supplements can help promote muscle protein synthesis and increase muscle growth over time, especially in individuals with low protein intake.

We have that leucine is important in the synthesis of muscle proteins; isoleucine induces the absorption of glucose in the cells and finally valine, about which there is little research, therefore its main function has not been determined.

Lack of BCAA supplementation can cause fatigue and increased levels of tryptophan in the brain. To avoid this, it's important to consume BCAAs daily, found in many protein-rich foods like meat and eggs.

How to take

The recommended dosage for isoleucine intake is 48-72 mg per kilogram of body weight for non-obese individuals. The standard dosage for leucine is 2-10 g per day. The dosage for BCAA with a balanced ratio of leucine and isoleucine is 20 g. If BCAA intake is sufficient from the diet, then supplementation is not necessary.

There is no mention of the necessary dosage of valine, since as we mentioned before, there is no research on it.

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Human effects matrix

This matrix summarizes the studies conducted in humans to tell what effects branched chain amino acids have on the body, how much evidence there is, and how strong these effects are.

Analysis aspect	Results
Aerobic Exercise	Prolonged endurance exercise can increase time to exhaustion, but this effect is primarily seen in untrained or lightly trained individuals. Research suggests that advanced athletes do not experience significant anti-fatigue effects or increased time to exhaustion.
Fat Oxidation	In prolonged exercise related to anti-fatigue effects, an increase in fat oxidation is observed when BCAA supplementation is used. This is thought to be related to the glycogen-sparing effects of BCAAs.
Fatigue	Decreased mental fatigue, as measured after training, occurs when a BCAA supplement is taken during exercise. This effect is more pronounced at a higher dose of approximately 10 grams.
Lactate Production	There appears to be no reliable change in blood lactate concentrations after exercise using BCAA supplements.
Ammonia	Human studies indicate that ammonia levels are influenced by time, increasing after exercise for up to 2 hours and decreasing the following day. Conversely, animal studies suggest that excessive BCAA intake can reverse this decrease and lead to an increase in ammonia levels.
Processing Accuracy	The increased processing accuracy appears to be secondary to the reduction in exercise-related fatigue, the result seen when testing is done after exercise.
Rate of Perceived Exertion	During exercise under the influence of BCAA supplementation, there is evidence to support a reduction in perceived rate of exertion, but it appears to have a small and inconsistent effect on performance improvement.
Reaction time	In a paced soccer test, a large decrease in reaction time was observed, thought to be secondary to anti-fatigue effects. Hypothesized to be useful for prolonged sports.
Weight Loss	Weight loss occurs during prolonged strenuous exercise, and is accentuated by BCAA supplementation relative to carbohydrates. This is likely indicative of lean mass and/or hydration, not necessarily an anti-fat loss effect.
Adrenalin	There is no significant influence on adrenaline concentrations.
Anaerobic Functioning Capacity	It has no significant effect on improving performance in cardiovascular exercise in the short term.
Blood glucose	BCAA supplementation does not alter blood glucose concentrations, but the increased fat oxidation may mitigate the decrease in glucose levels observed during prolonged exercise.
Cortisol	There are no significant interactions between BCAA supplements and cortisol.
Dopamine	Serum dopamine does not appear to be altered by BCAA supplementation, as is the case with catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline).
Heart Rate	No significant alterations in heart rate were seen with BCAA supplementation during exercise or at rest.
Insulin	In fasting insulin levels, there is no significant influence with BCAA supplementation.
Ketone bodies	There are no significant alterations in the formation of ketone bodies, this may be because the other two gluconeogenesis agents compensate for the ketogenic BCAA (leucine).
Muscle Pain	There is no significant effect on muscle soreness when assessed 2 to 3 days after exercise preloaded with BCAA supplements.
Norepinephrine	BCAA supplementation does not appear to significantly influence serum norepinephrine concentrations.
Oxygen consumption	Oxygen uptake during anaerobic cardiovascular exercise does not appear to be altered by BCAA supplementation.
Power Output	Mixed effects on power output are seen, but when they occur, it is not an increase in power output, but rather secondary to reduced muscle soreness after repeated exercise. This may be more indicative of anti-fatigue effects than actual improvement in power output.

Studies excluded from consideration

Multi-nutrient supplement (including non-BCAA supplements).
Confused with non-BCAA amino acids (like citrulline or glutamine).
Paired with ACE inhibitors.

Things to keep in mind

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a form of amino acid supplement that helps build muscle and enhance performance. Their main function is to support muscle protein synthesis and recovery.

Not to be confused with Leucine, Isoleucine or Valine (all individual BCAAs).

This is suggested to have a stimulatory effect with BCAA supplementation, but due to the lack of research on the topic, the placebo effect cannot be ruled out as a cause.

If you want to see the studies I used for this analysis, you can go to the website: https://examine.com/supplements/branched-chain-amino-acids/

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