BCAA Supplements

About BCAA Supplements

BCAA is the acronym for Branched Chain Amino Acids. These supplements contain leucine, isoleucine and valine, which are three of the nine essential amino acids. BCAAs cannot be synthesized in the human body and need to be obtain from the diet or supplements. If we don’t consume enough, muscle (and tissue) stores are depleted over time, resulting in a lower lean body mass and typically poor health. The largest storage area for branched chain amino acids is muscle tissue.  

BCAA supplementation is often used during exercise or intra-workout. Muscle protein synthesis (or muscle building) is decreased during strenuous exercise, while protein breakdown increases, which is a catabolic state. Part of the reason for this is an increase in stress hormones, such as cortisol. Based on this, it might seem counterintuitive that resistance exercise can result in larger and stronger muscles. However, once feeding with quality protein occurs, containing BCAAs, a muscle-building environment is created.

It is the leucine in BCAAs that provides the trigger to kick-start protein synthesis, via mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). This amino acid creates an anabolic environment, as long as enough is consumed. Any anabolic stimulus can couteract muscle breakdown, as long as there are sufficient essential amino acids to support this process.

BCAAs are naturally found in whey protein, and constitute approximately 15-20% of the amino acids. This is one of the reasons why whey protein is so useful for supporting muscle mass and preventing losses. The leucine in BCAA supplements can also stimulate fatty acid oxidation (fat-burning) and glucose uptake by the cell.

This means that leucine may also improve stamina and improve the rate at which fat stores are used for energy. BCAA supplements help to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness, perhaps due to their ability to stimulate muscle healing. The Journal of Exercise Nutrition and Biochemistry reported in 2013 that BCAA supplementation could reduce creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, which are both markers of muscle tissue damage and metabolic disruption.

BCAA supplements are best taken during or after, or can be sipped on throughout the day preferably between meals or with a low protein meal. Recent research indicates that a low protein meal without enough leucine to trigger mTOR can be overcome with a quality BCAA supplement. These products come in a range of delicious flavours or pure powder form. However, the pure powder is bitter and best added to a flavoured pre-workout or amino acid product.