You've probably heard of BCAAs before. And not to mention, they are the subject of daily debate among athletes, have become the central act of many scientific studies and their effectiveness has been confirmed every time.
In the first article of our series "Supplements under the microscope" we bring you the branched amino acids and the most important things about them - their dosage, benefits and side effects.
What are BCAAs
The abbreviation BCAA itself contains the English name "Branched Chains Amino Acids" or branched chain amino acids. Under this, still quite nondescript abbreviation, are the three most important amino acids - leucine, isoleucine and valine.
They are essential to our bodies, which means that the body cannot make them on its own. Their supplementation is therefore in order.
Why these three amino acids?
As you will learn in the next sections of the article, the most important amino acid of the BCAAs is leucine. And you may be wondering what the others are doing there. Basically, you could say they work synergistically.
If you were to take only leucine, paradoxically, there would be a decrease in blood plasma isoleucine and valine levels. And that's exactly why all three amino acids are found in these supplements, with the branchingbut in the vast majority of cases leucine is the most abundant.
What BCAAs are used for
BCAAs have been subjected to many scientific studies over the course of their existence, and as a result, there are indeed many known positive effects on gaining muscle mass, burning fat, and improved recovery.
The branched chain amino acids, along with other essential and non-essential amino acids, form the backbone of which, as you know, are essential in building muscle mass.
What are their effects
Let's take a look at the five most important benefits:
- Increase levels of anabolic hormones (especially testosterone and insulin)
- Decreases levels of catabolic hormones (mainly cortisol)
- Accelerate recovery and muscle growth
- Preserves muscle mass during periods of reduction dieting
- Can reduce muscle soreness after strenuous workouts
What are the ingredients
As we've already hinted at in the introduction, there are three amino acids hidden under the term BCAA - leucine, isoleucine and valine. Let's take a look at their basic functions in the body:
- L-Leucine is a very important proteinogenic amino acid that performs a number of important functions in the body - it increases performance and promotes muscle recovery.It is the most anabolic amino acid of all. You must have heard about the ability of BCAAs to prevent muscle catabolism. This is precisely due to the participation of leucine in the alanine cycle, which ensures the recycling of glucose in the muscles. And when muscles have glucose, they have an energy source and don't have to catabolize to get energy.
- L-Isoleucine is an amino acid that is also very important to the body. It can be converted to glucose very quickly, thus saving muscle glycogen stores and, besides, it also promotes the formation of hemoglobin.
- L-Valine is one of the important components of elastic fibres in animal tissuesIt influences the absorption of melanin, tryptophan and phenylalanine and other neurotransmitters.
If you would like to learn more about leucine, such as how it works, what it is used for and the exact process of synthesis in the body, definitely watch the following video from Lee Labrador, a prominent international trainer:
How BCAAs Work in the Body
What sets branched chain amino acids apart from all other amino acids is the way they work in the body.
When you take in food, the protein is broken down in the stomach and small intestine, from there it travels through the intestinethe intestinal wall to the liver, which is responsible for keeping the amino acids in the blood plasma at a constant level. The liver collects the glucoplastic amino acids, synthesizes the non-essential ones and catabolizes the essential amino acids.
This is not true of branched chain amino acids. These do not pass from the bloodstream to the liver at all, but are directly available to the working muscles, which can use them as an immediate source of energy. This allows the muscles to save their own supply of amino acids and muscle glycogen.
OUR TIP: How to supplement properly before and after exercise?
Who are BCAAs good for?
Branched chain amino acids have their uses across all sports. In strength sports, for example, you will especially appreciate the protection of muscle mass during weight loss, better hormonal response, and reduction of muscle soreness, For runners and cyclists, the great advantage is to delay muscle fatigue during prolonged exercise.
BCAAs are of course appreciated by athletes on weight loss diets. Many scientific studies have shown that people who have more BCAAs in their diet are not as prone to obesity. Thus, they will help you burn fat while preserving muscle mass.
Should I choose a 4:1:1 ratio or a 2:1:1 ratio?
Since BCAAs are available on the market in several different ratios, it would be a good idea to tell you which one we recommend to choose for the sake of the article's comprehensiveness. From my point of view, the only correct ratio is 2:1:1. The high leucine content of 4:1:1 products is more detrimental than helpful for recovery. An excess of leucine may be justified, for example, when using BCAAs after training, when this amino acid providesproper proteosynthesis and avoiding catabolic processes, but in terms of more frequent use I don't think this ratio is better.
Two basic factors play a role in this whole process:
- Rubner's law of limiting amino acids, which states that the use of amino acids from theof ingested proteins depends on the content of the least abundant essential amino acid. This means that only as much protein will be made from amino acids as the amount of the least abundant amino acid.
- Wolf's law of excess essential amino acids, in turn, states that the intake of any essential amino acid in large excess interferes with the metabolism of other amino acids and intensifies the effects of the limiting (i.e. under-represented) amino acid. In practice, therefore, this means that an excess of leucine is not only unnecessary but may even be detrimental to the metabolism of other amino acids.
BCAA dosage
If we delve deeper into the issue of branched chain amino acids, we find that their dosage is not the limitIt is not limited to pre- or post-workout, but we can reap a lot of benefits even when taken during the day.
On an empty stomach, before training or before bed?
Why to take BCAAs before and after training is, I think, quite clear from the above information. Pre-workout they will provide protection for the muscle mass, give it energy during training and suppress catabolic hormones. The post workout dose will support the recovery processes.
But we haven't looked at fasting dosing yet
From my own experience, I consider this dose very important and I use BCAAs a lotI use BCAA together with glutamine, which you can also read the whole article about on our website. Why? First of all because of leucine, which according to many scientific studies can stimulate proteosynthesis, inhibit catabolic hormones, regulate insulin and stabilize blood glucose. When combined with glutamine, which supports the immune system and boosts growth hormone levels, the perfect breakfast shake is created.
How to take BCAAs on a non-training day?
On a non-training day, the most important thing is a proper diet and enough sleep to allow the body to recover. BCAAs are not a necessity in this case, but if your finances allow, you can definitely include the morning dose we discussed above.
How to take BCAAs
We've covered the use of branched chain amino acids before, but now let's take another look at them in a little more depth. Manufacturers' recommendations on product packaging often differ, but based on many findings, 5-10g of BCAAs seems to be the best single dose. The first dose can be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, the next before training and the last after.
- For instant BCAAs, simply take the powder mixed with water and then drink.
- For tablet BCAAs, you first need to figure out how many capsules to take. You then swallow them.
- With liquid BCAAs, you inject them straight into your body. Today's preparations are also very good in taste.
Is the dosage of tablets and instant BCAAs different?
If you have thought about taking BCAAs, then you must have noticed that there are 3 basic forms of BCAAs - capsule, instant and liquid. The important thing to note is that instant BCAAs have the highest amino acid content of all and are therefore the best choice. Let's use the following example for comparison: You are about to take 5g of BCAAs before a strength sport and you don't know if tablets or instant BCAAs are better.
- If you reach for instant BCAAs (For example, NANO BCAAs from CzechVirus, which by the way have gotten very good in our ranking of the best BCAAs) you will take the required dose of BCAAs in a 6g supplement.
- But if you want to cover the same dose from tablets that contain 250mg of BCAA in one tablet, you'll have to swallow 20 tablets. Aside from being a pain in the ass to swallow the tablets, the entire pack of tablets will only last you for a few workouts.
TIP: How often should you exercise?
Long-term use of BCAAs
Unlike other supplements, BCAAs do not need to be discontinued and can be taken consistently. Even with long-term use, they have no side effects. If your workouts are more intense, or you are in a period when your workouts are more intense, they have no side effects.you are in a period of more heavy training, it is possible to increase your intake of branched chain amino acids.
Is there a risk of overdose?
With branched chain amino acids, it's definitely not true that "The more you send in, the more it grows." When taking amino acids, be sure to follow the manufacturer' s recommended dosage. If you are experienced, you can definitely adjust the dosage to your body weight.
Harmfulness of BCAAs and their side effects
Since all supplements sold on the European market have to go through a verystrict EU criteria, it is almost impossible for them to have significant side effects.
But of course there are exceptions, in which case allergic reactions or digestive disorders are the most commonly observed. If you also experience these problems, we recommend that you first adjust the dosage and, should the problems persist, discontinue the supplement altogether.
Can BCAAs damage the liver?
A frequent topic of debate in many internet discussions is whether branched chain amino acids can damage the liver. To get the right answer, it is important to understand how BCAAs actually work. While most other amino acids are broken down in the stomach and small intestinewhere they pass through the blood vessel wall to the liver, BCAAs don't reach the liver at all. Instead, they are immediately available as energy for the muscles.
It is therefore clear that BCAAs cannot damage the liver, as they do not pass through it at all. It is important to note, however, that you should not overdo it with their use anyway.
Can BCAAs cause nausea?
Branched-chain amino acids can cause nausea, especially if they are expired (and therefore oxidised). For this reason, it is important to always check the expiry date on the product carefully before buying.
However, if the amino acids are not expired and are still causing you nausea, make sure you are not taking in too much. This is because excessive intake could make more water in the digestive tract, which could lead to digestive problems.
READ MORE: 15 natural sweeteners that perfectly replace sugar!
So which BCAAs should I choose?
From my own experience , I can recommend instant BCAAs rather than any other. Both capsule and liquid BCAAs are very low in amino acids and are often full of additives and fillers (anti-caking agents, etc.). If you don't know what BCAAs to choose to give your muscles only the best, visit our ranking of the best instant BCAAs on the market.
Finally, we would like to point out that BCAAs are definitely not the most important supplement. Although they have a myriad of positives, quality vitamins, minerals and omega 3 acids are definitely more important.
We hope you found our article today helpful, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.
Previous installments:
- Citrulline under the microscope.
- Joint nutrition under the microscope: benefits, dosage and personal experience
- Glutamine under the microscope: Proper dosage, effects and our experience
- Creatine under the microscope: How it works in the body, its benefits and side effects
- Whey Protein Under the Spotlight: Manufacturing processes, protein breakdown and benefits
- Pre-workouts under the microscope: Uses, active ingredients and negative effects
- Omega 3 under the microscope: Proper dosage and healthbenefits
- Magnesium under the microscope: Benefits, dosage and its best forms
- Vitamin D3: Benefits, proper dosage and best form
- EAAs under the microscope: proper dosage, effects and supplement reviews
OUR TIP: Is carnitine really the most effective fat burner?
Everything you need to know about BCAAs (video):
Why can you trust us?
Hey! Hey! I'm Mirek and I've been working at World Fitness almost since the beginning, except for a small break. But before that I lived only in the gym for a few years, doing deadlifts and power triathlon, going to competitions and winning a few medals.
Probably the one I value the most is the national record in the WUAP federation. But besides working out, I was also interested in food and supplements, I liked to enjoy my free timeI used to read different researches and professional books in my free time to know as much as possible.