Is BCAA Supplementation Necessary?
With the rise of fitness culture on social media platforms, one prominent product many influencers advertise is BCAAs. Companies such as Gym Shark, Myprotein, and Ryse have been creating BCAA products for the past two decades. But what makes them so popular? Are they beneficial or placebo? Are they safe? Are there better sources of BCAAs?
What are BCAAs?
Nine of twenty amino acids composing proteins in our body are essential amino acids (EAAs). Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are three specific amino acids among the nine essential ones: valine, leucine, and isoleucine (8). The word “essential” entails that we cannot produce these amino acids in our bodies, so we must obtain them from external sources. For instance, consuming nuts, meat, and dairy products is a good source of EAAs. But, for some individuals, such as vegetarians or vegans, it can still be difficult to obtain adequate amounts of these EAAs from their diet. Thus, supplementing with EAAs can not only aid people on special diets but also has the potential to promote faster recovery, decrease body fat, and reduce fatigue during exercise (6).
But why is a supplement specifically with BCAAs being promoted? Are these advocacies being supported by research or just a marketing scheme built on hype?
Biochemistry of BCAAs
Whereas other amino acids are metabolized in the liver, the three BCAAs – valine, isoleucine, and leucine, are broken down in skeletal muscle. They are called branched-chain amino acids because of their respective structure (5).
The following information should bring some fond memories to students who took biochemistry! In metabolic pathways, regulation can occur in two ways: through an enzyme or an abundance of products/reactants. Both regulation methods target irreversible steps in pathways because these reactions are very energetically favourable and are so-called “committed” points in the pathway that decide the pathway’s direction. In the case of BCAAs, their breakdown is mediated by branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH). When the body is resting, the enzyme is usually inactive (5). When exercising, however, BCKDH is activated, which increases our body’s demand for BCAAs (5). Although proven in various models, more evidence must be gathered to conclude that BCAAs are instrumental in minimizing muscle damage and improving recovery.
Do they work?
In a study conducted in 2009, the researchers sought to compare BCAA supplements to other supplements, such as whey protein. During the randomized, double-blind study, participants were randomly assigned to take either BCAAs, carbohydrates, or Whey protein during an 8-week resistance training program (6). They found that the BCAA group had a greater increase in lean muscle mass paired with a significant decrease in body fat (6).
Supplementing on BCAAs does seem important, but in a study conducted in 2017, the researchers concluded that supplementation of BCAAs alone is not enough to induce maximum myofibrillar protein synthesis (1). Ten young resistance-trained men aged 19-21 consumed either a placebo or 5.6 g of BCAA (1). They compared the results from this study to previous work and discovered that ingestion of BCAAs paired with EAA ingestion yielded better myofibrillar protein synthesis than the results obtained from the BCAA-only group in this study. Thus, sufficient EAAs must be incorporated into your diet to potentially obtain the best benefits of ingesting BCAA supplements (1).
Although research has gone into BCAAs, there are mixed results. More research must be conducted before concrete conclusions can be reached (2). Supplementation via mainstream products should be considered cautiously due to the necessity of more research. On the plus side, plenty of sources can provide BCAAs and EAAs into your diet!
Foods High In BCAAs
In a cohort study conducted from 2020-2022, researchers explored how dietary and serum branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are associated with cardiometabolic risk markers (3).
Sources of EAAs, including BCAAs, found to have favourable effects on cardiometabolic health include:
Chicken
Whole grains (like lentils and quinoa)
Nuts
Soy (for example, tofu, edamame)
Sources of EAAs, including BCAAs, found to have unfavourable effects on cardiometabolic health include:
Red and processed meat
Fish
Refined grains
Leucine is a very important amino acid when it comes to muscle protein synthesis. You may be wondering which foods would be great sources of leucine.
The answer: all the options above!
In a research paper published in 2021, researchers created a table with foods that are rich in leucine, and the above-listed foods are in this table (4)! Considering the information from the cardiometabolic health study above, however, chicken and beans would be our top choices (3)! We encourage incorporating these foods into your diet because both are not only rich in leucine but also great for university students because they are easy to prepare and can be relatively inexpensive (4)! These foods are great sources of EAAs, but as the study on cardiometabolic health stated, it is important also to consider healthier sources like the plant-based options and lean protein listed above, as well as over-processed or refined products (3).
Conclusion
Although the flashy labels, appealing flavours, and promised shortcuts to our fitness goals advertised by BCAA products can catch our eyes, we should always consider well-researched sources in our daily food items instead of investing our time and health into products that are not well-researched many studies giving mixed results. What is evident, however, is that athletes should emphasize BCAA and EAA consumption. While adjusting your diet to ensure ample consumption of EAAs and BCAAs is one component, training is the second component that cannot be neglected. Without micro-tearing muscles, a change in diet would not be a direct shortcut to obtaining your fitness goals. Remember that these amino acids promote muscle synthesis/repair, and muscles grow, so they must have things to repair in the first place.
References
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;8:390. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00390.
Martinho DV, Nobari H, Faria A, Field A, Duarte D, Sarmento H. Oral branched-chain amino acids supplementation in athletes: A systematic review. Nutrients. 2022;14(19):4002. doi:10.3390/nu14194002.
Rao S, Zhang Y, Xie S, Cao H, Zhang Z, Yang W. Dietary intake of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), serum BCAAs, and cardiometabolic risk markers among community-dwelling adults. Eur J Nutr. 2024;63:1835–45. doi:10.1007/s00394-024-03432-9.
Rondanelli M, Nichetti M, Peroni G, Faliva MA, Naso M, Gasparri C, Perna S, Oberto L, Di Paolo E, Riva A, Petrangolini G, Guerreschi G, Tartara A. Where to find leucine in food and how to feed elderly with sarcopenia in order to counteract loss of muscle mass: practical advice. Front Nutr. 2021;7:622391. doi:10.3389/fnut.2020.622391.
Shimomura Y, Yamamoto Y, Bajotto G, Sato J, Murakami T, Shimomura N, Kobayashi H, Mawatari K. Nutraceutical effects of branched-chain amino acids on skeletal muscle. J Nutr. 2006;136(2):529S-532S. doi:10.1093/jn/136.2.529S.
Stoppani J, Scheett T, Pena J, Rudolph C, Charlebois D. Consuming a supplement containing branched-chain amino acids during a resistance-training program increases lean mass, muscle strength, and fat loss. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009;6(Suppl 1):P1. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-6-S1-P1.
Suryawan A, Orellana RA, Fiorotto ML, Davis TA. Triennial growth symposium: Leucine acts as a nutrient signal to stimulate protein synthesis in neonatal pigs. J Anim Sci. 2011;89(7):2004-2016. doi:10.2527/jas.2010-3400.
Wolfe RR. Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: Myth or reality? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:30. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0184-9.
Post Written By: Siwon Jengsuksavat