BCAAs are amino acids with branched side chains, which include leucine, valine and isoleucine [1], constituting 14-18% of skeletal muscle protein [2]. And it is this, as well as other properties of BCAA, together with a large-scale marketing campaign that have made BCAA-based supplements one of the most popular legal doping agents among athletes, and bodybuilders in particular [3]. Is science backing the effectiveness of BCAA's? Yes, this supplement definitely provides an anabolic effect [4], [5], [6]. But how justified the cost of BCAA and how effective they are compared to other supplements still remains in question [7]. And in this sense, if finances limit the choice, forcing you to choose between protein and amino acids, it is wiser to choose protein.
Yes, there was a study [8] in which it was found that taking BCAA for 8 weeks helped build 4 kg of muscle mass, and the group taking protein only gained 2 kg of muscle, but it was rightly criticized [7], especially since there is studies, the results of which cast doubt on the effectiveness of BCAA [9]. You see, it's not that BCAAs don't work. On the contrary, they definitely work. The only question is how big their contribution is, and whether it is worth the money that will have to be paid for a can of spore-pit. If you want to win some kind of championship or you are not worried about the issue of finances, and you have already maximally realized all other possibilities for accelerating muscle growth, then you should definitely take BCAA. If you go to the gym 2-3 times a week “for yourself” and are looking for a sports nutrition to improve the quality of your diet, then it is better to take protein.
BCAA - composition and properties
BCAA contains three branched chain amino acids. These are vital compounds that can only enter it from the outside, since they are not naturally synthesized.
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Leucine
This essential amino acid was discovered by accident; it was found in moldy cheese. It was first described by scientists Laurent and Gerard. In medicine, it is used in the treatment of liver diseases and anemia. Among the beneficial properties noted:
- protein synthesis in muscles and liver;
- normalization of serotonin levels, due to which the athlete gets less tired;
- reducing blood glucose levels and stimulating the secretion of somatotropin growth hormone.
In addition, the breakdown of leucine produces b-hydroxy-b-methylglutaric acid, which is similar in structure to cholesterol and anabolic hormones. Therefore, it facilitates the formation of androgens.
The daily requirement for this amino acid in adults is 31 mg per 1 kg of weight.
Isoleucine
An essential amino acid that is involved in energy metabolism. An ordinary person needs 1.5-2 g of isoleucine per day, but for athletes the needs are much higher. There is a lot of this amino acid in meat and nuts. This is why BCAA can be replaced with these products. The only problem is that you can’t eat a lot of nuts, as they are quite high in calories. And meat in large quantities is difficult to digest. Like leucine, this amino acid stimulates the secretion of hormones and strengthens the immune system.
Its reception must be carried out according to all the rules. Otherwise, you can provoke the following undesirable consequences:
- decrease in muscle mass;
- decreased blood glucose concentration;
- increased drowsiness and lethargy.
Valin
In the BCAA supplement, valine plays an important role - this compound is indispensable for muscle growth and synthesis. Thanks to experiments on mice, it was proven that additional intake of this amino acid increases the body's resistance to stress (protects against temperature changes and pain). Like leucine, valine acts as a source of additional energy for muscles and maintains a high concentration of serotonin, which makes the athlete less tired after training.
Valine, like other amino acids in the supplement, is found in cereals, meat, and nuts.
Important! Taking BCAA supplements and L-carnitine cannot be combined. Amino acids can slow down the absorption of the latter.
What is the difference between protein and BCAA
At first glance, it may seem that there is no difference between BCAA and protein, but this is not the case at all. BCAA includes the three most essential amino acids, which provide a pronounced effect in sports. The most important advantage of BCAA is the degree of purification, due to which the supplement is absorbed almost instantly.
At the same time, protein includes not only leucine, isoleucine and valine, but also other amino acids that are also important for the body. Whey protein is ideal for achieving your daily requirement and rapid muscle recovery after a workout. It is not for nothing that for decades, whey concentrate has been considered the No. 1 supplement in any type of strength sports.
The main differences between protein and BCAA are the speed of absorption, the amount of amino acids and cost.
It is not advisable to take BCAAs to meet your protein requirements because the supplement will not provide the full spectrum of amino acids. In addition, this option will cost much more, which makes it financially unprofitable. However, when it comes to quickly protecting muscles from breakdown, BCAA has no competition. The best time to use the supplement is before cardio or during strength training, especially if the session lasts more than one hour.
With protein things are different. The supplement will be most effective immediately after training, when it is necessary to provide muscles with amino acids, reduce catabolism and speed up recovery. These are the basic principles of muscle growth. There is almost no benefit to taking protein before exercise. If you can't get enough protein from regular food, use a supplement. All types of whey protein are absorbed quite quickly, within 40-50 minutes. Whey isolate is absorbed even faster, but its cost is higher than that of concentrate.
It is important to understand that one serving of protein contains about 4 grams of BCAA, which is the serving size of most brands. Moreover, in highly purified types of sports nutrition (isolates, enriched BCAA complexes and others), the amount of leucine, isoleucine and valine may be even higher than in a separate serving of BCAA. Therefore, when assessing efficiency, the price aspect is almost always taken into account.
Taking BCAA and protein shakes at the same time does not make any sense. Moreover, in this case, the rate of absorption of BCAA will decrease, which eliminates the main benefit of the supplement.
Pros and cons of BCAA
Let's look at how BCAA is more effective than protein and what benefits the supplement can provide to athletes:
- Fast absorption rate (pre-digestion is not required when entering the stomach);
- Does not contain fats or carbohydrates;
- Ideal for quick protection against catabolism;
- Increases the rate of muscle recovery compared to regular protein.
These benefits are extremely important for fitness and any type of strength sports, but do not forget about the disadvantages of BCAA, which include:
- Increased cost;
- No other amino acids;
- Not suitable for daily use or daily protein intake.
Pros and cons of protein
The most important and primary advantage of protein is the ratio of effectiveness and cost. No other supplement can beat whey protein in this regard. Other benefits of protein include:
- Whey protein contains the most complete amino acid profile;
- Significantly superior to BCAA in taste;
- It has a high anabolic effect that lasts up to 2 hours.
Among the disadvantages of protein, it is worth highlighting only the presence of fats and carbohydrates in the composition.
, but this feature directly depends on the manufacturer. Some brands use a high degree of purification of raw materials, which is why a serving contains less than 1 gram of fat (can reach 0) and no more than 2-3 grams of sugars, which are present in the form of flavors and sweeteners. For some manufacturers, the amount of carbohydrates can reach up to 4-5 grams, as well as 2-3 g of fat.
Misconceptions about negative impact
There are many myths surrounding BCAA. The most common of them:
- “BCAA is a dangerous chemical” is not true. Organic compounds that form protein are found only in natural products. In BCAA they are in concentrated form. But this does not make sports nutrition chemical.
- “BCAA causes irreparable harm to the gastrointestinal tract, provokes gastric ulcers” - as clinical studies prove, even if you exceed the daily dosage, intoxication will not occur. The supplement can only harm the kidneys if taken for a long time in excess of the daily norm by 10-15 times.
- “Dietary supplement causes sexual dysfunction” is a statement not supported by any clinical studies. Most likely, this myth arose due to bitter experiences with hormone-based sports supplements. It is hormonal supplements that cause problems with potency.
Efficiency
So what do you need to know about this? How to check if BCAA amino acids are working? The benefits of these complexes have been proven by numerous clinical studies. In one of the most famous experiments, subjects were divided into three groups. The first included athletes who limited their protein intake. The second group included athletes for whom protein foods were a priority in the diet. The third category included athletes who severely limited themselves in food, but consumed a BCAA complex. After a certain period of time, it was found that participants in the third group experienced the least weight loss. So the benefits of BCAA are not unfounded and are confirmed by clinical studies.
Real Side Effects
Adverse reactions occur due to improper use of the sports supplement. BCAA can cause belching, heartburn, and problems with bowel movements. This occurs when the drug is taken on an empty stomach.
Amino acids activate the digestive system, gastric juice begins to be produced in larger quantities (in other words, the gastrointestinal tract functions in full mode). Because of this, undesirable consequences arise.
Conventionally, side effects include sprains and tears of muscles, wear and damage to joints. BCAA increases endurance and helps muscle growth. Because of this, people involved in bodybuilding and other sports significantly exceed permissible physical activity. And this, in turn, is fraught with injuries. For a supplement to be beneficial, you need to take it wisely.
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Popular Supplements
When choosing a suitable BCAA complex, you should definitely take into account the recommendations of experienced athletes and experts. Below is a ranking of sports nutrition in order of its effectiveness:
- Sci Vation Xtend: one serving (14 g) of powder contains 3.5 g of the amino acids leucine, glutamine, citrulline, pyrodoxine.
- SAN Intra Fuel: Great as a pre-workout supplement as it improves endurance. One of the most concentrated formulations. For 11 g of product there are 7 g of BCAA.
- BPI Sports Best: a distinctive feature of this complex is the optimal combination of product taste characteristics and cost. The weight of one serving is 10 g.
- Muscle Pharm: Amino acid dosage is 5g per serving. The complex is available in capsule form.
Positive effect
The positive effects of BCAA are well studied and proven by research. When the body lacks amino acids, muscle growth stops. For a person leading a measured lifestyle, there are enough substances. But for athletes, especially representatives of strength sports, they are not enough.
With intense physical activity, the concentration of free essential amino acids in the body decreases (especially leucine). To make up for the deficiency, metabolic processes are activated that destroy muscle proteins. This does not happen when taking sports nutrition.
BCAA supplement is a source of energy. The chemical reaction of leucine produces more ATP than the same volume of glucose. BCAA cover the excessive consumption of glutamine during sports activities. This element plays an important role in gaining muscle mass, controls protein synthesis, and increases the concentration of growth hormone.
BCAA not only helps build muscle, but also promotes weight loss. The supplement normalizes leptin synthesis. This is an element that regulates appetite, consumption and accumulation of fat.
Leucine saturates the body with nutrients, which dulls the feeling of hunger. Regular exercise burns calories and fat - a person loses weight.
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Beneficial features
The main question that worries those who are just starting to take BCAA is the benefits and harm for men. First, let's look at the positive characteristics of such complexes:
- Rapid recovery of the body during prolonged physical activity.
- Reducing muscle fatigue and maintaining them at the desired level of performance.
- Possibility of building muscle mass.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that BCAA contains amino acids necessary for the body, not everyone can take the supplement.
The supplement is contraindicated in the following cases:
- pathology of the pancreas;
- diabetes;
- disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, ulcers, increased acidity;
- severe diseases of the gallbladder, heart, kidneys and liver.
If a person is in good health and has no contraindications listed above, BCAA will not harm the body if the instructions for use are strictly followed.
It is not recommended to take the supplement without consulting a specialist: individual intolerance to the components is possible.
In case of allergic reactions, stop taking immediately.
Harmful properties
This aspect is worth familiarizing yourself with first. Do BCAA amino acids have deficiencies? No harm to the body has been identified if the rules of administration in a medical setting are followed. However, there are a number of contraindications for which the use of BCAA complexes is not recommended. One of them is a milk protein allergy. This component is contained in high concentrations in sports nutrition, so it is better not to consume it.
The main purpose of sports supplements is to eliminate nutritional imbalances. For non-professional athletes, their use is not mandatory.
Effect of bcaa on athletes
The three constituent amino acids were chosen for a reason as the basis of the bcaa sports supplement for men and women, since they:
- They are most quickly absorbed by the body, literally in 15 minutes, entering directly into muscle tissue without affecting the liver;
- Promote an additional resource for restoring protein volumes lost during intense training;
- Stimulates the formation of insulin;
- Maintain muscle tone, ensuring an increase in lean muscle mass;
- Make it easier to reduce body fat;
- They protect muscle muscles from destruction due to increased physical stress or due to insufficient nutrition.
Let's look at these positions in more detail.
Increased Strength
When men or women perform strength training, the effective amino acid substrate bcaa begins to oxidize in their body, turning into a readily available source of energy.
In this case, glucose from their breakdown enters directly into the blood, activating a metabolic mechanism that allows:
- Avoid destruction of muscle tissue;
- Achieve the formation of sculpted muscles;
- Increase your strength and endurance levels.
Reduction of body fat
The use of bcaa by athletes, and especially women, helps destroy excess fat cells.
This occurs due to the regulation of metabolic processes by amino acids, which control body weight, normalize energy metabolism, slowing down the formation of the fat layer.
Following a healthy diet along with the use of this sports supplement in the diet of athletes:
- The functioning of the gastrointestinal system improves;
- Fat reserves are reduced;
- Slags and toxins are removed.
Increased overall tone
Bcaa amino acids are not a drug. In recommended quantities they are:
- Does not affect the kidneys;
- Does not increase blood pressure;
- Does not contribute to the development of cancer;
- Do not cause severe poisoning or stomach ulcers;
- Does not reduce male potency.
All these factors have been proven and confirmed by numerous studies by doctors and specialists. In addition, they found that this biological supplement has anticonvulsant and antidepressant effects, which helps athletes:
- Normalization of the functioning of the nervous system, thanks to a mild sedative effect;
- Improved well-being;
- Getting rid of excess anxiety;
- Increase libido and potency;
- A surge of strength and additional good rest.
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Why are some people afraid to use BCAAs?
Experts and athletes talk about the benefits of BCAAs for the body. So is it worth refusing to take them?
Among the reasons that prompt some people to mistrust BCAA are the following information gleaned from idle conversations:
- The drugs can cause poisoning even with a slight overdose.
- BCAA accumulate in the body, which subsequently leads to heart failure, impotence and even cancer.
These fears are completely unfounded. BCAA are amino acids in their pure form, isolated with the help of enzymes from natural cow's milk, and not chemicals. In addition, they are completely absorbed by the body, and their excess is eliminated from it without residue.
How to take BCAA for weight loss?
The fair sex is often interested in how BCAA can be used for weight loss. In this case, the benefits of taking the complex correctly are guaranteed. The first step is to check whether the diet is structured correctly. It should provide a calorie deficit. To lose weight, the number of calories burned must exceed the number consumed. It is also important to include maximum weight loads in your training. The number of repetitions must be at least 10 times. This approach will allow you to achieve better results than regularly repeated exercises. It is also important to consume the right amount of protein. Its content in one meal should not exceed 35 g.
Half an hour before training, the complex is taken in a volume of no more than 8 g. On days when there is no training, the use of sports nutrition can be reduced to 5 g.
Are there any benefits to taking BCAA?
The benefits of amino acids are manifested in the normal course of metabolism in the most difficult part of training - anaerobic. Accompanying them with every meal, a person recovers better between workouts.
- There is also an additional positive effect of BCAA amino acids, which manifests itself in the functioning of the hormonal system:
- They stimulate the natural production of growth hormone.
One of the components of bcaa is processed into a beneficial substance that suppresses cortisol, known as the “stress hormone” and a destroyer of muscle cells.
This added benefit will convince any athlete to supplement their diet with amino acids.
