BCAAs are a well-known and popular category of supplements, right next to pre-workout and whey protein. For that reason, we thought we’d provide a basic breakdown of one of the biggest supplements on the market.
Ask anyone who sells or takes BCAAs, and they’ll probably tell you things that will lead you to believe they’re pretty much a gift from the heavens. But are they really the miracle supplements we’re made to believe they are? Let’s explore.
What are BCAAs?
The typical BCAA supplement consists of three essential amino acids: Valine, Leucine, and Isoleucine. These are essential, meaning that they are not created in the body in normal day-to-day digestion, so we have to get them from food or supplementation.
Valine – An essential amino acid that helps to prevent catabolism (the breakdown of muscle) by adding extra glucose to the muscles for energy. Valine is also used to remove excess nitrogen in the body and transport it when needed.
Leucine – The amino acid that carries the role of muscle building. Leucine is slightly different from the other two in terms of research because most studies are done on leucine by itself instead of in a BCAA mixture. Metabolizes into HMB, which, although weaker for protein synthesis, is great for preserving lean mass.
Isoleucine – Another essential amino acid that helps with blood clotting in injuries and assists with muscle repair. It may also help by boosting energy and stamina.
What is the Role of BCAAs?
BCAAs are great because they can be taken any time around working out to see benefits, but the most common or popular way of using them is during your workout since you will most likely have a pre/post workout before and after the gym. The key idea behind taking this supplement is to work out for longer periods without your body breaking down too much muscle for energy.
Should you take BCAA’s?
Something to keep in mind about your branched chains is that they are amino acids, and these are the building blocks of proteins. So, a lot of protein supplements will already have these different aminos. Be sure to double-check this because more is not always better.
If you are someone who is eating plenty of food, has a whey protein shake before and after exercise, and doesn’t exercise for any longer than an hour, then BCAAs are probably not going to be for you.
But, on the other hand, if you are someone who trains while in a fasted state, this is almost a must. When you train in a fasted state, you burn through the glucose in your muscles fairly quickly, which is when the amino acids help your body transfer glucose to muscles where it is needed.
Another demographic that could benefit from BCAAs is people who don’t take whey protein or are eating in a caloric deficit to lose weight. The caloric deficit will mean that your body will look for energy wherever it can by breaking down what it needs. So, the BCAAs should help keep your body from breaking down muscle.
BCAA side effects?
As a rule, most people who supplement with Branched Chain supplements don’t see or feel any side effects, but some may experience some nausea, headache, and some pain. If you experience any of these, you should stop taking it.
Something to remember: Branched Chains are like any other supplement, used to either help a deficiency or get you that extra edge for performance.
If your base nutrition isn’t where it should be, then focus more on food first, then start trying these out. There are plenty of brands to choose from. Black Diamond Supplements has an extensive range.
The bottom line is that BCAA supplements are simple. It’s a ratio of three essential amino acids that really just help the body from breaking down its own muscle for energy while in a fasted state or if you are in a caloric deficit for the day.
While some argue that they promote muscle growth or have the same benefits as protein, these things have not been researched to much, if any extent. Like most supplements, take the hype with a grain of salt. They can promise to do many things, but there will always be some sort of bias, so stay educated and do your research.
