BCAA Powder

In the same manner as protein, BCAA powder is typically added to water or a form of milk and used as a smoothie or shake supplement alongside exercise. 

BCAA is a popular choice amongst athletes or body builders looking to gain muscle mass due to findings which show BCAA (and leucine in particular) drives protein synthesis and suppresses protein breakdown (1). Studies have shown our bodies need leucine to recover, and this amino acid can be found through a complete protein source, food or BCAA supplementation (1). There is also evidence to show those who have taken BCAA supplementation are more resistant against exercise fatigue, while also demonstrating enhanced lipid oxidation when exercising (2).In addition to his, studies have shown BCAA is a useful supplement for muscle recovery (3).

BCAA supplementation is also a popular choice amongst those who follow a Paleo diet. The Palaeolithic or “Paleo” diet, follows a similar diet which was consumed by humans during the Palaeolithic era (which was over 2 million years ago) (4). The belief is as our genetics and anatomy have mostly stayed the same since the Stone Age our bodies need to eat foods which would have been available for the hunter gatherers. In the Stone Age people hunted, fished, and gathered wild plants for food, so their diet contains fresh lean meats, fish, shellfish, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, coconut oil and small amounts of honey (4). People argue this diet promotes good health and aids weight loose.

However, one of the downsides of this diet is as they only take natural foods and not ones which are farmed, those following this diet tend to opt for a BCAA supplement to take as a boost of amino acids alongside a non-farmed protein supplement. Similarly, BCAA supplements are also popular amongst the vegan community, as research shows some vegan protein powders can lack on some of the BCAA’s.

What Are BCAA’s?

Protein plays a key role in helping to restore our bodies and achieve a range of fitness goals. There are over 10,000 different proteins which form our bodies and help it to maintain a healthy condition (5).

These thousands of different proteins are made from amino acids. There are 20 plus different amino acids which can be found in foods (6). Of these 20 plus amino acids 9 are considered essential and as our bodies cannot produce them we need to attain them from our daily foods.

These nine amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine (2).

Leucine, valine and isoleucine are the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). They are considered essential nutrients with the term ‘branched chain’ referring to their chemical structure.

Studies have shown BCAAs play critical roles in the regulation of energy homeostasis, nutrition metabolism, gut health, immunity and disease in humans and animals, making them an important part of the human diet (7).

In addition to this there is much evidence to suggest the BCAA’s are key components of muscle protein synthesis, making them a great supplement for athletes looking to improve muscle mass or gain lean muscle mass (8).

Interestingly, the three BCAAs are almost always eaten and combusted together, yet what they do to support our body’s health does differ (9).

What Does Each BCAA Do?

Leucine, isoleucine and valine, the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), make up about one-third of muscle protein. Of these, leucine has been the most thoroughly investigated due to its oxidation rate being higher than isoleucine or valine (10).

Leucine

L leucine is important for protein synthesis and many metabolic functions. In addition to this Leucine contributes to regulation of blood-sugar levels, the growth and repair of muscle and bone tissue, hormone production and also wound healing (11).

There are lots of studies into Leucine ability to regulate the translation initiation of protein synthesis in skeleton muscle after exercise (9, 12). This is needed as after exercise the protein turnover is in negative balance, meaning the protein synthesis is slower than the rate of protein breakdown. Leucine is needed by our bodies to balance out this rate by increasing the rate of protein synthesis (13).

This science demonstrates our bodies need leucine to recover from exercise and we can find this leucine through a complete protein source, in the food we eat or through a supplement.

Valine

L valine is a branched-chain amino acid which has stimulant activity and promotes muscle growth and tissue repair (14). Valine is found in foods such as soy, cheese, fish, meats and vegetables.

Studies into how valine effects the body, have shown if valine is taken pre-exercise it is able to slow 5-HT synthesis (15). This then means serotonin will be released more slowly, when this happens the chemical signal to the brain the body is tiring is also delayed.

Therefore valine helps mask the body’s feelings of fatigue and means workouts can continue for longer meaning the chemical effect on the body is delayed until later stages of exercises masking feelings of fatigue.

Isoleucine

L isoleucine is an isomer of leucine. Studies have shown Isoleucine can assist with wound healing, detoxify nitrogenous wastes, help stimulate immune function, and promote the release of several hormones (16). In addition to this Isoleucine is used in hemoglobin synthesis and the regulation of blood sugar and energy levels (17).

Using BCAA For Muscle Growth And Preservation

Muscle protein is in a constant state of change because new protein is being made continuously to replace older or degraded proteins. You may wonder what is meant by ‘anabolic’. Whilst the anabolic state has no specific definition, the term tends to refer to the circumstances when the bodies rate of muscle protein syntheses exceeds the rate of muscle protein and thus the body is able to gain muscle mass (10).

You may wonder how exactly BCAA powder supports your body with muscle growth. As you work out and exercise your body is effectively breaking down your muscles and then using amino acids within your body’s protein stores to repair and rebuild these muscles. This is the process which enhances our muscle strength.

One study into the benefits of taking a BCAA supplement showed when taking the supplement post workout, muscle protein synthesis was boosted by 22% more than the subjects who simply took a placebo drink (18). This finding reflects just how much impact taking a BCAA supplement can have.

One study into the role of BCAA supplements in building muscle advised, for synthesis of new muscle protein, all the essential and non-essential amino acids must be present in adequate amounts. The branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine are only three of the nine Essential Amino Acids (19).It is therefore beneficial for those seeking to increase muscle mass to combine a BCAA supplement and a complete protein supplement, such as whey protein powder, whilst also eating a well-balanced diet.

Whey is a popular protein powder which has a complete amino acid profile and high quantity of protein per serving (20). It is made out of the milky by product of cheese; a milky liquid called whey.

Whey protein isolates have been identified in studies as the purest protein source available, with it containing protein concentrations of 90% or higher (21). Not only is whey protein is complete protein but studies indicate it also contains high levels of BCAA leucine as well as being quickly absorbed by the human body (22).

A recent study was undertaken to compare the results of different types of protein powders which were taken alongside a supplement of BCAA powder to see which pairings were most effective for muscle growth. The results demonstrated the best results in muscle gain occurred when the subject took a combination of whey protein with BCAA supplementation (23).

BCAA powder also aids muscle preservation. Research has shown BCAAs can activate the key enzymes in protein synthesis following physical exercise. Studies have shown BCAA’s have an anabolic effect on protein metabolism by increasing the rate of protein synthesis and decreasing the rate of protein degradation in resting human muscle (24). Out of the three branched chain amino acids, leucine in particular is believed to have the most anabolic effect on protein metabolism (13). So when thinking about which protein powder is the best to take alongside a BCAA looking for one with a high quantity of leucine could be beneficial.

The equation: Muscle mass = rate of protein synthesis - rate of protein breakdown

Can help to further explain how changes in the signalling pathways controlling protein synthesis can support muscle preservation.

It is interesting to note, another study into the effect of Leucine supplementation alone on the growth and preservation of muscle discovered muscle mass did not increase (25). The test was held over 8 weeks on young, untrained adults and implies for optimal results leucine needs to be taken as a combined supplement with all the other amino acids as well as a complete protein source supplement pre or post workout.

The Benefits Of Taking Branched Chain Amino Acids Supplementation

One of the great benefits of taking BCAA supplements is the scientific evidence which shows it helps to reduce fatigue after exercise. One study revealed this is due to BCAA’s having an anabolic effect in human muscle; subjects reported their muscles felt less sore and achy following exercise when using a BCAA powder supplement (26). Further to this, research has indicated oral BCAA’s helped to reduce the rate in which the brain releases 5-HT synthesis, which in turn means a delay in the body feeling fatigue during exercise (27). This information suggests those taking a BCAA supplement will have better muscular endurance.

In connection to this finding, a further study agreed subjects who used a commercially produced BCAA supplement, whilst following an exercise regime, reported their RPE (rate of perceived exertion) was reduced (28). The study implies the combination of the serum tryptophan along with the BCAA ratio is probably responsible for this positive outcome of a lower RPE. This particular study goes on to explain subjects who have a reduced RPE are then able to take on higher workloads, which in turn also leads to their training impulse increasing. Of course once your training impulse is increased you then want to work out more and your results also improve.

Not only does BCAA powder support exercise fatigue it is also able to improve an athlete’s recovery time between training sessions. A study which looked into how BCAA supplements could benefit athletic performance deduced they are able to support muscle recovery and the body’s immune regulation. The report stated BCAA supplementation before and after exercise has beneficial effects for decreasing exercise-induced muscle damage and promoting muscle-protein synthesis (29). By having lower levels of muscle damage, the threat of delayed onset of muscle soreness is reduced. Delayed onset of muscle soreness is a syndrome which occurs 24-48 hours after exercise and it can have a negative effect on the athlete’s ability to perform.

Further to this, the study credited other recent work which had discovered BCAA powder is able to recover peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation following intense long distance exercise (27). 

Improves Cognitive Function

In addition to being able to improve and repair muscles in our bodies, there is some evidence to suggest a BCAA supplement may improve cognitive function at later stages of endurance. A study taken into the effect of BCAA on human subjects who undertook a 30km cross-country race found their performance on different cognitive tests was improved after the race (30).

The same study also disclosed findings which suggest BCAA powder can help decrease mental fatigue and perceived exertion. In this part of the study, participants were given a BCAA supplement during a cycle ergometer exercise, the results revealed both their perceived exertion and mental fatigue were reduced.

This delay in fatigue is thought to be due to BCAA ingestion increasing the body’s plasma concentration, which in turn can reduce the uptake of tryptophan by the brain and 5-HT synthesis. These two factors together can delay fatigue. Interestingly, the study goes onto suggest in some situations the intake of BCAA supplements also helped some of the subjects physical performance, however, further research does need to be undertaken in this area. 

Foods Which Contain High Levels of BCAAs

Following on from exploring the multiple benefits of BCAA’s let’s explore some of the foods which contain high levels of them. The grid below gives us a clear indication of the levels of BCAA’s in each food groups contain. As you can see a beef serving offers the highest quantities of BCAA’s, with a whey and soy protein powders also offering a good source of BCAAs.

Where possible it is best practise to get all your BCAAs directly from food, however, when this isn’t possible BCAA supplements are a great way to top up your BCAA levels. As the chart reveals, the main sources of BCAA’s come from meat or dairy, which poses a problem for those leading a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

When and What Dosage Of BCAA Should I Take

The exact dosage of BCAA along with the best ratio of leucine-isoleucine-valine is still a matter of debate in the literature. However most current literature suggests supplementation between the ranges of 4-20mg, which are split into multiple doses.

The amount of BCAA you take is dependent upon your weight, height and dietary needs, but current guidance seems to recommend the best way to calculate the exact amount of BCAA supplementation is by using this rule: 200mg of BCAA per kg of bodyweight (31).

Conclusion

BCAA is a powder which contains the three branched chain amino acids leucine, valine and isoleucine. BCAA are nutritional supplements, which are often consumed by many athletes and those who undertake regular physical activities regardless of the performance level (31).

There is much evidence to show BCAAs play a role in increase muscle mass, and also aiding the body with exercise damage. In addition to this, it is thought BCAA’s are able to delay a body’s response to feeling fatigue during exercise and thus improve a subject’s exercise endurance. There is also some evidence to suggest BCAA’s can also improve cognitive function.

Branched chain amino acids cannot be produced by the body and must therefore be found in food sources, such as beef, chicken or eggs. If you are unable to acquire the required amounts of BCAA in your food, BCAA supplementation can be a great solution.