Benefits of Branched Chain Amino Acids

Branched Chain Amino Acids , or BCAAs, are a group of three essential amino acids – leucine, isoleucine and Valine. Essential to growth and repair, and making up approximately one third of all skeletal muscle, the BCAAs cannot be made within the body and must be acquired from diet.

While the exact role of BCAAs is still not fully understood, they have been shown to stimulate protein synthesis and new muscle growth by the activation of numerous anabolic pathways. BCAAs have several unique properties amongst the essential aminos, and their use as a supplement for those involved in regular resistance training is often recommended.

The first major benefit of amino acid supplementation is their anticatabolic effect. Leucine, the most common BCAA, is also the most easily oxidised and at times of high energy demand such as exercising, the body will look to break down muscle tissue to release leucine to oxidise for energy. Supplementing with just a few grams of BCAA during the exercise period has been shown to limit this breakdown of muscle tissue. The supplemental BCAA replaces that which would otherwise be taken from the muscles. BCAAs work quickly in this respect as their branched molecular shape allows them to avoid being processed slowly by the liver after consumption, and allows them to reach the bloodstream within minutes.

Branched Chain Amino Acids can prolong exercise performance. Continued force generation during a workout is partly a function of the central nervous system as well as the size and strength of skeletal muscles. As a workout progresses, the central nervous system begins to activate higher levels of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of happiness and relaxation, and this gradually leads to an impaired ability of the nerves to contract the muscles at sustained levels of force. BCAAs however can interfere with and delay this process by competing with the body’s uptake of tryptophan, the amino acid from which serotonin is made, thus delaying this form of fatigue.

A third benefit of supplemental Branched Chain Amino Acids is increased protein synthesis. Various studies have investigated the method by which they achieve this, and numerous pathways have been identified. The main mechanisms involve increasing insulin output as a response to exercise, although non insulin dependent mechanisms also function.

Finally, BCAAs taken at the time of workout also improve immune function in the period after exercise. Vigorous activity, and particularly resistance training, has been shown to significantly lower the immune response. This is partly due to the depletion of glutamine during exercise, a vital fuel for the immune system. Supplementing with BCAAs goes a long way to sparing the body’s stores of glutamine, and this in turn allows superior immune system function.

Available both in capsules or powdered form, recommended dosing is normally for 3-5g taken at the time of the workout, although much higher doses are tolerated and often taken.

Of all the supplements suggested for those partaking in resistance training, BCAAs are one of the best offering decreased catabolism, increased anabolism and improved performance and recovery.