Fact Check: Are BCAAs Worth Trying?

BCAAs are popular in the fitness world because research shows that taking these amino acids can help reduce muscle soreness and shorten recovery time from workouts.

But what are they? And is supplementation really necessary?

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What are BCAAs?

BCAAs are three amino acids that you may have heard about: L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-valine. Amino acids are the building blocks of muscles, and your muscles need them to rebuild after a tough workout. There are 20 amino acids, but nine of them must come from outside sources because your body can’t make them.

All amino acids are vital to making proteins, so they are all important to muscle growth. The unique structure of BCAAs might make them more beneficial than other amino acids though.

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How do BCAAs work?

BCAAs account for a significant portion of the body's overall amino acid pool. They make up 35–40% of all important amino acids in your body, and 14–18% of those found in your muscles.

BCAAs, unlike most other amino acids, are broken down primarily in the muscle rather than the liver. Hence, they are hypothesized to play a function in energy production during exercise.

Your body can take the BCAAs you eat and use them to build muscle protein. They may also help your body preserve liver and muscle sugar stores and stimulate it to take sugar from your bloodstream.

BCAAs may reduce fatigue during exercise by reducing the amount of serotonin produced in your brain. Leucine is thought to have the biggest impact on your body’s ability to build muscle proteins.

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Benefits of BCAAs

1) Helps in reducing fatigue during exercise

Reduces physical and mental exhaustion. (Image via Pexels / Monstera)

BCAAs may help in the reduction of physical and mental exhaustion. In another trial, participants who were given BCAAs during exercise experienced up to 15% less weariness than those who were given a placebo.

In one trial, the improved fatigue resistance allowed the BCAA group to exercise for 17 percent longer before exhaustion than the placebo group.

2) Reduces sore muscles

Helps you to recover faster after workout. (Image via Pexels / Maksim Goncharenok)

BCAAs may also help you recover faster after a workout. Lowering blood levels of the enzymes creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, which are implicated in muscle injury, is one way they might do so. This could help you recover faster and prevent your muscles from harm.

3) Enhances muscle mass

Improves and enhances muscle mass. (Image via Pexels / Dinielle De Veyra)

BCAA supplements are purchased by some individuals in order to boost their muscle mass. BCAAs, after all, have been shown to trigger muscle-building enzymes in studies. Some scientists believe that BCAA supplements can help you gain muscle mass, particularly if they contain a greater proportion of leucine than isoleucine or valine.

4) Lowers blood sugar levels

Maintains your blood sugar levels. (Image via Pexels / Photomix Company)

BCAAs may also help in the maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels. Leucine and isoleucine are thought to boost insulin production and cause your muscles to absorb more sugar from your blood, lowering blood sugar levels. In practice, however, not all studies support these findings.

5) Enhances weight loss

BCAAs promotes weight loss. (Image via Pexels / Ketut Subiyanto)

Branched-chain amino acids may aid weight loss and prevent weight gain. If you eat three times the recommended daily intake of BCAA, you have a 30% less chance of becoming overweight or obese than people who get an average of 12 grams per day.

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Top Food Sources for BCAAs

When you're trying to build muscle, you need all of the essential amino acids—not just the BCAAs. If you eat a healthy diet and train consistently, your body will naturally get enough of them.

Luckily, there are many foods that contain BCAAs such as: meat, poultry and fish, beans and lentils, dairy products like cheese, milk, tofu, tempeh, eggs, quinoa, nuts and seeds.

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Recovery & BCAAs

Recovery is an important part of any exercise routine. It allows your body to physically and psychologically recharge. During recovery, your muscles repair and strengthen, making them more resilient to the stress of your workouts and allowing them to replenish their energy stores.

So you don't need BCAA supplements to recover from your workouts—what you do need is proper nutrition and adequate sleep.

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Bottom Line

BCAA supplements are certainly not a scam. On the flip side, you may not need to use them at all if you're eating your fill of protein-rich foods and working out regularly. But if you struggle to consume sufficient protein from food or from a protein supplement, BCAAs are a great option as part of an overall physical activity and/or diet regimen.