You’re probably reading this because you’re looking for strength gains in the gym or improved exercise performance as an athlete. If you are, well done, you’re in the right place, and you’re researching the right product. If you’re not, you’re still learning about something new which is always a positive.

In this article we’re talking about BCAAs, a prevalently used supplement among gym goers and fitness gurus. We’ll give you a full lowdown on what they are, their effects, and things you should consider prior to purchasing them.

What are BCAAs?

Your body contains 20 different types of amino acids. 9 of these are essential amino acids which your body can’t adequately synthesize, meaning you need to get them from an external source. Out of the 9 essential amino acids, 3 are BCAAs (source). BCAAs, or branched chain amino acids, are integral in stimulating muscle growth and development. They can lead to substantial strength gains and progress in the gym, often coming in a powdered form or as pills. The three types of branched chain amino acids are leucine, isoleucine, and valine (source), all of which have been heavily researched by health professionals.

The Chemistry Behind Branched Chain Amino Acids

Branched chain amino acids get their name from their chemical structure. They possess something called an aliphatic side chain, which has a branch attached to it containing 3 or more carbons. As mentioned previously, BCAAs are essential amino acids, this means that the primary difference between them and most other amino acids is the fact that they need to be supplied supplementally through food or other formats. If you want to know more about the chemistry of BCAAs and their effectiveness in regard to muscle growth, checkout this detailed study.

What do they do?

BCAAs supposedly possess a number of functions which are yet to be fully proven, however, they do have a quantity of benefits that have been tested and confirmed. Here’s are list of these benefits:

• Stimulate muscle growth and development

• Decrease muscle fatigue and soreness

• Improve physical performance during cardio exercise

• Potential negative side effects on blood sugar metabolism and cardiovascular function

We’ll discuss these benefits in detail with reference to professional studies and verified information. To make your reading experience easier, we’ll provide a quick summary at the top if you’re looking to skim through, while also giving detailed insight and plenty of evidence for those looking to get a greater understanding on BCAAs and their effects.

Stimulation of muscle growth and development

In short, BCAAs have anabolic effects which develop smaller molecules into larger molecules. In complex terms, they increase protein metabolism by promoting protein synthesis (the creation of proteins) and limiting protein degradation. Your muscles are made of protein, so these effects could lead to muscle growth and greater strength gains (source).

Let’s look deeper into these benefits through this study.

The study compared BCAAs muscle building effects to that of whey protein, a product which we’ve also discussed on this website (see here). The conductors concluded that the branched chain amino acid group “experienced a significantly greater gain in body weight than the whey group," displaying the success and benefits of BCAAs in comparison to one of the most credible muscle building supplements on the market. It can therefore be said that BCAAs do have anabolic effects and can indeed lead to muscle gain.

Decreased muscle fatigue and soreness

BCAAs are proven to decrease muscle soreness and consequently increase time to exhaustion. This can not only be beneficial for weightlifters, but athletes as well, as the supplement may decrease blood concentration of substances that cause fatigue, such as ammonia and lactate (source).

Let’s dive into another study on this topic, linked here.

The study found that long term muscle fatigue induced by long-term and long-form exercise could be limited by BCAA consumption, which would reduce soreness and fatigue during and subsequent to the completion of this exercise. Despite conflicting opinions on some supposed functions of branched chain amino acids, this effect is backed up by a number of studies additional to this one, being a repeatedly proven benefit of the supplement.

Improved Exercise Performance

Going hand in hand with the previous function of reduced muscle fatigue, BCAAs assist in bettering your exercise performance. For weightlifters, you can view it in the context of doing a heavy set of bench press, squats, or any other exercise, and having an extra edge of energy to finish that last rep. For runners, it’s been proven to help test subjects increase their time to exhaustion, and consequently record better times on treadmill tests (source).

Here’s a study to support this function.

The study details branched chain amino acids impact on RPE (rate of perceived exertion), which is a critical concept in weightlifting. I’ll go off topic for a moment, to talk about RPE in weightlifting and to use a personal anecdote.

Weightlifters organise their workouts based on sets with certain levels of RPE. That may sound confusing, so let’s break it down. 6-7 RPE is considered vigorous activity, 8-9 RPE is considered very hard activity, and 10 RPE is considered max effort activity. During my pull workouts, I’ll do 4 sets of bicep curls. Sets 1 and 2 will be at 6-7 RPE, meaning I’ll be 3 or 4 reps away from failure (or max effort). These sets are tough, but not too fatiguing. Set 3 will be at 8-9 RPE, where I’m 1 rep away from failure. This last rep will take a long time, I’ll really struggle to get it up, sometimes I’ll fail. The last set will be at 10 RPE, where I go to complete failure to maximise muscle growth. Let’s look at how this was detailed in the study.

The study unpacked how BCAA consumption can reduce RPE, ultimately increasing gains as you’re doing more reps, except their situation involved high intensity endurance cycling tests. Riders who took a branched chain amino acid-based supplement were able to continue riding under the high workload for longer periods of time, being indicative of the improvement on physical performance stemming from BCAAs.

Effects on blood sugar metabolism and cardiovascular function

Despite the many positive effects of BCAAs, one of the primary fears that has been detailed by studies is the links the amino acid has on blood sugar metabolism and cardiovascular function (source).

This study discusses links between the supplement and insulin secretion and resistance.

BCAAs are said to promote the secretion of insulin, which metabolizes blood sugar, storing it in the liver and body tissue. The excessive secretion of insulin can potentially lead to the body developing resistance to the hormone, which could be detrimental in causing disorders like diabetes. This study questioned whether the effects of branched chain amino acids were sufficient to cause insulin resistance, ultimately coming to a conclusion that the amino acid and condition were linked, however, the consumption of BCAAs was not critically impactful towards causing insulin resistance.

What to consider prior to buying the supplement

Overall, it can be said that BCAAs are a good investment, especially if you’re into weightlifting or high intensity long distance cardio exercise. Let’s quickly summarise what you should consider prior to buying the supplement:

• It’s generally suggested that the best powders possess a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, to isoleucine, to valine

• The supplement should usually be taken about 15 minutes prior to exercise. Whether this be as a pill or as a powder in a pre-workout drink, ensure you can accommodate this time so that you can consume the supplement

• Avoid buying BCAAs if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding

• Buy from a trusted source, this could be your local gym or fitness supplement store. If you’re buying online, ensure you reading reviews on the platform you’re buying from and that these reviews are from verified purchasers.

• Ensure you understand the risks of buying BCAAs if you’ve been diagnosed with a condition of disorder that may pose a health risk to you if you consume the supplement

To Conclude

BCAAs are one of many supplements that are used to help exercise performance. In this article, we discussed what branched chain amino acids are, their effects, and the things you should consider prior to purchasing them. We hope that this article has provided you with the information you required to come to your decision on whether to buy BCAAs. Best of luck in your future fitness endeavours.