Supplement Guide: Branched Chain Amino Acids
Let's face the facts, we are bombarded with a diverse selection of supplements to help achieve our fitness goals. We incessantly see new products on the market claiming to do something miraculous if we take it. We see things like different types of protein, creatine, pre-workouts, post-workouts, test-boosters, etc. While their claims may either be true or just a bunch of bull, Naomi and I have one supplement we know that has helped us along the way - Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's). Whether your goal is functional movement, weight loss, muscle development, or getting ripped, we recommend adding BCAA's to your supplement arsenal.
What are amino acids are what role do they play?
Amino acids (or 'aminos') are the building blocks of proteins. There are actually 20 variations in the human body! Their role in our cells is to help build proteins and act as intermediates in metabolism. I'm not going to bore you with the chemical structure of these little suckers, but just know that they have same base structure and vary only slightly between each other. The variation changes their functions. Their specific function is key for us in this article.
These aminos bind together to make long chains through a process called protein synthesis, producing...you guessed it, proteins. These proteins are foundation of our muscles, however not every amino acid functions this way. They can also be used as a source of energy. When we consume amino acids/protein, they are absorbed by the intestines and transported to the liver. The liver, acting as coordinator, decides what to do with them before they go to the rest of the body. If the body needs more energy, the liver will break them down for fuel rather than use them to repair or build muscle and other tissue.
So, which of the amino acids do you need to be most concerned with? The Big Three: Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. These three are different from all the others because they account for one-third of all muscle tissue. Consider them the dream team when it comes to muscle building, with leucine being the MVP. They have a special assignment, and typically have direct access to our muscle fibers where they will either repair or build.
Leucine is the most essential of the trio and is most critical directly after workouts due to ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. It does this by activating another complex called mTOR, which basically speeds up protein synthesis. Leucine not only stimulates muscle protein synthesis, it also boosts insulin levels. Now I know what you might be thinking, what does insulin have to do with muscle building? Insulin is a powerful hormone in and of itself. It not only has the ability to allow your body to use glucose, it has other roles including driving creatine and carnitine into muscles to promote recovery and growth. After a hard training session it’s important to spike insulin levels to promote muscle building and recovery.
BCAAs are also known for their ability to burn fat. Leucine and Isoleucine are known to increase leanness, although only in conjunction with the other BCAAs. Isoleucine improves glucose tolerance, while leucine increases energy expenditure and fat oxidation. Greater fat mobilization by these little guys allows for better fat loss from a combination of training and diet.
Amino acids assist with hormone balance as well, leading to better endurance, strength, and power for your strenuous training sessions. Hormones such as cortisol (catabolic hormone or stress, that interferes with testosterone and encourages muscle breakdown) are suppressed longer during training with BCAA consumption. Other hormones such as Growth Hormone (GH) has been know to increase after a workout session, which translates to potential muscle size increase.
BCAAs help fight off fatigue. During exercise, L- tryptophan (the amino acid everyone knows that makes you tired from eating turkey) is taken up by the brain in large amounts. Tryptophan is converted in the brain to serotonin (a nuerotransmitter). Higher serotonin levels during exercise signals the brain that we are tired. This leads to a reduction in endurance and strength. Valine comes into play here and competes with tryptophan for entry into the brain. Having a ready supply of valine pushes the favor in valine’s direction, overcoming tryptophan and squashing feelings of fatigue.
Branched chain amino acids are known for their ability to preserve the integrity of muscle fibers and reduce that muscle soreness. These amino acids help reduce that delay onset muscle soreness (DOMS), meaning we can train longer, harder and more frequent.
How much BCAA's should you be consuming? There are a lot of products on the market offering different ratios of The Big Three. We have done a lot of research on what ratio is optimal, and recommend consuming 5 grams of BCAAs at a 2:1:1 ratio (3g leucine: 1g isoleucine: 1g valine). The optimal time to consume BCAA's is around your workout, whether taken before, during, or after. Providing your muscles with ample supply of these bad boys will give you the best opportunity for muscle growth and leanness.
Here are 2 BCAA products we regularly purchase and consume:
Reference:
Stoppani, J., et al., Consuming branched-chain amino acid supplement during a resistance training program increases lean mass, muscle strength and fat loss. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2009, 6(Suppl 1):P1, 2009.