Are BCAA's really all that great?

When I was a child I can remember being taught an important lesson which stays with me to this day. I was told not to trust anyone's opinion at face value, this is especially true when it comes to people who just happen to be selling the same thing they are raving about.

 

It does not mean that everyone who is selling you something is lying about how good their product is. After all, I for one cannot sell something to someone if I don't think that it will give them a direct benefit.

 

But think about it, who gives the most advice about supplements? Supplement retailers. Who funds most of the studies for supplements? Supplement retailers.

 

So when I was introduced to Branch Chain Amino Acid supplements I was naturally sceptical.

 

 

These amino acids are found in food in reasonable amounts, and if you eat a decent amount of protein then you should get all the BCAA's you need to function.

But what I a didn't appreciate was that there is having enough to function, and then there is having enough to flourish.  

 

BCAA's are different from other amino acids in one very influential way; they are not broken down in the liver. This means that they can make it into the blood stream quickly without interruption. During exercise this has many key advantages:

• BCAA's can be used as a fuel source throughout exercise, to improve performance and endurance
• BCAA's are what directly stimulate protein synthesis, and appear to operate on a dose response, so up to a point he more the better!
• BCAA's improve insulin sensitivity, this incredibly anabolic hormone will allow muscle cells to take on protein and carbohydrates after exercise and grow. Which also means less fat storage.
• BCAA's reduce the cortisol response, meaning reduced repression of testosterone post workout. Again more muscle and less fat,

The best news about these little proteins are that - up to a point - they operate on a dose response basis. So a man of 90kgs will benefit from supplementation up to 40g in a workout.

My personal experience of BCAA's is that they acutely improve recovery, improve strength and accelerate the whole training process. I am completely convinced. BCAA's have been used in one way or another for decades and they have stood the test of time. If you are not completely convinced then I cannot do a better job of summing them up than this article has here, research and all.

 

So keep eating protein, but supplementing BCAA's will help you to be leaner, stronger, and happier.