Studies show that BCAAs may increase muscle growth, reduce soreness and fatigue, prevent muscle wasting, and support liver health. They are also found in a variety of food sources, including meat, eggs, and dairy products.
There are 20 different amino acids that make up the thousands of different proteins in the human body.
Nine of the 20 are considered essential amino acids, meaning they cannot be made by your body and must be obtained through your diet.
Of the nine essential amino acids, three are considered branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
“Branched-chain” refers to the chemical structure of BCAAs, which are found in protein-rich foods such as eggs, meat, and dairy products. They are also a popular dietary supplement sold primarily in powder form.
Here are 5 proven benefits of BCAAs.
INCREASED MSUCLE GROWTH
One of the most popular uses of BCAAs is to increase muscle growth.
The BCAA leucine activates a certain pathway in the body that stimulates muscle protein synthesis, which is the process of making muscle (1Trusted Source).
In one study, people who consumed a drink with 5.6 grams (g) of BCAAs after their resistance workout had a 22% greater increase in muscle protein synthesis compared to those who consumed a placebo drink (2Trusted Source).
That being said, this increase in muscle protein synthesis is approximately 50% less than what was observed in other older studies where people consumed a whey protein shake containing a similar amount of BCAAs (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).
DECREASED MUSCLE SORENESS
Some research suggests BCAAs can help decrease muscle soreness after a workout.
It’s not uncommon to feel sore a day or two after a workout, especially if your exercise routine is new.
This soreness is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which develops 12 to 24 hours after exercise and can last up to 72 hours.
While the exact cause of DOMS is not clearly understood, one theory is that it’s the result of tiny tears in the muscles after exercise.
Meanwhile, other research suggests that it may actually be related to the connective tissue associated with the muscle rather than the actual muscle itself.
BCAAs have been shown to decrease muscle damage, which may help reduce the length and severity of DOMS.
REDUCE EXCERCISE FATIGUE
Just as BCAAs may help decrease muscle soreness from exercise, they may also help reduce exercise-induced fatigue.
Everyone experiences fatigue and exhaustion from exercise at some point. How quickly you tire depends on several factors, including exercise intensity and duration, environmental conditions, and your nutrition and fitness level.
Your muscles use BCAAs during exercise, causing levels in your blood to decrease. When blood levels of BCAAs decline, levels of the essential amino acid tryptophan in your brain increase.
In your brain, tryptophan is converted to serotonin, a brain chemical that is thought to contribute to the development of fatigue during exercise.
PREVENT MUSCLE WAISTING
BCAAs can help prevent muscle wasting or breakdown.
Muscle proteins are constantly broken down and rebuilt (synthesized). The balance between muscle protein breakdown and synthesis determines the amount of protein in muscle.
Muscle wasting or breakdown occurs when protein breakdown exceeds muscle protein synthesis.
Muscle wasting is a sign of malnutrition and occurs with chronic infections, cancer, periods of fasting, and as a natural part of the aging process.
In humans, BCAAs account for 35% of the essential amino acids found in muscle proteins. They account for 40% to 45% of the total amino acids required by your body.
Therefore, it’s important that the BCAAs and other essential amino acids are replaced during times of muscle wasting to halt it or to slow its progression.
BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH LIVER DISEASE
BCAAs may offer health benefits for people with cirrhosis, a chronic disease in which the liver does not function properly.
It’s estimated that 50% of people with cirrhosis will develop hepatic encephalopathy, which is the loss of brain function that occurs when the liver is unable to remove toxins from the blood.
While certain sugars and antibiotics are the mainstays of treatment for hepatic encephalopathy, BCAAs may also benefit people with this condition.
One review of 16 studies including 827 people with hepatic encephalopathy found that taking BCAA supplements had a beneficial effect on the symptoms and signs of the disease, but had no effect on mortality.
Anna Hogan
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Anthony Bridges
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