What is the BCAA supplement, and is it necessary to take it? Or can we do without it?
BCAA stands for Branched Chain Amino Acid.
It is a chain of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. The total number of essential amino acids is nine, called “essential” because our bodies do not produce them, and we need to get them from external sources, such as food. BCAAs make up 40% of our body’s essential amino acid requirements.
But does BCAA actually accelerate muscle recovery, fat burning, and muscle building?
The answer is almost yes.
However, what does science say about this?
There was a study with two groups of volunteers. One group was given BCAA supplements, and the other group was given a placebo. The group that received BCAAs saw results in terms of muscle building and recovery.
However, the issue with this study is that the group taking BCAA also consumed a lot of protein. This is the reason their results were better than the others; there was no comparison in their daily protein intake levels.
There was another study in 2016 comparing BCAA and daily protein intake, and they found no additional benefits from BCAA supplements. If you are meeting your daily protein needs, BCAA does not provide any extra advantage.
Moreover, a 2017 study found that the rate of protein synthesis with BCAA intake after exercise is much lower than with the intake of all nine essential amino acids (EAA).
In conclusion, the way BCAA supplements are marketed by companies does not reflect reality. The studies they rely on are old and did not compare protein amounts in the diet.
However, to be fair, BCAA supplements might be beneficial for people who have a phobia of taking large amounts of protein, those with kidney failure, or people on a strict diet who want something sweet.
