06 Nov What are BCAA’s (Branched-Chain Amino Acids)?

Ever heard of people adding BCAAs to their shakes or seen these advertised on different protein powders? Wonder what the heck people are talking about? Let’s explain it simply.

BCAAs are a group of essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein molecules) with a branched molecular structure. There are three different kinds: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. What’s important here is that they’re essential (in “nutrition speak”, the word “essential” means that you need them, but your body can’t produce them on its own). Therefore, we must get BCAAs entirely from our diet.

BCAA supplements are always popular within the fitness community. They come in a powder form (which you add to water or a smoothie) and also as capsules. These supplements claim to boost muscle growth, enhance performance during a workout, produce energy, and assist with post-workout recovery and fatigue. Studies have shown that they could potentially promote blood sugar control, aid in weight loss, prevent weight gain, improve liver function, and decrease complications for those who have liver disease.

Recommendations for how much? For men, the recommendation is at least 12g of BCAAs/day. For women, the recommendation is at least 9g of BCAAs per day. Folks that do a lot of resistance training or athletes may likely consume even more.

However, are BCAA SUPPLEMENTS necessary?

The bottom line is that they are not necessary! What’s more, these supplements are not regulated by the FDA (and have not been proven to be safe or to live up to any of their claims).

Most people who include protein-rich foods in their diets will consume enough BCAAs through solid food, making BCAA supplements unnecessary.

However, athletes or heavy resistance trainers may find benefits from the supplements if they’re prepping for a show or competition, since they can help to curb hunger between meals or help with fasted training. Additionally, BCAA supplements often contain electrolytes or coconut water to help with hydration. They can also be a nice flavor enhancer to plain water, allowing someone to drink more water than they normally would. That said, I do not recommend BCAA supplements for anyone long-term – and for most people, not at all – due to their lack of regulation. Remember that safety is the MOST important thing to consider when taking any supplement.