BCAAs and other amino acid supplements - what makes them so important?

Every athlete trains to become more muscular, faster and/or stronger. Every athlete is trying to reach a new level of performance and sometimes the right supplementation is crucial. Even though there are seemingly countless different supplements available on the market today, there are still some basic supplements such as protein, creatine and multivitamin products that are the most important and whose effects are best researched and proven by numerous studies. Amino acids and in particular branched-chain amino acids, also known as BCAAs, are also among these basic supplements.

What are amino acids?

Muscles cannot grow without sufficient protein intake. All these proteins, regardless of their origin, consist of just 20 different amino acids. Basically, proteins are nothing more than large molecules made up of long chains of amino acids. For this reason, amino acids are also known as the building blocks of proteins. Each of these amino acids has a so-called amino group with the chemical formula NH3 at one end and a carboxylic acid group at the other end. There is a CH group between the amino group and the carboxyl group. Differences in the structure of the various amino acids influence the form and function of the proteins that are built from them.

Amino acids are divided into two groups depending on whether or not the body can produce them itself when required. The first group is the group of so-called essential amino acids, which the body cannot produce itself and which must therefore be supplied through food. The group of 8 essential amino acids includes histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and valine. The second group is the group of non-essential amino acids, which the body can produce itself from other amino acids if required. This group includes alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cysteine, cystine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, hydroxyproline, proline, serine and tyrosine.

What are BCAAs?

Branched-chain amino acids, often simply referred to as BCAAs are popular with athletes who are looking for ways to increase their lean muscle mass and improve their performance. Branched-chain amino acids are the three essential amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine.

When training to develop a stronger body, it is essential to stimulate and energize the muscles at a cellular level. The branched-chain amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine make up about a third of muscle protein. BCAAs reduce muscle fatigue, accelerate recovery, reduce the breakdown of other amino acids in the muscles during training and help the body to absorb protein better. A deficiency in just one of these amino acids will result in muscle breakdown.

Taking branched-chain amino acids before and during exercise can increase performance and delay the onset of fatigue, while taking them immediately after exercise on their own or in conjunction with the post-workout shake reduces exercise-induced elevated levels of the catabolic hormone cortisol and accelerates replenishment of muscle BCAA reserves reduced by exercise.

Another way in which BCAAs can increase performance is that they can enter the brain via the blood-brain barrier, where they can reduce the production of serotonin. A reduction in serotonin levels can counteract mental fatigue, as serotonin can cause a feeling of tiredness. Numerous studies supporting this effect of BCAAs show that this is more than just a hypothesis.

A special feature of branched-chain amino acids is that, unlike other amino acids, they are not metabolized in the liver but directly in the muscles. As far as the absorption of BCAAs by the body is concerned, the 3 branched-chain amino acids promote each other's absorption synergistically, which in other words means that they must be available at the same time to ensure maximum absorption into the muscles.

BCAAs act as nitrogen transporters in the body, which support the muscles in the synthesis of other amino acids required for anabolic muscle actions. In simple terms, the latter means nothing more than the combination of simple amino acids into more complex proteins that ultimately form muscle tissue.

In addition, BCAAs stimulate the release of insulin. The main function of insulin is to transport blood glucose circulating in the blood into the muscle cells where it is used as an energy source. In addition to this, insulin also promotes the uptake of amino acids into the muscle cells.

BCAAs are simultaneously anabolic and anti-catabolic, as they have the ability to increase the rate of protein synthesis, promote the release of hormones such as growth hormone, IGF-1 and insulin, and help maintain a favorable ratio of testosterone to cortisol.

As branched chain amino acids are an excellent anti-catabolic supplement due to the fact that they can prevent muscle breakdown, they are of particular interest during competition diets or other calorie restricted diets. During periods of reduced calorie intake, there is an increased risk of muscle breakdown due to a reduced rate of protein synthesis and increased proteolysis (a breakdown of protein into individual amino acids and peptides for energy). In this scenario, BCAA supplementation can be very helpful for the purpose of maintaining existing muscle mass.

The best thing about BCAAs is that they are considered completely safe for health and have no known side effects.

Next, we will take a brief look at the three amino acids belonging to the BCAA group and their properties:

1. valine

Valine is an aliphatic amino acid that is closely related to leucine and isoleucine in both structure and function. These amino acids are extremely hydrophobic and are almost always found inside proteins. They are also rarely involved in biochemical reactions, but determine the three-dimensional structure of proteins due to their hydrophobic nature. All three amino acids are essential amino acids that must be obtained from the diet. Good sources of valine include soy flour, cottage cheese, fish, meat and vegetables. Valine is incorporated into proteins and enzymes at a molar rate of 6.9% compared to other amino acids.

2. leucine

Like isoleucine and valine, leucine is a hydrophobic amino acid that is found as a structural element inside proteins and enzymes. There appears to be no other significant metabolic role for these amino acids, but they are essential as they cannot be synthesized by the body. Leucine shares with glycine the place of the second most abundant amino acid in proteins with a concentration of 7.5% on a molar basis compared to other amino acids. Leucine provides building blocks needed for the production of other essential biochemical components in the body, some of which are used for the production of energy and stimulants for the brain, helping you to be more mentally alert.

3. isoleucine

Isoleucine is a member of the aliphatic side-chain amino acid family, which consists of extremely hydrophobic biochemicals found primarily inside proteins and enzymes. Like several other members of this family (valine and leucine), isoleucine is an essential amino acid that cannot be produced by mammals. Another characteristic of this class of amino acids is that they have no significant biological role other than to be incorporated into proteins and enzymes, where their primary function is to determine the tertiary structure of macromolecules.

Isoleucine is incorporated into proteins at a molar rate of 4.6% compared to other amino acids. In addition, isoleucine provides ingredients for the production of other biochemical components of the body, some of which are used for the production of energy and stimulants for the brain, helping you to be more mentally alert.

What does the science say?

A study published in the Nutritional Journal of Medicine showed that muscle breakdown in endurance athletes can be reduced by BCAA supplementation. Other studies have shown that even in well-trained athletes, muscle catabolism is increased for a period of 4 to 14 hours after strenuous strength training. This is followed by a phase of anabolic muscle building. Only if this anabolic phase is of greater extent and longer duration than the preceding catabolic phase can there be an increase in strength and muscle mass.

Any measure that can reduce muscle catabolism could therefore prove helpful. Rapid delivery of amino acids to muscle cells immediately after exercise will theoretically have this effect by providing an alternative source of amino acids for use, thus protecting the muscle tissue itself. A rapidly absorbed amino acid supplement taken immediately after exercise could therefore be extremely beneficial.

A study conducted at Auburn University in the USA compared the amino acid blood levels of 10 male subjects with an average age of 30 years after each of the following meals:

• The consumption of amino acids in their most easily absorbed form
• The consumption of the same amount of amino acids as complete protein in the form of cottage cheese
• Consuming a mixture of the aforementioned amino acid sources

Each meal consisted of a similar range of amino acids and provided a total of 23 grams of protein, 5 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of fat and contained only 20 ml of water. In addition, the subjects' diets were standardized before the meal.

After only 15 minutes, the first and third meals, both of which provided individual amino acids, produced much higher levels of circulating amino acids in the blood than the second meal, which consisted solely of complete protein, although there was wide variation from person to person. One promising result was that the problem that had been feared - a rapid drop in amino acid levels due to excretion via the kidneys - did not occur. Remarkably, there was little difference between the amino acid concentrations observed as long as some of the amino acids consumed were available for immediate absorption after consumption, i.e. after meals one and three.

In practice, these study results could mean that athletes who want to increase their muscle mass and get the most out of the hard work they put into their training sessions and swear by amino acid supplements to do so are at least half right. Using an amino acid supplement immediately after training could be beneficial, especially when combined with an easily absorbed carbohydrate supplement, as both supplements provide the muscles with an alternative source of energy and increase insulin levels for increased transport of these nutrients into the cells.

The other message, however, is that only small amounts of either are considered necessary as long as the actual post-workout meal is not consumed too long after the workout. Even if the proteins in this meal are digested and absorbed more slowly by the body, the rapidly absorbable amino acid supplement should have done its job of increasing blood levels of amino acids quickly.

Appropriate amounts of carbohydrates and rapidly absorbable amino acids are 25 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of amino acids. These nutrients should be consumed immediately after training, preferably while still in the locker room. The normal post-workout meal should cover most nutritional needs, and the benefit of immediate nutrient delivery could be just what you need to reduce catabolism and increase training effectiveness. If the supplements mentioned are used in the manner described, one can get the most benefit from using these supplements at the right time without having to use the amounts that manufacturers normally recommend.

What is the best way to use BCAAs?

For optimal results, it is desirable to take branched-chain amino acids in supplement form separately from other amino acid supplements containing isolated amino acids, as BCAAs dominate the race for absorption into the bloodstream. In fact, BCAAs account for 90% of amino acid absorption within the three-hour period after a meal.

Considering that the main component of BCAA absorption is increased blood sugar and insulin levels, it is ideal to take BCAAs with every meal, as well as before and after exercise. They should also be taken within 30 to 60 minutes before and after intense training sessions to support muscle recovery processes and create an ideal anabolic environment.

Conclusion

Supplementation with branched-chain amino acids can result in measurable increases in strength and muscle mass. As the body cannot produce BCAAs itself, they must be supplied through food. Taking BCAAs before and during training can increase performance and delay the onset of fatigue. These amino acids are needed to maintain muscle tissue during intensive training sessions and phases of physical exertion. From an athlete's perspective, BCAAs act as anabolic agents that allow the body to burn fat instead of muscle. For all these reasons, branched-chain amino acids are crucial in the pursuit of muscle growth.