Are BCAAs beneficial for bodybuilding?
Proteins that make up our muscle tissue
The Branched Chain Amino Acids, or branched-chain amino acids, are three small molecules:
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Valine
BCAAs are subunits of proteins that largely make up our muscle tissue.
Proteins are found in the diet. Eggs, meat, fish, dairy products and legumes are our best sources of protein.
Also note that all protein foods contain these BCAAs, in varying amounts.
Purported benefits
Les BCAA sont donc les principales sous-unités de nos protéines musculaires. On peut donc penser qu’augmenter nos apports en BCAA, nous aiderait à développer la masse musculaire, améliorer la récupération. Et pourquoi pas augmenter la force, comme on le lit souvent.
The contractions and relaxations of muscle fibers during physical exertion damage muscle. The more intense and repeated the effort, the more the fibers become fragile and eventually are destroyed. This is what is called exercise-induced muscle catabolism.
Muscle proteins release leucine, isoleucine and valine, our 3 BCAAs, during this catabolism.
Resistance training causes a significant accumulation of muscle fatigue and a low-grade inflammatory syndrome. It also causes an increase in nitrogenous waste in the blood.
A BCAA regimen can then make perfect sense to reduce these phenomena. This is what more than 50,000 researchers have studied.
What the science says
These 3 amino acids, primarily leucine, are broken down first during physical exercise.
Based on this observation, a large number of studies have tried to demonstrate that BCAA intake around exercise could slow this breakdown. And increase exercise performance, as well as recovery.
As this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials published in June 2021 tells us, the sole presumed benefit of this supplement would be to reduce muscle inflammation related to resistance training such as weight training.
In other words: improve muscle recovery.
What European regulations say
When I try to find out whether a dietary supplement is truly effective, I always look at European regulations.
Why? Because this regulation closely monitors all the scientific studies conducted on a supplement. If these affirm a supplement’s effectiveness, then Europe validates the supplement’s legitimacy.
Currently, no claims exist regarding BCAAs. Quite simply because there are as many studies showing positive effects as there are studies showing no effect.
BCAAs consumed in isolation are therefore not recognized as effective for increasing muscle mass, improving recovery, or gaining strength.
Read also | How to choose the best BCAAs according to a dietitian
Does consuming BCAAs pose a danger?
Are BCAAs considered performance-enhancing substances?
At the moment, WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, does not consider BCAAs to be a doping substance. They can therefore be used in competitions and high-level sports.
Are BCAAs harmful to health?
No study to date has shown adverse effects from BCAA consumption in healthy people.
However, if you suffer from health problems and particularly kidney failure, I recommend consulting your doctor. BCAAs are also not recommended for children, adolescents, and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
So, BCAAs or proteins?
Proteins versus BCAAs
Proteins are truly effective for the development and maintenance of muscle mass. All studies are conclusive and European regulations have long validated the beneficial effects of proteins on increasing muscle mass and strength.
All the more so because dietary proteins all contain BCAAs. So the answer is very simple: prioritize proteins rather than “isolated” BCAAs to reach your goals.
What are the recommended dosages?
First of all, it’s important to know that the body cannot produce BCAAs. Leucine, isoleucine, and valine are among the eight amino acids known as “essential”. These must necessarily be provided through the diet.
This comprehensive scientific study published in 2019 shows that proteins have very beneficial effects for athletes.
Therefore, it is your protein intake that you should monitor, not your BCAA intake:
- Protein recommendations for athletes are 1.4 g (endurance) to 1.8 g (strength) of protein per kg per day.
- Protein recommendations for a non-athlete are 1 g of protein per kg per day.
In summary, for a 75 kg strength-training athlete looking to build muscle mass, an intake of 135 g per day is ideal.
How to find quality BCAAs?
Early BCAAs of questionable quality
Ce complément alimentaire a un passif controversé, car les premiers BCAA du marché provenaient. de sous-produits d’origine animale : plumes, peau animale, poils…. Et c’est souvent toujours le cas.
And the quality of the BCAAs currently available is still not optimal. Also note that BCAAs are provided in sufficient quantities if your diet is high in protein.
Indeed, protein sources (eggs, meat, fish, dairy products…) all contain BCAAs in large amounts. This largely covers your needs for muscle-building purposes.
Beware of marketing
When you compare different BCAA products, you’ll see that each brand’s sales arguments vary. And with good reason: since there is no scientific evidence of their effectiveness nor any nutrition claim validated by Europe, each brand uses its own marketing to make them attractive.
Some will tell you they help build muscle mass, others that they help you cut or increase your muscle strength, reduce your fatigue… I admit that it is difficult to have a unanimous message when there is nothing specific to say.
An absurd distinction
Are you more 2:1:1 or 8:1:1? Flavored or unflavored? Tablets or powder? Brands, not lacking in imagination, try to diversify the BCAA offering to make them ever more appealing.
BCAAs of unknown origin, Vegan BCAAs… This supplement, which has never shown effectiveness, is nevertheless a leader among dietary supplements consumed in gyms.
Unfortunately, the consumer, often young, finds themselves in the dark when deciding whether to use BCAAs.
BCAAs are simply very profitable. Selling a product for between €70 and €200 per kilogram that costs less than €10 per kilogram to produce is obviously very lucrative…
You won’t find these figures on the web, and I share them with you in full transparency so you know what to expect!
What are the best sources of BCAAs?
Whey, an important source of BCAAs
If you want to supplement your diet with BCAAs, know that 30 g of native whey isolate, the highest-quality whey that I recommend in this article, already provides 7.5 g of BCAAs. These BCAAs are of good quality because they come from fresh milk and not from cheese industry waste.
Two shakes will give you an additional 15 g of BCAAs per day. That is the intake recommended by the few scientific studies that discuss the benefits of BCAAs on reducing muscle inflammation in the context of resistance training.
Lire aussi | Meilleure whey : 10 marques testées par un diététicien-nutritionniste
I’m vegetarian, what should I do?
If you follow a vegetarian diet, simply choose plant proteins which will also provide BCAAs. But it can be very difficult to meet your protein needs on a vegetarian diet.
Legumes, although fairly rich in protein, have lower CUD (coefficient of digestive utilization) and IC (chemical indices) for proteins than animal proteins.
Cependant, les protéines végétales en poudre possèdent des taux d’assimilation et des indices chimiques très élevés. Cela les rend digestes et bien efficaces pour complémenter l’alimentation en protéines.
Also read | How to choose plant protein powders according to a pharmacist
Animal proteins versus plant proteins
Finally note that the assimilation and use of milk proteins by our bodies are always better compared to plant proteins (soy, pea and other plant proteins).
For the simple reason that animal-derived proteins are more similar to the proteins that make up the human body.
If you are not following a specific diet, choose a low-lactose dairy protein such as native whey isolate. It will be easier to digest.
My final tips
💡 Faut-il consommer des BCAA lors de la pratique de musculation ?
Oui, mais je vous conseille fortement d’investir dans une whey isolate native que vous trouverez facilement autour des 30€ le kilo et, qui sera bien plus efficace que les BCAA « isolés » dans l’atteinte de vos objectifs.
💡 C’est au repos que la prise de masse s’effectue
Si votre objectif est de développer vos muscles, n’oubliez pas que votre entraînement est tout autant important que votre récupération pour que l’anabolisme musculaire soit optimal. En effet, c’est au repos que le muscle se régénère et se développe. Je vous conseille donc 2 jours minimum de repos dans la semaine.
