BY DEZI ABEYTA, RN
Few supplements are as touted these days as branched-chain amino acids. Better known as BCAAs, they’re hyped as a key to muscle growth all across Instagram. But are they that useful?
Here’s the reality: If you’re eating enough protein, BCAAs don’t add much. A systematic review of 24 studies found that BCAA supplements alone do not significantly improve performance, body composition, or muscle protein synthesis.
What This Means for You
If you’re already eating enough total protein (aim for 1 gram per pound of goal bodyweight), you likely don’t need a separate BCAA supplement. You’re better off with a protein supplement, such as a whey or casein protein. Your best option remains whole food proteins (think: eggs, fish, and beef). BCAAs simply can’t be a substitute for a flawed diet, so focus your eating energies on that.
When Supplemental BCAAs Might Be Helpful
BCAAs can be useful in several situations, though. First off, if you train fasted (early-morning workouts without food), then sipping a BCAA may help prevent muscle breakdown. Your body will also benefit from BCAAs if your protein intake is consistently low (although your best bet here remains just upping your whole food protein intake overall). Lastly, if you’re training multiple times a day, BCAAs can help you recover (but again, aim to improve your recovery schedule first).
Final Takeaways
Overall, BCAAs won’t get you to your goals alone. Focus instead on total protein intake first. Then space out your protein intake to maximize muscle protein synthesis throughout the day. And work towards consistency in your protein intake (not perfection), aiming to eat protein-rich, leucine-rich foods 80 percent of the time.