One of the common refrains we hear from people who consume BCAA supplements is their ability to reduce muscle soreness, and it is this particular facet of BCAAs which we will explore today.

There are a great deal of studies on the positive benefits of BCAA supplementation but we are going to focus only on research which is relevant to us, namely research that was conducted on experienced weight training individuals who already practise sound training and dietary habits. One of the problems with some BCAA studies is they will often use untrained people or animals making the conclusions less applicable to weight training individuals so we will screen those out and focus on the rest.

A study 1 by Howatson et. al chose national league rugby and football players as the study population making it a group who were both well acquainted with weight training and also experienced in following a sports nutrition diet.

Using what might seem to some as a very high dosage of 40g of BCAAs per day with 20g of that sandwiched around the training session, the study revealed reduced muscle soreness as well as greater muscle recovery in the BCAA supplemented group.

These results were corroborated by an earlier study in Japan 3 which demonstrated that BCAA supplements can both lower muscle damage incurred during exercise and also boost muscle protein synthesis. For experienced trainers who engage in intensive exercise we recommend a dose of between 0.

Essential amino acid formulas, casein hydrolysate Peptopro or Whey Protein Hydrolysate can all be used in place of BCAA supplements as they contain high amounts of BCAAs as well as other benefits.

Like our article? This makes BCAA supplements unnecessary for most, especially if you consume enough protein in your diet already Consuming protein-rich foods will also provide you with other important nutrients that BCAA supplements lack.

The best food sources of BCAAs include 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 :. Many protein-rich foods contain high amounts of BCAAs. If you consume enough protein in your diet, BCAA supplements are unlikely to provide additional benefits.

The branched-chain amino acids BCAAs are a group of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAA supplements have been shown to build muscle, decrease muscle fatigue , and alleviate muscle soreness. They have also successfully been used in a hospital setting to prevent or slow muscle loss and to improve symptoms of liver disease.

However, because most people get plenty of BCAAs through their diet, supplementing with BCAA is unlikely to provide additional benefits. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

BCAA stands for branched-chain amino acids. These are essential amino acids with several benefits for muscle growth and performance. While pre-workout supplements may boost your exercise performance, you may be worried about side effects.

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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based 5 Proven Benefits of BCAAs Branched-Chain Amino Acids. Only one small preliminary study has compared the effect of taking a BCAA supplement before exercise to taking it after exercise. In the study, young men took 10 grams of BCAAs before a strengthening exercise for their nondominant arm.

They experienced less muscle soreness after exercise and lower blood markers of muscle damage than those who took the BCAAs after the arm exercise The only other study available for comparison is one that gave athletic men 25 grams of whey protein isolate supplying 5.

In this study, both groups had the same improvements in body composition and strength BCAA levels in your blood peak 30 minutes after consuming the supplement, but studies have yet to determine the optimal time to take it Despite the long-held theory that you have about 45—60 minutes after exercise to get maximum muscle building benefits from consuming protein, newer research suggests this window of time may be as wide as 5 hours after exercise 11 , Taking BCAAs during workouts has been studied a little in endurance training, such as distance running and cycling.

Additionally, research in cyclists has failed to show an improvement in physical performance from taking BCAAs during endurance exercise, though the supplements may help reduce mental fatigue Research to clarify the optimal time to take BCAAs is limited.

It may not make much difference whether BCAA supplements are taken before or after exercise, and you may not need to time them precisely to support muscle building.

In a recent review of studies, scientists found that three factors seemed to be important for limiting exercise-related muscle damage through BCAA supplements. First, you may need to consume a daily dose of at least 91 mg per pound mg per kg of body weight.

For example, if you weigh pounds 75 kg , you would need to take a dose of at least 15 grams 15, mg of BCAAs daily. Third, how frequently you take the supplement may be a factor. In other words, splitting your total daily dose into two or more doses, such as before and after exercise, may be beneficial 4.

Lastly, keep in mind that you need more than BCAAs to build muscle protein. There are six other essential amino acids you must consume so your body can make protein. So, including other sources of protein in your diet is crucial 2.

Muscle-protective benefits of BCAA supplements may be more likely if you take 91 mg per pound mg per kg of body weight daily, including on nonexercise days. It may also help to split your daily BCAA supplement intake into two or more doses.

BCAA supplements conveniently provide muscle-supportive nutrients. However, scientists question whether these supplements offer an advantage over food sources. Research that directly compares the benefits of taking BCAAs over other protein supplements at one time over another is limited.

Getting an adequate dose based on your body weight is essential, as well as continuing to take them in the long term, including on nonexercise days. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Protein supplements are very popular.

They were then checked for their creatine kinase CK and lactate dehydrogenase LDH levels. The average amount of BCAA intake before and during the 25 kilometer run was 2, milligrams. CK and LDH levels rose in both the BCAA beverage and the control beverage groups, but the rise in LDH in the BCAA beverage group was significantly lower than that in the control beverage group.

Conclusion: Muscle damage can be reduced by BCAA intake during a long-distance run. Based on test results showing that BCAA is likely to reduce muscle damage, a study of both muscle fatigue and muscle pain based on the hypothesis that BCAA may also have an influence on these two conditions was conducted.

An experiment focused on muscle pain and fatigue was conducted on long-distance athletes at a training camp. We asked 12 male and female long-distance runners during intensive training males ran 86km, females ran 64km to drink 2,ml per day of either a beverage containing BCAA 20, milligrams of BCAA per day or a control beverage every day for a total of 3 days.

Muscle pain and fatigue were accessed using the VAS Visual Analogue Scale on a 10cm linear scale. Compared to before the training camp, at the training camp muscle pain increased in both the control beverage group and the BCAA beverage group, but the muscle soreness in the BCAA beverage group was significantly lower than that in the control beverage group.

Also, compared to before the training camp, at the training camp, while fatigue increased significantly in the control beverage group, in the BCAA beverage group, fatigue didn't increase significantly.

This indicates that fatigue is suppressed by the intake of BCAA. Conclusion: Continuous intake of BCAA reduces muscle pain and fatigue. For example, in situations such as training camps in which you are repeating highly strenuous exercise, BCAA can contribute to the kind of physical condition required by high-level training.

BCAA Helps Maintain Exercise Performance. Only one small preliminary study has compared the effect of taking a BCAA supplement before exercise to taking it after exercise. In the study, young men took 10 grams of BCAAs before a strengthening exercise for their nondominant arm.

They experienced less muscle soreness after exercise and lower blood markers of muscle damage than those who took the BCAAs after the arm exercise The only other study available for comparison is one that gave athletic men 25 grams of whey protein isolate supplying 5.

In this study, both groups had the same improvements in body composition and strength BCAA levels in your blood peak 30 minutes after consuming the supplement, but studies have yet to determine the optimal time to take it Despite the long-held theory that you have about 45—60 minutes after exercise to get maximum muscle building benefits from consuming protein, newer research suggests this window of time may be as wide as 5 hours after exercise 11 , Taking BCAAs during workouts has been studied a little in endurance training, such as distance running and cycling.

Additionally, research in cyclists has failed to show an improvement in physical performance from taking BCAAs during endurance exercise, though the supplements may help reduce mental fatigue Research to clarify the optimal time to take BCAAs is limited.

It may not make much difference whether BCAA supplements are taken before or after exercise, and you may not need to time them precisely to support muscle building.

In a recent review of studies, scientists found that three factors seemed to be important for limiting exercise-related muscle damage through BCAA supplements.

First, you may need to consume a daily dose of at least 91 mg per pound mg per kg of body weight. For example, if you weigh pounds 75 kg , you would need to take a dose of at least 15 grams 15, mg of BCAAs daily.

Third, how frequently you take the supplement may be a factor. In other words, splitting your total daily dose into two or more doses, such as before and after exercise, may be beneficial 4. Lastly, keep in mind that you need more than BCAAs to build muscle protein.

There are six other essential amino acids you must consume so your body can make protein. So, including other sources of protein in your diet is crucial 2. Muscle-protective benefits of BCAA supplements may be more likely if you take 91 mg per pound mg per kg of body weight daily, including on nonexercise days.

It may also help to split your daily BCAA supplement intake into two or more doses. BCAA supplements conveniently provide muscle-supportive nutrients.

However, scientists question whether these supplements offer an advantage over food sources. Research that directly compares the benefits of taking BCAAs over other protein supplements at one time over another is limited.

Getting an adequate dose based on your body weight is essential, as well as continuing to take them in the long term, including on nonexercise days.

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