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Thread: BCAA Review

  1. #1
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    BCAA Review

    An excellent review on BCAA's which is in line with my conclusions. Reminds me of the glutamine craze that took so long to die. Adequate P intakes, especially if high bcaa whole protein sources included (whey etc) and cals, bcaa is waste of $. I can picture some specific metabolic states where bcaa of possible value, but for healthy active types, nope.

    Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality?

    Abstract

    The branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are leucine, valine and isoleucine. A multi-million dollar industry of nutritional supplements has grown around the concept that dietary supplements of BCAAs alone produce an anabolic response in humans driven by a stimulation of muscle protein synthesis.

    In this brief review the theoretical and empirical bases for that claim are discussed. Theoretically, the maximal stimulation of muscle protein synthesis in the post-absorptive state in response to BCAAs alone is the difference between muscle protein breakdown and muscle protein synthesis (about 30% greater than synthesis), because the other EAAs required for synthesis of new protein can only be derived from muscle protein breakdown.

    Realistically, a maximal increase in muscle protein synthesis of 30% is an over-estimate because the obligatory oxidation of EAAs can never be completely suppressed. An extensive search of the literature has revealed no studies in human subjects in which the response of muscle protein synthesis to orally-ingested BCAAs alone was quantified, and only two studies in which the effect of intravenously infused BCAAs alone was assessed. Both of these intravenous infusion studies found that BCAAs decreased muscle protein synthesis as well as protein breakdown, meaning a decrease in muscle protein turnover.

    The catabolic state in which the rate of muscle protein breakdown exceeded the rate of muscle protein synthesis persisted during BCAA infusion. We conclude that the claim that consumption of dietary BCAAs stimulates muscle protein synthesis or produces an anabolic response in human subjects is unwarranted.

    Full paper:

    https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/arti...970-017-0184-9
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    Glad to see this, I've thought for the longest time they were bunk

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    Quote Originally Posted by WillBrink View Post
    The catabolic state in which the rate of muscle protein breakdown exceeded the rate of muscle protein synthesis persisted during BCAA infusion. We conclude that the claim that consumption of dietary BCAAs stimulates muscle protein synthesis or produces an anabolic response in human subjects is unwarranted.
    Keep in mind that what they are saying is that BCAAs are bunk for building muscle, but as far as I am aware the science still agrees that BCAA intake can prevent muscle tissue breakdown when you are cutting.

    Still, EAAs would be better, I'm not sure why there are so few EAA supplements compared to BCAAs.

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    Quote Originally Posted by joffe View Post
    Keep in mind that what they are saying is that BCAAs are bunk for building muscle, but as far as I am aware the science still agrees that BCAA intake can prevent muscle tissue breakdown when you are cutting.

    Still, EAAs would be better, I'm not sure why there are so few EAA supplements compared to BCAAs.
    But whey, which has the highest BCAA content of any protein, and EEA, highest BV and improves immunity via effects on glutathione has you covered and for less $. BCAA's are moot. Also note, they also discuss the possible loss of muscle due to BCAA being EEA dependent, etc. Pass.
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    To clarify, so BCAAs may actually by worse than not taking them?
    Will, what EEAs do you recommend?
    The sharing of knowledge here is awesome. Just getting into lifting again and appreciate this and the crating review specifically.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MegademiC View Post
    To clarify, so BCAAs may actually by worse than not taking them?
    Will, what EEAs do you recommend?
    The sharing of knowledge here is awesome. Just getting into lifting again and appreciate this and the crating review specifically.
    Needs more study in humans to be sure. My guess is you'd have to really pile up on the BCAA intake for it to actively be a negative, but they do propose a possible mechanism by which that could be the case yes. Other than a few key populations, I consider BCAA a waste of $ for the vast majority of active people.
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    Quote Originally Posted by WillBrink View Post
    But whey, which has the highest BCAA content of any protein, and EEA, highest BV and improves immunity via effects on glutathione has you covered and for less $. BCAA's are moot. Also note, they also discuss the possible loss of muscle due to BCAA being EEA dependent, etc. Pass.
    Having read further, I'll walk back my earlier post. I was out of date.

    Here's a really good article that I found.

    A very popular ”leucine” strategy is the ingestion of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Leucine is one of three BCAAs (isoleucine and valine are the other two). When taken in isolation, BCAA ingestion results in only a relatively small increase in MPS, likely because you need the other amino acids as building blocks for muscle growth (Jackman, 2017). When BCAAs are supplemented on top of some protein, the increase in MPS is smaller compared to simply eating more protein or adding only leucine (Churchward-Venne, 2014). This may sound counter-intuitive. Why would the addition of the two other BCAAs be worse than leucine alone? Isoleucine and valine use the same transporter as leucine for uptake in the gut. Therefore, it is speculated that isoleucine and valine compete for uptake with leucine, resulting in a less rapid plasma leucine peak. Don’t you just love how wonderfully consistent that is with the advanced hypotheses I just laid out?

    So, leucine supplementation on its own is better at producing the trigger for maximal MPS, and a complete protein is just better at providing the bricks for muscle growth. A BCAA supplement doesn’t fit anywhere in this picture; it’s worse than only leucine at doing leucine’s job, and it’s worse than a complete protein at its job.
    Apparently leucine is the key, alongside good old whey. The other two amino acids block the uptake of leucine and so are distinctly unhelpful vs. leucine alone or the full spectrum of amino acids in whey.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WillBrink View Post
    But whey, which has the highest BCAA content of any protein, and EEA, highest BV and improves immunity via effects on glutathione has you covered and for less $. BCAA's are moot. Also note, they also discuss the possible loss of muscle due to BCAA being EEA dependent, etc. Pass.
    Having read further, I'll walk back my earlier post. I was out of date.

    Here's a really good article that I found.

    A very popular ”leucine” strategy is the ingestion of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Leucine is one of three BCAAs (isoleucine and valine are the other two). When taken in isolation, BCAA ingestion results in only a relatively small increase in MPS, likely because you need the other amino acids as building blocks for muscle growth (Jackman, 2017). When BCAAs are supplemented on top of some protein, the increase in MPS is smaller compared to simply eating more protein or adding only leucine (Churchward-Venne, 2014). This may sound counter-intuitive. Why would the addition of the two other BCAAs be worse than leucine alone? Isoleucine and valine use the same transporter as leucine for uptake in the gut. Therefore, it is speculated that isoleucine and valine compete for uptake with leucine, resulting in a less rapid plasma leucine peak. Don’t you just love how wonderfully consistent that is with the advanced hypotheses I just laid out?

    So, leucine supplementation on its own is better at producing the trigger for maximal MPS, and a complete protein is just better at providing the bricks for muscle growth. A BCAA supplement doesn’t fit anywhere in this picture; it’s worse than only leucine at doing leucine’s job, and it’s worse than a complete protein at its job.
    Apparently leucine is the key, alongside good old whey. The other two amino acids block the uptake of leucine and so are distinctly unhelpful vs. leucine alone or the full spectrum of amino acids in whey.

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    Quote Originally Posted by joffe View Post
    Having read further, I'll walk back my earlier post. I was out of date.

    Here's a really good article that I found.

    Apparently leucine is the key, alongside good old whey. The other two amino acids block the uptake of leucine and so are distinctly unhelpful vs. leucine alone or the full spectrum of amino acids in whey.
    I stick to my original conclusions: in the presence of adequate P and energy intakes, additional BCAA and or Leucine is a waste of $ in healthy active people, and for a good source of BCAA, as well as EEA (just as important per OP), high BV, etc, added whey will more than cover it, has added benefits, and cost effective. I have yet to see data to the contrary and I suspect we never will.
    Last edited by WillBrink; 09-18-17 at 10:32.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by WillBrink View Post
    I stick to my original conclusions: in the presence of adequate P and energy intakes, additional BCAA and or Leucine is a waste of $ in healthy active people, and for a good source of BCAA, as well as EEA (just as important per OP), high BV, etc, added whey will more than cover it, has added benefits, and cost effective. I have yet to see data to the contrary and I suspect we never will.
    Absolutely, the article does state that leucine only does any good when used correctly in combination with protein.

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