What exactly is BCAA?
Answer: It refers to the branched-chain amino acids valine, leucine, and isoleucine.
It is called Branched) Chain) Amino Acid), taking the initials of BCAA.
The reason I am writing this is because a friend asked me about it yesterday.
“I heard that drinking this is good for your body, is that true?”
I have worked in an osteopathic clinic for 20 years, and starting next spring, I will be studying biochemistry in graduate school.
I want to answer the question from a friend who knows that.
To start with the conclusion, I think it is very good.It is often lumped together with protein, but I would also like to explain the difference.
① The difference between protein and BCAA
Before explaining the difference between protein and BCAA, I would like to provide a minimal explanation of protein itself.
・Protein is composed of many molecules connected together called “amino acids.”・There are 20 types of amino acids in total, and
9 of them are essential amino acids, which you must ingest from food or you will die. (BCAA is included in this group)
To put it simply, protein contains all 20 types of amino acids. You often see the label “amino acid score 100” written on protein products, which means “all the amino acids that make up protein are included in the ingredients.”
“Then, if I drink protein, that means I’m also taking BCAA!”Some smart people might have thought that. Actually, that is correct. If you are drinking protein, you are also ingesting BCAA.
However, here is the crux of the matter: protein has the characteristic of being hard on the digestive system and difficult to digest.In the first place, unlike carbohydrates, the digestion of protein is a very troublesome process.
Products like protein powder have been made to be much easier to digest, but I do not recommend drinking them during or before exercise. Since your body is under the burden of digestion, it will become tired more easily. Therefore, I strongly recommend drinking protein after exercise.
On the other hand, BCAA is easy to digest and break down, so it has the characteristic of being gentle on the digestive system, meaning it is fine to drink at any time.I sometimes ride my road bike for nearly 200km, and I always bring BCAA with me.It reduces physical fatigue and prevents muscle breakdown. Next, let’s look at the effects of BCAA.
② Benefits of BCAA and the difference from EAA
Commonly cited benefits include:
・Reduction of muscle fatigue and prevention of muscle soreness
・Increase and maintenance of muscle mass
・Improvement of exercise performance
As I wrote in a previous note, muscle is constantly in a state of decline.
I believe the biggest benefit of BCAA is that it prevents this. I think it is necessary to organize the way of thinking about this in relation to protein as well.
“Take protein after muscle training to increase muscle mass. Take BCAA when you wake up or at other times when muscle breakdown is progressing to prevent it.”I think it would be good to use them in a way like that.
As mentioned above, it has the advantage of being easy to digest so you can drink it anytime, and it is actually effective for reducing muscle soreness and fatigue, and even for hangovers.
By the way, I would also like to touch on the difference from EAA.
EAA contains all 9 essential amino acids. Its characteristics are that it is more expensive than BCAA and is often called a superior version. Personally, I do not really recommend drinking EAA during or before exercise.
The reason lies in the essential amino acid “tryptophan.”Tryptophan is a raw material for a hormone called “serotonin,” which is necessary for sleep. It is said that taking tryptophan promotes the production of serotonin, which improves sleep quality, so people who are sleep-deprived should actively ingest it.
However, there is no point in increasing serotonin before exercise. If you get sleepy, you won’t be able to exercise. Therefore, for those who exercise, even the inexpensive BCAA is sufficient.Of course, this does not mean you shouldn’t take EAA, so I will leave that to individual judgment.
③ The “Ace” of BCAA is leucine
Among the essential amino acids, leucine is special. Since BCAA consists of valine, leucine, and isoleucine, it is of course included.
It is no exaggeration to say that the amount of this contained determines the quality of a supplement for muscles. Leucine is also sold on its own, but there are papers suggesting that it is more effective when taken together with other amino acids, so taking it as BCAA should be sufficient.
Some people often say that 'BCAA alone won't make your muscles grow,' but for example, if you are getting enough protein from your diet and taking BCAA, I think you can expect muscle hypertrophy effects comparable to those of someone taking protein powder. The reason for this is that it contains leucine.
Leucine has been the focus of many studies, and because it is also effective against muscle atrophy caused by frailty or being bedridden, it is recommended not only for young people but also for the elderly.That's right. BCAA is also gentle on the digestive system.For those looking for a new supplement, I recommend BCAA.