BCAAs: Activates Protein Synthesis & Accelerates New Muscle Growth

BCAAs

(A group of three essential amino acids that are highly involved in the regulation of muscle mass)

Protein found in foods or supplements are broken down into parts called amino acids during digestion in our body because the basic structure of protein is a chain of amino acids. This thing we know from one of my previous article titled as “Proteins: The Building Blocks of our Body”. In this topic, I am going to discuss about Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). What is BCAAs? As the name suggests, one may think that Branched Chain Amino Acids must comprise of some amino acids. Ya it is true, BCAAs refers to three amino acids: Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. These three amino acids are similar in structures and they beneficially influence our muscles. 

Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine

The three Amino Acids

Leucine is the primary BCAAs and plays the most important role in muscle protein synthesis.

Isoleucine appears to promote glucose consumption and uptake into cells. Isoleucine is intermediate for its ability to induce muscle protein synthesis i.e. stronger than valine, but much weaker than leucine. Isoleucine may have roles as an anti-catabolic agent.

Valine lowers the amount of tryptophan (responsible for producing 5-HT) that gets into the brain. So we don’t feel fatigue. Since we feel less fatigued we’re able to train/work for longer duration.

So, they are all, essential amino acids and collectively form the largest pool of essential amino acids in the bodily pool i.e. 35 to 40% and are present in high levels i.e. 14 to 18% within muscle tissue.

Benefits of BCAAs

Benefits of BCAA

• BCAAs helps our brain in make a neurotransmitter called serotonin that reduces food cravings.
• BCAA lowers the cortisol elevation associated with intense and prolonged exercise. 
• BCAAs can help us in burning our belly fat and helps to attain a toned midriff.
• BCAA supercharges our immune health, as intense training sessions or lots of physical and mental works give stress to us. 
• BCAAs particularly Isoleucine is also required in the production of haemoglobin in the body.
• BCAAs becomes the direct choice for our muscles as fuels.
• BCAAs also known to prevent fatigue and improve concentration in healthy people.
• BCAAs provides relief to elderly and cancer patients and people who are confined to bed rest.

How it works in our body?

Generally a serum in BCAAs declines in our body, when we do a lots of physical or mental work or exercise. This serum decline does a tryptophan influx into our brain. Due to this, serotonin production starts, which brings fatigue to us. It also sends hunger signal to the brain and raises stress hormone like cortisol. When cortisol level goes up, our body craves highly palatable foods, rich in calories. When we take BCAAs into our body, it helps in preventing the serum loss. Since, BCAAs bypass the liver and gut and go directly into our blood stream, they are the immediate energy source during workouts. 

Food sources from which one can get BCAAs?

BCAA Rich Foods

• One must take BCAAs on a daily basis. Many protein sources, such as legumes, meat and eggs provide us BCAAS. Supplementation is not necessary for normal peoples or people who live a sedentary lifestyle or people with a sufficiently high protein intake i.e. 1 to 1.5 gm per kg of body weight per day.
• People found with low dietary protein intake, can promote muscle protein synthesis by supplementing BCAAs. 

Dosage 

BCAA dosages are based on the goals, people set for them. However, the standard dosage for isoleucine is 48 to 72 mg/kg, provided that person is not an obese one. The standard leucine dosage is between 2 to 10 gm. A combination dose is 10g of combined BCAAs, with a balanced ratio of leucine and isoleucine.

Side effects

• Branched-chain amino acids appear to be safe for most people when used for up to six months. Side effects may come in the form of fatigue and loss of coordination.
• In case of pregnant or breast feeding women, it is not recommended to take BCAAs.
• BCAAs have been shown to affect blood sugar levels, so it is not recommended to take BCAAs Just before anyone go for surgery. 

BCAAs in the life of Body Builders

BCAAs are meant for people who involves in heavy workouts in order to achieve toned muscles. It helps them to enhance protein synthesis, prevent fatigue, and maintain muscle mass and strength that required during intense training sessions. During an intense training programme, their body breaks down their muscle tissues to fuel and repair their damaged muscles. In this catabolic state, BCAA supplements can supply essential amino acids to prevent muscle loss and create an anabolic state for them. BCAAs preserves muscle glycogen to prevent protein breakdown during exercise. It also increases nitrogen retention and reduces the loss of muscle tissues. Despite this, they can get fast recovery from sore and fatigued muscles.

BCAA as Supplements

BCAA depletion in one’s body can potentially lead to the sate of catabolism and prove to be disadvantageous for those trying to build muscles. A perfect dose can decrease dullness the following day, so that one can get back to work out session. Normally one can take 5g BCAAs before workout i.e.  20 minutes before. Even one can have it in between his/her training session to reduce protein breakdown and for continuous flow of energy. One can also have it post workout to provide optimum nutrition to his/her muscles. But in total BCAAs must not exceed 20g throughout the day. Remember, to get the full spectrum of BCAA advantage, one need to supplement it with whey Protein.

What studies revealed?

• To halt the catabolic process triggered in the human body, the journal Obesity in 2008 hinted at recruiting resistance training and BCAA supplementation to maintain the muscle mass.
• A January 1997 article on competitive wrestlers shows the impact of BCAA on weight loss and exercise performance. The group who had taken BCAAs lost the greatest amount of weight, body fat and specifically lost weight from visceral adipose tissue, the most difficult fat to lose.
• A Recent study suggests that BCAA may increase the synthesis of muscle tissue and decrease muscle damage during exercise, and it may even contribute to a healthier immune system.
• According to the June 2013 issue of the ‘Journal of Physiology’, leucine directly activates a molecular switch called Mtor that tells the body to produce more muscle proteins. So leucine not only provides the building blocks for protein synthesis, it also plays a critical role in regulating the process.  
• French researchers discovered that during exercise, an amino acid metabolite is known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) signals the brain that the body is fatigued, causing it to reduce muscle strength and endurance.