The Best Time to Take BCAAs: A Beginner's Guide

Understanding the role of BCAAs

But before explaining the timing, it's worth understanding what BCAAs actually do. In simple terms, BCAA means Branched-Chain Amino Acids, forming a group of 3 essential amino acids. "Branched chain" refers to its chemical structure—a branch off the main carbon chain. "Essential" in this case means that our body is unable to self-manufacture these amino acids independently; hence, we have to get them from our food or supplements.

The three essentials amino acids in BCAAs include leucine, isoleucine, and valine:

• Leucine: Leucine accounts for the greatest percentage of the three BCAAs in the body, resulting from its unique structure, which other amino acids do not possess. It performs, therefore, a very critical role in many of the processes within the body, especially in the tissues of the muscles.
• Isoleucine: Structure-wise, although it looks similar to leucine, this molecule certainly has some special properties all its own. This amino acid is very important in most metabolic processes of the human body and especially so in pathways related to energy production.
• Valine: The third BCAA, valine, is structurally very similar to both leucine and isoleucine. Structurally, it has its own special activities within the body and very often works in conjunction with the other two BCAAs in many physiological functions.

According to the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science,

These three amino acids account for approximately 35% of the essential amino acids present in the human body

They can be found in most sources of protein, especially foods from animal sources like meats, milk, and eggs. Plant sources include proteins derived from legumes and nuts.

What really made BCAAs interesting, however, were the differences in their metabolism compared to most other amino acids. While most amino acids are broken down in the liver, BCAAs are primarily metabolized in muscle tissue.

BCAAs are usually taken in the form of an exogenous supplement in either powdered, pill, or liquid forms. Of those supplements, the vast majority will arrive at a ratio of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Common ratios include 2:1:1 or 3:1:1, and typically of the three, it is leucine that shows up in the largest amount.

Worth noting, though, is the fact that—populism aside, especially in fitness circles—they make up only three of the nine essential amino acids our bodies require. The others are histidine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, and tryptophan.

On the Myprotein YouTube channel, Elle Kelly, a registered sports dietitian, explores whether you really need a BCAA supplement.

What Are BCAAs? Benefits & How They Work | Nutritionist Explains (Video Credit: Myprotein Official)

Benefits of BCAAs

Muscle Repair

One of the primary benefits of BCAAs is their role in muscle repair. You should consider BCAAs to be the repairmen of your muscles. They stimulate protein synthesis in the body to achieve the end goal of making new muscle tissue. They also reduce muscle breakdown at the same time. In a sense, they are building a new house and not letting the old one decay.

"While BCAAs are popular for muscle recovery and protein synthesis, their standalone effectiveness is limited without the presence of other essential amino acids. A well-balanced protein intake is crucial for maximizing their benefits." — Dr. Asker Jeukendrup, Sports Nutrition Expert

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Less Fatigue

Ever felt like you're running on empty during a hard workout? Well, BCAAs may help with that. Some research indicates that they really do delay fatigue during exercise by allowing performers to go just a little bit further on their last few reps or miles.

Optimal Recovery

After your intense exercise, your muscles are begging for help. BCAAs get to work jumpstarting the recovery process to help reduce soreness and get you back in the gym faster.

Other Possible Benefits

While some of the scientists' are still out on this one, BCAAs are believed to help with weight control and boost immune competence. This is yet another case where more definitive research needs to be done, so it's all just very promising.

Where Do You Get Your BCAAs From?

Now that we are aware of the wonders of BCAAs, where exactly can one get them from? You have two main options: food or supplements.

BCAAs Natural Food Sources: Good news for meat lovers—BCAAs are very highly found in animal proteins present in almost all kinds of meat and dairy.

Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu in his book “Nutraceuticals” suggests,

Foods rich in protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese can contain on average 15–20 g of BCAAs per 100 g of protein.

Not forgetting the plant-based eaters, you won't completely miss out as one can source enough from legumes, nuts, and seeds.

BCAA Supplements: If one wants to increase their intake of BCAA, then supplements are what one is looking for. These are taken mostly in powder form, pills, or liquid. Of course, one benefit to supplements is their ease and keeping you at your target dosage, which could potentially be more expensive.

Some people find that whole food sources work better. As always, consult with a healthcare professional before taking any new supplement.

Best Times to Take BCAAs

Alright, let's get to the meat of the matter – when should you take your BCAAs? The answer isn't one-size-fits-all, but here are some popular timings and the reasoning behind them:

• Pre-Workout: Research suggests having BCAAs as pre-workout. It supposedly helps with performance and combating muscle breakdown. The belief is mixed on the topic, but you might want to shoot for 5-10 grams of BCAAs about 30 minutes before your workout.
• Intra-Workout: Another favorite kind of consumption method for BCAAs is sipping them during the workout. This provides amino acids in a drip system toward your muscles, possibly reducing breakdown and lowering fatigue. This will probably be a good match if you are going hard or long.
• Post-Workout: This is probably the most popular time to have BCAAs. Your muscles are like sponges right at this period and are ready to gobble up nutrients. At this time, taking BCAAs can help jumpstart the recovery process and promote muscle growth. Aim for another 5-10 grams within 30 minutes of finishing your workout.
• Other Potential Timing Considerations: Depending on your goals, you might consider other timings. For example, if you're trying to lose weight, some people take BCAAs between meals to help curb appetite. If you're on a plant-based diet and struggling to get enough BCAAs from food, you might spread your intake throughout the day.

Some other potential timing variables or influences to consider are:

Remember, we all are different. Maybe what works for your gym buddy isn't working for you. Here are some factors to consider:

• Personal Metabolic Rate: Our bodies absorb nutrients differently from each other, so start listening to the way you personally feel and perform with different BCAA timings.
• Workout intensity and duration: a light 30-minute jog versus a two-hour weightlifting session requires a different BCAA strategy.
• Overall Diet: If your diet is already rich in BCAAs, you may not need to time supplements as carefully. Overall diet and BCAA intakes can affect the need for strict supplement times.
• Fitness Goals: Do you wish to gain muscle or lose weight? It can influence when and how you use BCAAs.