Question:
What’s your take on BCAA’s with extra leucine? Do these formulas work?? How much do I need and why can’t I just get BCAA’s from my whey?
Answer:
BCAA’s have been the darling of the supplement industry for some time, and they’re not entirely without merit (although recent research will give you pause, and I believe rightfully so).
Along with pre-workouts laced with caffeine and whey protein, BCAA’s are usually a part of any supplement companies “staples”.
You’ll usually see them standalone or as part of a pre-workout primarily due to their high profit margin.
It’s also true that unlike the EAA’s, they’re much easier to flavor. Combined with the much greater profit margin, it’s not hard to see why most companies favor them.
Now It IS true that IF BCAA’s are dosed high enough and timed correctly, they can be used for energy or otherwise stop the body from breaking down muscle during an intense energy demand (i.e. a workout).
The only problem is that recent research is pointing to some big problems with BCAA’s, not the least of which is blood sugar issues.
You don’t hear much about this, since BCAA’s are so prevalent and such a big money maker for the supplement industry.
For example, epidemiological studies have shown that increased circulating branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Think about that, next time you’re tempted to reach for that bottle of BCAA’s.
You also might want to ponder why the company that makes your pre-workout has them in there.
Anyway, there is NO evidence that jacking the Leucine content of BCAA’s up from 2:1:1 to 8:1:1 or higher improves things in any way. In fact, it may make things worse.
It’s also true that whey is a rich source of BCAA’s, but its important to know these are part of an intact protein string, and it takes the body time to liberate them whereas straight BCAA’s (or ideally, EAA’s) go almost straight into circulation.
I would tell you either get and use EAA’s immediately pre and/or intra workout, or forego the BCAA’s altogether.
There are worse things you can waste your money on, but as far as I’m concerned the gig on BCAA’s is up. Don’t expect the supplement industry to follow suit anytime soon, because they make far too much money on them.
