RECOVERY SECRET: BCAAs

By John Parrillo

Since the 1980’s there has been mounting interest in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) by sports nutrition scientists. For even longer than that, I have recommended that active people, from bodybuilders to endurance athletes to exercisers, supplement with BCAAs and amino acids in general. The BCAAs, leucine, valine, and isoleucine, are known to enhance energy, reduce muscle breakdown, increase brain function, reduce body fat, build up immune function, blunt muscle soreness, aid recovery and, of course, boost muscle growth.

Lately, quite a bit of research has focused on using BCAAs to enhance recovery. Recovery is the process of regeneration that takes place in the aftermath of a workout. To appreciate its importance, consider what happens inside your body as a consequence of intense exercise: Energy-giving glycogen stores are depleted; muscle protein is dismantled; microscopic tears in muscle fibers occur; energy-producing compounds are lost from cells; fluid and electrolytes dwindle; cell damaging free radicals proliferate.

Alas, what’s a person to do? You’ve got to supply your body with all the nutritional building blocks it needs to restore what’s lost and repair what’s damaged. The benefits of doing this are numerous: greater energy levels each time you train, less fatigue,
increased muscular development and stronger immunity so you don’t have to miss workouts. BCAAs, it turns out, are a huge part of the recovery puzzle. Here’s a look at the latest research into BCAAs and recovery and what it means to you.

BCAAs and Immune Function

In a recent review article written by scientists at the University of Pavia in Pavia, Italy, it was noted that BCAA supplementation recovers “peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)” after a long distance intense exercise. PBMCs are blood cells, including white blood cells, that play a critical role in the immune system to fight infection and invading agents. BCAA supplementation also aids in the production of “cytokines,” protein-based substances that also are involved in healthy immune function. According to these findings, it is possible to consider the BCAA as a useful supplement for immune support for exercise and sports events. (1)

In more practical terms, here’s how this all works: let’s say you trained your back intensely. Your immune system gets in there and repairs the damage you’ve done. If those BCAAs aren’t coming from your diet to fuel your white blood cells, then they are going to come from your quads or biceps or some other muscle that has no damage but does have a rich supply of these BCAAs.

In other words, your body breaks down muscle tissue in one part of the body so you can fix the damage in another part. By supplying your body with BCAAs before and after workouts, you can help prevent that breakdown of hard-earned muscle and bolster your immune system.

BCAAs and Muscle Soreness

Data show that BCAA supplementation before and after exercise has beneficial effects for decreasing exercise-induced muscle damage and promoting muscle-protein synthesis. Muscle damage develops delayed onset muscle soreness: a syndrome that occurs 24 to 48 hours after intensive physical activity that can inhibit your workout performance.

In a recent study conducted by the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, researchers
assigned 24 non-weight trained men to one of two groups. One group supplemented with a BCAA beverage; the other, with flavored water (placebo). Both groups followed the same workout, which involved leg extensions. On the day of the workout, the beverages were consumed 30 minutes before exercise, 1.5 hours following exercise, and between lunch and dinner and before bed. On the following two days four supplements were consumed between meals. Muscle soreness, muscle function and putative blood markers of muscle damage were assessed pre and post exercise. The major finding of this study was that BCAA supplementation eased muscle soreness. It thus stands to reason that you’d want to supplement with BCAAs so that you can train harder and more often, without being sidelined by muscle soreness. (2)

BCAAs, Enhanced Anabolic Activity and Recovery

Early this year, researchers at the College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, and Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, looked into whether short-term amino acid supplementation could maintain a short-term net anabolic hormonal profile and decrease muscle cell damage during a period of high-intensity resistance training, thereby enhancing recovery and decreasing the risk of injury and illness. Eight previously resistance trained males were randomly assigned to either a high branched chain amino acids (BCAA) or placebo group. Subjects took the supplement for three weeks before beginning a fourth week of supplementation along with high-intensity total-body resistance training. Blood was drawn prior to and after supplementation, then again after two and four days of training. Serum was analyzed for testosterone, cortisol, and creatine kinase (a muscle enzyme that, when elevated, indicates muscle breakdown). Serum testosterone levels were significantly higher and cortisol and creatine kinase levels were significantly lower in the BCAA group during and following resistance training. These findings suggest that short-term BCAA supplementation may produce a net anabolic hormonal profile while easing training-induced increases in muscle tissue damage. So it makes sense that supplementing with BCAAs might help prevent muscle loss, and even help build it.(3)

Incorporate BCAAs

Our BCAA formula is called Muscle Amino Formula™. The time to use this product is immediately before and after training. Hard dieting is also a great time to supplement with branch-chain amino acids. During times of energy insufficiency (dieting), your body will actually break down its own muscle to use as fuel if no other is available. Catabolism is a dreadful metabolic state that occurs when glycogen stores have been depleted and fat oxidation has maximized. Metabolically, your body requires a certain level of glucose (blood sugar) to be maintained in order for the brain to function. While body fat provides a long-lasting energy supply, fat cannot be converted into carbohydrate by the human body. But protein (amino acids) can. Under adverse conditions, carbohydrates are exhausted and your body breaks down protein stores (muscle tissue) to convert into carbohydrate to supply energy. Branched chain amino acids are effective because they form a substrate for growth and are metabolized as fuel directly within muscle cells. A handful of Muscle Amino Formula™ capsules will help prevent the onset of catabolism and has both anabolic and anti-catabolic properties. Hi-Protein™ and Optimized Whey™ are fortified with extra BCAAs for just this reason. We suggest two or more Muscle Aminos™ with every meal. Remember that BCAAs require insulin for absorption into muscle cells so take them with food (carbs) rather than on an empty stomach! Also take them before and after your workout.

References

(1) Negro, M., et al. 2008. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 48:347-351.

(2) Jackman, S.R., et al. 2009. Branched-chain amino acid ingestion can ameliorate soreness from eccentric exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, December 4.

(3) Sharp, C.P., and D.R. Pearson. 2010. Amino Acid Supplements and Recovery from High-Intensity Resistance Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, March 17.