Ergogenic supplements are notorious for their health and performance claims. Commonly, supplements are poorly researched (if at all) and misrepresent facts to make their product seem more appealing. Performance claims for ergogenic supplements should not be overlooked. Frequently seen performance claims for BCAAs include:
- Increased muscle mass with resistance exercise
- Enhanced recovery from muscle damage
- Reduces central fatigue and enhances mental performance (Jackman & Tipton, 2014)
In regards to the first claim of increased muscle mass with resistance exercise, BCAAs are considered anticatabolics. Anticatabolics are, “nutritional compounds that decrease the breakdown of body tissue.” By ingesting anticatabolics, one is hoping to slow protein breakdown in the body, which would result in an accumulation of protein, which is desirable in weight lifting persons (Fink & Mikesky, 2014, p. 264, 265).
The second claim, enhanced recovery from muscle damage, a study was done in regards to BCAAs and resistance exercise. Muscle damage is much more common in high-intensity, resistance exercise (Howatson, et al., 2012). After partaking in damaging resistance exercise, amino acid supplements containing approximately 60% BCAAs reduced muscle soreness and damage when consumed directly before and during four recovery days after a damaging resistance workout. BCAAs were considered to maintain membrane integrity, therefore protecting against muscle damage by reducing the leak of creatine kinase from skeletal muscles into the blood. Creatine Kinase is an enzyme that is raised in the blood when muscle damage is present (Dalia, 2013).
Central fatigue is defined as, “the inability to maintain power output due to alterations in the concentrations of certain neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (Dalia 2013).” Tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, and large neutral amino acids including BCAAs, compete for transport to the brain. When amino acid use is increased (as in exercise), tryptophan is increased in the brain. When BCAAs are ingested, less tryptophan has access to the brain which may delay the onset of fatigue. However, this claim has not been supported by proven evidence and needs to be studied further (Dalia 2013). Consumers should be wary when considering this performance claim.
While nutritional claims entail:
- Improve immune function
- Helps with weight loss (Jackman & Tipton, 2014)
Proteins are essential to immune health. They are involved in so many aspects of immunity that a protein deficiency has a huge negative impact on immune function. While all of the 20 essential amino acids, including BCAAs are needed for healthy immune functioning, not enough information supports the claim of BCAAs positively affecting immune health (Dalia, 2013).
The nutritional claim that BCAA ingestion can help with weight loss by increasing the use of fatty acids has not been properly studied and documented in human use. This would be a good area of future study for dietitians and scientists.
Ergogenic Information 