Increase muscle fuel performance and support muscle growth and recovery with our 2:1:1 ratio of 7g BCAAs and 3.5g Leucine.
BBCOM Editors
January 3, 2025
Here’s a tried-and-true muscle-building supplement that’s great for your gains—and your wallet. While essential amino acids (EAAs) are essential for complete muscle protein synthesis, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are still highly popular due to their unique muscle-preserving and energy-boosting benefits.
For some, BCAAs remain a go-to option for muscle recovery and performance enhancement, especially because they’re more affordable and simpler than full EAA formulas.
Read on for a breakdown of why BCAAs still hold value for those focused on fitness and why our Signature BCAAs might be the right fit for you.
The Unique Role of Each BCAA
BCAAs consist of three key amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine, each of which plays a distinct role in muscle health and performance. Our Signature BCAA formula combines 7g BCAAs and 3.5 g Leucine at a 2:1:1 ratio, which is ideal for maximum lean muscle support and growth as well as reduced soreness.
Leucine: The Muscle-Building Trigger
Leucine is the most critical BCAA for muscle protein synthesis. It acts as the key activator of the mTOR pathway, which is responsible for triggering muscle growth and repair. It is also unique in that it is not oxidized for energy during exercise. Instead, it is used solely to stimulate muscle building. The 2:1:1 ratio found in BCAA supplements provides a leucine-dominant balance to ensure this process is effectively initiated.
Isoleucine: Energy and Muscle Recovery
Isoleucine plays a dual role in providing fuel for workouts and aiding post-exercise recovery. This is because it supports energy production during exercise asbecause it promotes the uptake of glucose into cells. It also assists in muscle recovery and repair by helping muscles absorb and utilize glucose more efficiently. The more energy you have during a workout and the quicker you recover and can get onto the next one, the more likely you are to see your desired results.
Valine: Endurance and Muscle Preservation
Valine acts as a muscle-preserving amino acid during workouts. Meaning, it helps prevent muscle breakdown by providing an energy source for your muscles. Valine also plays a role in central nervous system function and can reduce fatigue during prolonged exercise, allowing you to push harder and longer. This means you may be able to get more out of your workout than you otherwise would without taking BCAAs.
Why BCAAs Matter During Workouts
BCAAs are rapidly absorbed and used by the muscles during exercise, making them an ideal supplement to consume during a workout. When you do an intense workout your body breaks down BCAAs that have been stored in your muscle tissue for energy. By supplementing with BCAAs during your workout, you can assist in replenishing these amino acids, preventing your muscles from being broken down for fuel.
Because BCAAs provide a steady supply of amino acids during training, they can help kick-start muscle repair while you’re still exercising. This ensures your muscles begin the recovery process as quickly as possible which makes it easier to push yourself in your next workout.
BCAAs have also been shown to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), speeding up recovery times and helping you bounce back faster for your next workout— and avoid hobbling down a flight of stairs.
The Role of BCAAs in Muscle Protein Synthesis and mTOR Activation
While BCAAs alone don’t provide all the necessary building blocks for complete muscle protein synthesis like EAAs do, they still play a critical role in this process, particularly due to leucine.
Leucine is the key BCAA responsible for triggering the mTOR pathway, the switch that signals your body to start building muscle. and wWithout it, muscle protein synthesis cannot be efficiently activated, leaving much to be desired from a workout.
On top of that, when you are doing intense training, your body oxidizes BCAAs for energy, especially isoleucine and valine. Without replenishing these amino acids, your muscles may experience a higher rate of breakdown, undermining your progress.
BCAAs and Muscle Tissue Composition
BCAAs make up a significant portion of muscle tissue, accounting for 35-40% of the essential amino acids in muscle proteins. This makes them incredibly important for maintaining muscle mass during exercise, becausesince when you work out really hard, your body can tap into its muscle BCAA stores for energy and ultimately start breaking down your muscles. When you supplement with BCAAs, you provide an immediate fuel source that helps protect muscle tissue and prevent catabolism since it doesn’t have to tap into your stores.
BCAAs are unique among amino acids because they have the ability to be used directly by muscles for energy. This helps maintain endurance and performance, especially during prolonged or intense training sessions.
Why You Still Need BCAAs
While EAAs offer more complete support for muscle building, BCAAs are a highly effective, affordable option for consumers looking to support their training goals. BCAAs are rapidly absorbed, making them perfect for quick intra-workout support, especially when you're focusing on muscle preservation and immediate energy during training.
They also tend to be more cost-effective than full-spectrum EAA supplements, making them accessible to a wider range of consumers. Although they are not as comprehensive as EAAs, BCAAs can still play a significant role in reducing soreness after a workout, enhancing endurance during a workout, and supporting muscle recovery.
The Risk of Training Without BCAAs
Without replenishing BCAAs during training, you risk muscle breakdown, delayed recovery, and energy drain. As BCAAs are oxidized for energy during exercise, your body may begin breaking down muscle tissue to meet its needs if you don’t provide a supplement. When you don’t have a sufficient amount of BCAAs, your muscle recovery will be slower, and you may experience increased soreness (DOMS), which makes it harder to train the next day.
On top of that, the lack of BCAAs you may experience without supplementing can lead to faster depletion of muscle glycogen, leading to fatigue and reduced performance during longer or more intense workouts.
Takeaways
BCAAs offer a fast-acting, muscle-preserving option for athletes looking to prevent muscle breakdown, enhance endurance, and speed recovery during and after intense workouts. While EAAs may provide a more complete profile for muscle growth, BCAAs remain a powerful tool in your fitness arsenal, especially for those seeking cost-effective, targeted intra-workout support. More specifically, with Bodybuilding.com’s Signature BCAA, you’re getting 7 grams of BCAAs at a 2:1:1 ratio in each scoop, which is 2 grams more than most competitors out there.
