Overview
What are branched-chain amino acids?
What are branched-chain amino acids’ main benefits?
What are branched-chain amino acids’ main drawbacks?
How do branched-chain amino acids work?
Dosage information
The three BCAAs are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They’re considered the most anabolic of the nine essential amino acids and have therefore been marketed as a sports supplement. However, it's possible that only leucine is especially anabolic, and that leucine taken alone is actually more anabolic than leucine taken with isoleucine and valine, due to competition for both absorption in the gut and entry into muscle tissue.
The standard leucine dosage is 2–10 grams. The standard dosage for isoleucine is 48–72 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight, assuming a non-obese person. Further research is needed to determine valine’s optimal dosage and the reason for supplementation.
A combination dose is 20 grams of combined BCAAs, with a balanced ratio of leucine and isoleucine.
Supplementation with BCAAs is not necessary if enough BCAAs are provided through the diet.
