Diet

BCAA - effect and function

introduction

BCAAs are no longer just interesting for sport. They are considered to be energy suppliers and are supposed to promote muscle building.
However, BCAAs can do a lot more. In addition to the positive effects for athletes, BCAAs are increasingly being used to support weight loss. They are also being used more and more in medicine. BCAAs work in different ways and in different places in our body. Since there are 20 amino acids, it is not that easy to keep track of the different areas of application and effects.

For more information on how to lose weight with the help of amino acids, see our article Losing weight with amino acids.

What are BCAA?

BCAA are protein chains that are made up of the individual building blocks of proteins, the amino acids.
There are twenty amino acids in total, eight of which are essential and twelve of which are non-essential. The body cannot produce the essential amino acids and must therefore always be supplied through food. The non-essential amino acids can be produced by the body itself. The many amino acids have different modes of action in the body and each serve their own purpose.

You can also find more information about BCAA in our article: Dosage and intake of BCAA

Effect in the body

The effect of amino acids can basically be divided into different areas. BCAAs have an effect on muscle growth and performance, have an anti-aging effect, support weight loss and are used in medicine. The so-called Branched-Chain Amino Acids are valuable energy donors and can quickly supply the body with energy when needed.

Of the BCAAs, leucine is one of the most well-known amino acids and serves as an energy source, thus preventing the breakdown of muscle protein.
In addition, amino acids can be held responsible for secreting more insulin. This means that more sugar is transported to the muscle cells in the bloodstream. This has the advantage that the muscles are always supplied with fresh, quick energy.

The study situation is not yet completely clear for strength development and muscle building, but there is a strong tendency towards the fact that the intake of BCAA has a positive effect on muscle building and fat loss. In addition, the muscles should regenerate faster and BCAAs should also prevent muscle breakdown.

BCAAs can also have a positive impact on aging. Since protein synthesis slows down due to aging, the cells cannot regenerate as quickly. Above all, the amino acid leucine can help and prevent cell wasting, especially in the muscle area.

BCAAs are also believed to have a positive effect on weight loss in general, as they are supposed to prevent obesity and stimulate the fat metabolism.

Above all, BCAAs play an important role in medicine and can be used in various clinical pictures. In liver diseases, for example, BCAAs ensure the formation of albumin. This substance is needed, especially in cirrhosis of the liver, to remove fluids from the abdomen. This can significantly improve the lives of the affected patients. BCAAs can also be successful in treating fatty liver disease. BCAAs have also been used successfully for diabetes, burns, blood poisoning or trauma.

You can find out what other means and methods there are to stimulate fat metabolism in our article How can you stimulate the metabolism?

Function of the individual BCAA

Use in sports

The three most important amino acids in sport are leucine, isoleucine and valine.

Leucine ensures that new cells are built up in the muscles and is therefore also generally involved in growth processes in the body. Since growth processes also affect regeneration, leucine can also have a positive effect here. Bones, ligaments, tendons and muscle tissue benefit. In addition, leucine ensures an increased release of insulin, which in turn can transport more leucine into the muscle. Leucine also ensures that the release of the stress hormone cortisol is reduced, which protects the body and muscles. In addition to the absorption of more leucine, further amino acids are also "funneled" into the organism. Leucine acts like a door opener for other BCAAs.

Isoleucine is primarily responsible for the formation of new hemoglobin. This is the red blood pigment without which breathing would not be possible. Among other things, hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen in the body. In addition, the isoleucine ensures a balanced energy and sugar balance. It stabilizes the blood sugar level and controls the energy balance in the body.

Valine is the third amino acid that we are talking about. Like leucine, valine is jointly responsible for a wide variety of growth processes in the body. It provides a stimulating effect in the body when needed and can be processed into energy when needed.

For sport, these amino acids can mainly be used to provide energy. The body, especially the muscles, needs a lot of energy during physical activity. This is produced by the breakdown of leucine in the muscles. By taking BCAAs, additional amino acids provide additional energy. The correct dosage of BCAA depends on the physical activity and other factors such as weight and height.

The supply protects the muscles, as otherwise the organism would try to use the body's own protein for energy production. Another benefit for sport is the increased formation of hemoglobin, which means that the body can be supplied with more oxygen more quickly. The ability to regenerate is also improved by the BCAAs.

Also read our article:

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Use in diseases

BCAAs are not only used as dietary supplements in sports. They are also being used more and more in medicine.

Studies have found that patients with inflammation of the peritoneum responded very positively to supplementation with BCAAs. These positive effects can clearly be attributed to taking the BCAAs. In head injuries such as concussion or trauma, BCAAs can help to support the healing of nerve cells. The “stress level” for the nerve cells is reduced by the breakdown of nitrogen in the brain, which can also have a positive effect on the patient's cognitive performance.

BCAAs are also used in the treatment of diabetes and insulin diseases. However, the study situation for these areas has not yet come to a conclusive result. It says that taking BCAAs lowers the risk of developing diabetes. Further educational work has to be done here until reliable results are available.

In liver disease, BCAAs can be used for successful treatments. Symptoms can decrease, especially liver fat is partially broken down and oxygen supply to the diseased areas is improved.

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