Is it worth taking BCAAs when most protein supplements already have them?

Hi Harry

At most times of the day, BCAAs may not provide any benefit as compared to taking a good protein like whey (whey protein is over 20% BCAAs) but no one can say for sure.

However, BCAAs can deliver an advantage just before training because they are the only amino acids involved in providing energy to the muscle and they have been implicated in moderating the onset of "central fatigue" (the depletion of mental/neurological energy). Also, one of the BCAAs - leucine - seems to have the most potent ability to switch on protein synthesis (muscle building) in muscle.

However, I would argue that you are better off taking EAAs (essential amino acids) before training because these are the only amino acids required by humans to build muscle and they include the BCAAs.

See: (@musclemodeltobe) Do you take BCAA's before or after working out? for my previous recommendations on how to take EAAs before training and why.

Hey Mark, thanks for the reply. My question was actually trying to ascertain if I need to get these extra supplements like BCAAs or EAAs like you suggested if whey protein already has them in. Whey take something separate if you can get all these in one supplement (whey protein)?

Harry I think if you look at the labels you will see that they don't contain particularly large quantities of BCAA's which is why the supplementation is so important.

Ok, thanks I will check!

Hi Harry

Yes, you get about 4 grams of BCAAs per serving/scoop of whey protein. Adding the free form BCAAs (which are absorbed faster) may provide a muscle-building advantage but this has not been proven.

I was trying to make the point that the time when BCAAs - and even more so, EAAs - have been proven to have the most dramatic effect on muscle building (protein synthesis) and performance is just before training.

Thanks Mark!