Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are a group of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are commonly used as supplements to support muscle recovery and reduce exercise-induced muscle damage. Here are some key benefits and uses of BCAAs:

1. Muscle Recovery and Reduced Soreness: BCAAs can help decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after intensive workouts. Studies suggest that BCAA supplementation can reduce muscle soreness and damage markers such as creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)¹².

2. Reduced Muscle Damage: BCAAs intake before and after exercise has been shown to decrease muscle damage by reducing the levels of intramuscular enzymes associated with muscle damage³.

3. Improved Muscle Function: Ingesting BCAAs can favor post-exercise muscle recovery and improve muscle function, particularly after high-intensity resistance exercise⁴.

4. Support for Endurance Exercise: BCAAs can aid in reducing fatigue substances (like serotonin and ammonia) and muscle damage during prolonged endurance exercises⁵.

5. Immune System Benefits: BCAAs may also play a role in regulating the immune response after intense exercise by modifying cytokine production, which could help in recovery and overall immune function⁶.

Dosage and Supplementation Strategy

Optimal dosage regimens vary depending on the exercise intensity and individual needs. Typical recommendations include:

• For Muscle Recovery: 2-10 grams per day, often with a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine to isoleucine to valine, taken before, during, or after exercise⁴.
• Reducing Muscle Soreness: Low doses (up to 255 mg/kg/day) may be effective for trained individuals experiencing mild to moderate exercise-induced muscle damage¹.

References

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Footnotes

1. Martim Gomes Weber, "The use of BCAA to decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness after a single bout of exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis," PubMed, 2020. ↩ ↩²

2. Trisha A. VanDusseldorp, "Effect of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation on Recovery Following Acute Eccentric Exercise," PubMed Central, 2018. ↩

3. Dong-Hee Kim, "Effect of BCAA intake during endurance exercises on fatigue substances, muscle damage substances, and energy metabolism substances," PubMed Central, 2013. ↩

4. Alejandra Arroyo-Cerezo, "Intake of branched chain amino acids favors post-exercise muscle recovery and may improve muscle function: optimal dosage regimens and consumption conditions," PubMed, 2021. ↩ ↩²

5. Mohammad Hossein Rahimi, "Effect of BCAAs on recovery following exercise-induced muscle damage," PubMed, 2017. ↩

6. M Negro, "Branched-chain amino acid supplementation affects muscle recovery and immune system," PubMed, 2024. ↩