Medically CitedIn This Review
Overview
BCAAs are a popular supplement among workout enthusiasts and athletes, and many swear by their benefits in boosting exercise performance, promoting muscle growth, speeding up recovery, and easing soreness.
Registered dietician Angie Asche, R.D. explains, “They work to prevent muscle breakdown during exercise and are beneficial after exercise by stimulating muscle building and promoting recovery [1].”
These branched-chain amino acids include leucine, isoleucine, and valine, and they also exist in many foods, including eggs, milk, chicken, lentils, whole grains, and salmon. As our bodies do not make them naturally, we have to derive them from nutrition or BCAA supplements.
Should you consume more BCAA or consider supplementing to boost your physical performance and health? In this article, we review their sources, properties, and benefits in detail to help you decide.
What is BCAA?
BCAA are branched-chain amino acids, which are key nutrients that include leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These are three of the nine essential amino acids our bodies require for optimal functioning, and they provide the muscles with the fuel they require for growth.
BCAAs support enhanced mass and strength, and they may also reduce fatigue and repair damage during exercise. In addition, BCAAs help ease muscle soreness and speed up recovery after a workout.
Evidence indicates that supplementing with BCAA may improve overall exercise performance and endurance. Taking a BCAA supplement or consuming foods rich in this ingredient may also help with weight loss, support liver health, and decrease fatigue.
Should you enrich your diet with BCAA, or should you consider taking a supplement before, during, or after exercise? Let’s look at what the evidence has to say about the potential BCAA benefits for optimizing performance and other health parameters.
Do BCAAs Boost Performance, Muscle Growth, and Recovery?
There are nine essential amino acids required for optimal tissue repair, nutrient absorption, and protein synthesis in the body, and as we explained, BCAA includes three of them: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
According to science, by increasing the synthesis of protein and delivering vital nutrients, they help promote muscle growth, enhancing both mass and strength. A study in Frontiers in Physiology found that men who consumed a BCAA drink following resistance exercise experienced a 22% boost in muscle protein synthesis [2].
BCAA also helps boost endurance by preventing the depletion of glycogen stores in the muscles during intense exercise. In addition, these amino acids help heighten performance [3] by slowing the synthesis and release of serotonin, a brain chemical that could increase fatigue during a workout.
BCAA also helps repair muscle fibers and tissue and ease fatigue after a workout, as we said in our review of WOWMD BCAA Shock, for faster recovery.
A meta-analysis of studies published in Nutrients concluded that supplementing with BCAA helps prevent muscle damage and relieve soreness in men after resistance exercise [4].
Other BCAA Health Benefits
While the most widely known advantages of these amino acids are helping to enhance muscle growth, exercise performance, and recovery, there is some evidence for other potential BCAA benefits, including the following.
Supporting Weight Management
Some evidence suggests that BCAAs support weight loss primarily because they increase physical endurance to help boost your activity levels and burn more calories. In addition, these amino acids help preserve muscle mass when you’re on a weight-loss regimen and burning fat, and they may have appetite-curbing properties.
A study of adults on a low-calorie diet published in Nutrients found that BCAA supplementation didn’t speed up metabolism, but it increased fat oxidation after the weight loss intervention [5].
Supporting Liver Health
BCAAs support liver health and may help regenerate cells in the organ. In particular, these amino acids may have benefits for people with cirrhosis of the liver and could help prevent a condition called hepatic encephalopathy that often develops along with the disease.
This occurs when the liver’s ability to remove harmful toxins from the blood is impaired, causing damage to brain function. A research review published in Biomedicines discussed the potential role of BCAAs in the treatment of liver diseases [6].
Best Food Sources of BCAAs
BCAA-rich foods to support muscle growth and recovery
There are many foods rich in BCAA that you can incorporate into your daily meal plans, but the best sources for muscle growth and repair are complete proteins that also include the other six essential amino acids. Some of the best choices include:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Fish
- Eggs
- Dairy products
- Quinoa
- Soy
- Potatoes
- Buckwheat
- Pistachio Nuts
Recommended Supplement Dosage and Timing
You can take BCAA supplements in the form of capsules or powder up to 3 times daily, but the ideal dosage varies depending on the product concentration and your weight. Based on the evidence, the optimal dosage is 0.5 – 1.0 g for each 10 g of body weight, which would be 5-10 grams for an individual who weighs 100kg.
A typical BCAA supplement dosage for those who want to boost muscle growth and improve performance may be up to 20g daily, divided into three separate doses, but it varies depending on the product. Consult with a healthcare practitioner regarding suitability and ideal daily dosing for your needs.
For workout enhancement, the best time to take BCAA is before, after, and during exercise on workout days and in the morning and evening on rest days. However, you can also divide up the dosage throughout the day regularly instead to boost muscle growth.
You can take BCAA safely, either with food or on an empty stomach. Read about some of the top supplement brands in our article on the 5 Best BCAA Supplements of 2025.
Side Effects and Safety
Fortunately, you can’t overdose on these amino acids, as your body gets rid of any excess. However, some potential BCAA side effects could occur if you take in too much, including nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, bloating, poor sleep, or a decrease in blood pressure.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid supplementing with additional BCAA, as should individuals before surgery. In addition, medical conditions that may preclude the use of BCAA supplements include branched-chain ketoaciduria, diabetes, and liver disease.
These supplements may also interact with a few common medications, like Parkinson’s or anti-diabetes drugs. Before taking a BCAA supplement, consult with a healthcare practitioner as to suitability and dosing.
FAQs
Q: What are BCAAs best for?
A: BCAA, or branched chain amino acids, are best for helping to boost protein synthesis to promote muscle growth, speed up muscle repair and recovery, and enhance exercise endurance. In addition, they help with weight loss, support liver health, and ease fatigue.
Q: Can I take BCAAs daily?
A: In most cases, it is safe to take BCAA daily unless you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a specific health condition that precludes it, like branched-chain ketoaciduria. The typical BCAA supplement dosage is up to 20 mg daily, usually in divided dosages over the day or before, during, and/or after a workout.
Q: Are BCAAs better than creatine?
A: Both creatine and BCAA help boost muscle growth and improve recovery, but which is best for you depends on your specific goals. While both help enhance strength, creatine may offer stronger benefits than BCAA during high-intensity exercise. However, BCAAs are generally more effective at boosting endurance and speeding up recovery.
Q: Should I take BCAAs on rest days?
A: Yes, you can and should take BCAA supplements on workout and rest days if you are aiming to promote muscle repair, ease soreness, and boost growth.
Q: Should I take BCAAs in the morning or night?
A: You can take BCAA supplements at any time of day, but to optimize athletic performance, it’s best to take them before, during, and after a workout. Others take them in divided dosages in the morning and evening to optimize muscle growth and support other health BCAA benefits.
Conclusion
There’s a good reason why athletes, bodybuilders, and workout enthusiasts often supplement with BCAA, as these three essential amino acids help boost muscle mass and strength, improve workout performance, ease soreness, decrease fatigue, and speed up recovery, and they may also support weight loss and liver health.
There are numerous BCAA foods you can incorporate into your diet, including meat, fish dairy products, eggs, quinoa, and more, and you can also take a supplement to maximize your workout and recovery. If you want to boost your BCAA levels, consult with a healthcare practitioner regarding suitability and dosing.
Was this article helpful?
5 Sources
We review published medical research in respected scientific journals to arrive at our conclusions about a product or health topic. This ensures the highest standard of scientific accuracy.
[2] A Role For Branched-Chain Amino Acids in Reducing Central Fatigue: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16424144/
[3] Does Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Supplementation Attenuate Muscle Damage Markers and Soreness after Resistance Exercise in Trained Males? A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/1880
[4] Branched Chain Amino Acid Supplementation to a Hypocaloric Diet Does Not Affect Resting Metabolic Rate but Increases Postprandial Fat Oxidation Response in Overweight and Obese Adults after Weight Loss Intervention: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8708242/
[5] The Emerging Role of Branched-Chain Amino Acids in Liver Diseases: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9220261/
This article changed my life!
This article was informative.
I have a medical question.
This article contains incorrect information.
This article doesn’t have the information I’m looking for.
