BCAAsResearchSummary.docVIP

BCAA research Ergogenic Effects? The studies are mixed regarding BCAA supplementation and muscle protein synthesis (MPS) with some indicating that they do stimulate MPS and others showing no effect on MPS but a decrease in protein breakdown (Louard 1990). In a study examining BCAA supplementation during caloric restriction in elite wrestlers, 25 subjects were given a hypocaloric control diet, hypocaloric high protein diet, hypocaloric low-protein diet or hypocaloric high BCAA diet for 19 days. The BCAA group lost a significant amount of bodyweight (-4 kg, p 0.05) and body fat (-17.3%, p 0.05) in comparison to other groups. In addition the BCAA group experienced a significant reduction in abdominal visceral adipose tissue. There were no between group differences in anaerobic capacity, VO2max, or muscular strength (Mourier 1997). BCAAs and Endurance The research to date examining BCAAs and endurance exercise has looked into central fatigue, BCAAs and the immune response and BCAAs and fatigue as well as performance. Some studies indicate that BCAAs may impact fatigue during prolonged exercise whereas others indicate that BCAAs have no effect on fatigue (Hargreaves 2001) or performance. Though there is considerable BCAA oxidation during endurance exercise, supplementation in an effort to up-regulate protein synthesis is most likely futile. Protein metabolism becomes more efficient and, if energy requirements are met, BCAA oxidation is limited thereby making supplementation unnecessary (Shimomura 2004, Gibala 2007). Studies on BCAA supplementation in endurance athletes bring mixed results. In a randomized, double-blind study in 10 endurance-trained males, subjects were given either placebo (6% sucrose solution), tryptophan (6% sucrose + 3 g tryptophan), low-dose BCAA (6% sucrose solution with 6 g BCAA) or high-dose BCAA (6% sucrose with 18 g BCAA) during a maximal power cycle ergometer test. Exercise time until exhaustion was not different bet