What's The Best BCAA Ratio?
While BCAAs, branched chain amino acids, are a fantastic and effective supplement for boosting muscle mass and increasing post exercise recovery, there also is a lot of confusion with how supplement companies market BCAAS.
The ratio of BCAAS used is pretty ridiculous actually. All BCAA ratios are written as the following- leucine:isoleucine:valine.
The Physique Formula BCAA, for example, uses a 2:1:1 ratio which is, in fact, the only proven ratio of BCAAS for muscle protein synthesis benefits.
First, lets discuss some of the known benefits of BCAA consumptions before we start taking about the best BCAA ratios.
BCAAS are taken up directly by muscle tissue
The majority of amino acids that you eat from whole food sources like a chicken breast or whey protein shake are metabolized by the liver first. If any amino acids are left over they then get used by muscle tissue.
BCAAS are primarily metabolized by muscle tissue. During times of stress, such as exercise, the BCAAS are metabolized to a greater extent to meet the boys energy needs. That’s why we supplement with them during workouts.
BCAAs For Low Carb Dieters
If you are a hard training athlete or are on a low carb diet, BCAAS can actually increase fat oxidation to help your body burn stored body fat for energy.
BCAAS & Muscle Glycogen
BCAAs increase endurance by sparing muscle glycogen by upwards of 25%. Decreases in muscle glycogen send signals to the muscle and brain to “shut down” during training so BCAAS can increase endurance.
BCAAS and Hormones
It is a well known fact that testosterone levels drop during training. Yet one study found that when subjects used BCAAs during training, their testosterone levels stayed elevated. BCAAS during training also seemed to minimize cortisol which is a muscle wasting hormone.
BCAAS and the Ketogenic diet
Leucine, which is the key driver of BCAAs, may increase insulin sensitivity and enhance the effectiveness of a ketogenic diet. BCAAS do not kick you out of ketosis.
What’s the best ratio for BCAAS?
As establish, multiple studies show that BCAAS are best used in a 2:1:1 ratio. As a matter of fat, there’s not much research on any other ratio besides the 2:1:1 BCAA ratio. But that doesn’t stop supplement companies from getting creative and trying to sell you on MORE leucine.
We known that leucine is the true key to muscle protein synthesis. So why not just take leucine? Because leucine needs the other two BCAAs, isoleucine and valine, to exert its benefits. If you just spike with leucine alone, you deplete the other two amino acid levels and that massive dose of leucine will do very little for you.
So companies got creative. They started marketing 2:2:1 BCAA ratio or some doubled down on leucine and went with a 4:1:1 ratio. I’ve even seen a 10:1:1 ratio of BCAAs
Truth is, these companies are just putting random combinations in their products and trying to sell you on more is better. The fact is, the best BCAA ratio is and will always be 2:1:1. Try the delicious, all natural Physique Formula BCAAS