Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality?
Open accessAbstract
The branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are leucine, valine and isoleucine. A multi-million dollar industry of nutritional supplements has grown around the concept that dietary supplements of BCAAs alone produce an anabolic response in humans driven by a stimulation of muscle protein synthesis. In this brief review the theoretical and empirical bases for that claim are discussed. Theoretically, the maximal stimulation of muscle protein synthesis in the post-absorptive state in response to BCAAs alone is the difference between muscle protein breakdown and muscle protein synthesis (about 30% greater than synthesis), because the other EAAs required for synthesis of new protein can only be derived from muscle protein breakdown. Realistically, a maximal increase in muscle protein synthesis of 30% is an over-estimate because the obligatory oxidation of EAAs can never be completely suppressed. An extensive search of the literature has revealed no studies in human subjects in which the response of muscle protein synthesis to orally-ingested BCAAs alone was quantified, and only two studies in which the effect of intravenously infused BCAAs alone was assessed. Both of these intravenous infusion studies found that BCAAs decreased muscle protein synthesis as well as protein breakdown, meaning a decrease in muscle protein turnover. The catabolic state in which the rate of muscle protein breakdown exceeded the rate of muscle protein synthesis persisted during BCAA infusion. We conclude that the claim that consumption of dietary BCAAs stimulates muscle protein synthesis or produces an anabolic response in human subjects is unwarranted.
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The primary utility of BCAAs may be in muscle recovery and immune regulation during periods of hard training and racing, particularly when consumed in the post-absorptive state.
“Therefore, the primary utility of BCAAs may be in muscle recovery and immune regulation during periods of hard training and racing [72, 73], particularly when consumed in the post-absorptive state [74].”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: nutritional considerations for single-stage ultra-marathon training and racing (2019) · cites this paper as [74]
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- Authors
- Wolfe, R. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wolfe, Robert R.
- ORCID
- Wolfe, Robert R.
- Venue
- Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-01-03
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 30-30
- ISSN
- 1550-2783 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5568273
- OpenAlex
- W2746114113
- Cited by
- 337
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 44 · 2025: 45 · 2024: 64 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 11.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Clinical Nutrition and Gastroenterology
- Keywords
- branched-chain amino acids, muscle protein synthesis, muscle protein degradation, muscle protein turnover, leucine, valine, isoleucine, essential amino acids, amino acid oxidation, dietary supplements, anabolic response
- MeSH terms
- Amino Acids, Branched-Chain, Diet, Humans, Muscle Proteins, Protein Biosynthesis, Dietary Supplements, Anabolic Agents
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