You know that branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are important for muscle energy and growth, but don’t know what is the best ratio of BCAAs? The supplement guru will close this question! I came across BCAA preparations with a wide variety of amino acid ratios – from 2:1:1 to 10:1:1. What proportion is considered optimal? My regular readers are well aware of the beneficial properties of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which include the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine.

However, given that different products offer different amounts of the three essential amino acids, the ideal ratio of BCAAs in a product is still an open question. Before we delve into the study of the subject of discussion, let’s return to the main features of branched-chain amino acids.

BCAAs are called branched chain amino acids because of their molecular structure. Each molecule has a specific fragment that resembles a branch. In addition to structural features, these amino acids are considered unique for a number of other reasons.

BCAAs are involved in energy metabolism and even in the breakdown of fats, but the main advantage of BCAAs is their ability to stimulate muscle growth. And whatever one may say, this is the number one goal for most of us. When it comes to muscle development, BCAAs are the most important amino acids. Of this trinity, leucine is more important, it plays one of the most important roles in the regulation of growth processes.

➜ Leucine is king!

Leucine is in many ways similar to the ignition key in a car. The machine in this example is a muscle cell or fiber, and the ignition switch turns on the process of muscle protein synthesis, which leads to increased production of muscle protein and activation of muscle growth. In more “scientific” terms, leucine activates a complex called mTOR, which in turn boosts muscle protein synthesis and leads to muscle growth.

Studies show that people who add more leucine to their post-workout protein and carbohydrate shakes achieve much more intense muscle growth than those who drink a standard protein-carb mixture. Because leucine is so important for muscle growth, you should make sure you are using a BCAA product that contains more leucine than its counterparts – isoleucine and valine.

➜ Correct ratio

I recommend using BCAA products with a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine to isoleucine and valine. In many preparations, the proportion of leucine is much higher, and sometimes it reaches 8:1:1 and even 10:1:1. Many people think that because leucine is so important for muscle growth, 10:1:1 BCAAs are five times more effective than 2:1:1 products. But, before you spend your hard-earned money on these supposedly best BCAA products, listen to what I have to say.

The most important time to take BCAAs is the training window – the period before, during and after a training session. (And, yes, in addition to BCAAs, you should also drink a protein-rich shake). This is explained by the fact that the main purpose of adding leucine is to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. That is why many people believe that the higher the proportion, the better.

Some manufacturers make you think that you need to forget about the rest of the BCAAs and start taking only leucine. This will be a big mistake. As evidence, here are the results of a study in which pure leucine was compared with all three BCAAs taken in a 2:1:1 ratio. Baylor University scientists gave college students leucine, a 2:1:1 BCAA drug, or a placebo before and after training leg muscles.

The researchers concluded that although leucine increased post-exercise SMP better than placebo, BCAAs stimulated muscle protein synthesis even more than leucine and placebo. This is one of the reasons why you should stick to a ratio of 2:1:1 (or close to it) when choosing a BCAA preparation.

Another reason to use BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio is to increase energy reserves and reduce fatigue. BCAAs are directly used by muscle fibers as a source of fuel. This is especially important during intense training, which includes strength training. Numerous studies show that taking BCAAs before exercise increases muscle endurance. More importantly, BCAAs help reduce the buildup of fatigue during exercise. And this is explained by the role of valine in our body.

During exercise, the brain absorbs large amounts of tryptophan. In brain tissue, tryptophan is converted to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), better known as serotonin. During exercise, the rise in serotonin levels signals to the brain that the body is tired. This leads to a drop in muscle strength and endurance. Valine competes with tryptophan at the stage of penetration into the brain. As a rule, valine wins.

This means that by taking valine as part of the BCAAs before and/or during training, you reduce the amount of tryptophan that enters the brain and is converted into serotonin. This allows the muscles to contract with more power for a longer time before fatigue occurs. In other words, you’ll be able to do more reps in the gym, recover faster between sets, and retain more strength and endurance in the final stages of a training session. In addition, valine helps you stay more focused and improves brain function on non-training days.

For these reasons, I recommend a 2:1:1 ratio (leucine, valine, isoleucine) when choosing a BCAA to take before, during, and/or after training.

➜ Increase fat burning

If you are interested in the maximum efficiency of fat burning processes, then you need to stick to the 2:1:1 ratio all the more. This is where isoleucine comes into play. Isoleucine plays a major role in realizing the fat-burning potential of BCAAs. Japanese scientists found that even on a high-fat diet, mice given isoleucine gained less adipose tissue than mice that did not receive isoleucine.

This is explained by the ability of isoleucine to activate specific receptors known as PPARs (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors), which boost fat mobilization and suppress fat accumulation. These receptors (PPARs) increase the activity of genes that are responsible for enhancing lipolytic processes in the body, and suppress the expression of genes that normally contribute to the accumulation of fat. This leads to an increase in the body’s ability to break down fats and at the same time reduces the likelihood of their re-accumulation.

It also turned out that the use of BCAAs with a greater ratio of amino acids than 2:1:1 can negatively affect energy metabolism, lipolytic processes, and even muscle growth. Many BCAA products a high proportion of leucine contain only 500 mg of valine and isoleucine, or even less. Avoid these additives. This dosage is not enough to fill you with energy and protect you from fatigue during a training session. In addition, this may not be enough to maximize the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis and subsequent muscle growth.

➜ Summing up

I advise you to choose BCAA products with a ratio of 2:1:1 and at least 1 gram of isoleucine and 1 gram of valine in each serving. However, if you are looking for optimal progress, you should get at least 3 grams of leucine with each serving. This is considered to be the minimum dose required for optimal mTOR activation and maximum stimulation of muscle protein synthesis.

I recommend that you take 5g of BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio (you get 3g of leucine and more than 1g of isoleucine and valine) 30 minutes before your workout. At the end of your training session, take another dose containing at least 5 g of BCAAs. And here the ratio of 2:1:1 is better suited.

Even a 3:1:1 ratio that gives you a little more leucine in the post-workout window to activate protein synthesis works fine. Just make sure you get at least 1g of isoleucine and 1g of valine after your workout along with at least 3g of leucine.

Keep in mind that BCAAs should be in addition to a pre- and post-workout shake, or one large protein shake that you sip before, during, and after your workout. This shake alone will raise your muscle BCAA levels a bit, but don’t worry, you still need those free BCAAs from the BCAA product to really maximize your energy metabolism and muscle growth.