The Dosage of BCAA

The BCAA dosages used in the studies vary greatly. In some cases, standard dosages have been used, e.g. 6-2000 mg/day, while in others the dosage is determined by body weight, 60-450 mg/kg/day. The effects of BCAA supplementation have been observed mainly on muscle damage, soreness, fatigue and morbidity. For closer inspection, I selected controlled, randomized trials and a couple of meta-analyses/literature reviews. Remarkably, the dietary supplement used in the studies contained leucine, isoleucine and valine in a ratio of 2:1:1. Some studies emphasized the effects of leucine and estimated it to be the main contributor to the results. Naturally, there is great variation between the studies, which is due to, for example, the test subjects' training status, different doses, duration, training method, time of taking the dose and nutrition. Here I will briefly explain first the background and purposes of the studies, the BCAA dosages used, and finally my own conclusions on the appropriate dosage for athletes/exercisers.

Post-exercise muscle soreness (DOMS = delayed onset muscle soreness) has generally been assumed to be associated with smaller ones. Weber et al. In fact, et al. (2021) looked at BCAAs as a treatment for mild to moderate exercise-induced muscle damage. In the study, BCAA doses were 255 mg/kg/day.  In this analysis, no additional benefit was found at higher doses in the treatment of muscle damage. Similar effects on muscle soreness were also observed with Nosaka et al. (2006) study. In it, subjects consumed a mixture of amino acids before and after a stress test for four days in two doses per day. The mixture contained 3.6 g of amino acids, of which 37% BCAAs. The supplement clearly reduced muscle soreness after exercise.

BCAA supplementation at a dose of 77 mg/kg body weight prior to exercise increased intracellular and arterial BCAA levels during exercise, according to MacLean et al. (1994) in research. This led to the inhibition of the breakdown of muscle protein, that is, the prevention of the catabolic state. Coombes & McNaughton (2000) used BCAAs up to 12 g/day for two weeks, plus an additional 20 g before and after the stress test. This was found to moderate the increase in factors indicating muscle decompression several days after exercise.

The prevalence of symptoms and factors of infection reported by athletes was studied by Bassit et al. (2000). Athletes were allowed to drink and eat normally, but received BCAAs or placebo 30 days before the competition and for a week after the event. BCAAs were administered 6 g (60% L-leucine, 20% L-valine, and 20% L-isoleucine) twice daily after each exercise for the first 30 days. In addition, athletes received a single dose of 3 g 30 minutes before the triathlon and once a day in the morning during the first week after the test. In this study, the incidence of infections and symptoms experienced were lower in athletes who received BCAA-supplements.

Hormoznejad (2019) et al. Based on the meta-analysis, BCAAs had no effect on CNS fatigue in the studies, however, a significant reduction in lactate levels and a beneficial effect on fatigue agents, energy metabolites and muscle analgesics were observed. Dosing ranged from 6 to 42.6 g/day.

After studying the effects of two different doses of BCAAs (200 mg and 450 mg/kg body weight) on football players, Payam et al. et al. (2013) found that the results did not suggest that the two dose sizes had differences in terms of muscle damage and soreness during resistance training. 

Khemtong et al. Based on meta-analyses (2021), different results on post-exercise responses may suggest that BCAA supplementation would mitigate muscle damage and relieve muscle pain after resistance training. Doses were either 0.20 - 1.76 g/kg body weight or 12 - 260 g/day. Nine studies were included, two of which had a 3:1:2 ratio of BCAAs, leucine, isoleucine and valine, while the others had the most commonly used 3:1:1.

Kim et al. The results of a 2013 study show that supplemental BCAA can reduce muscle damage associated with endurance training. The study dose was 80 mg/kg body weight.

Table 1. Concentration of portions used, rounded in g/day (or one decimal).

Dosage	Subject
0,3 g/kg	Muscle damage/soreness
0,8 g/kg	Lihaskatabolia
12 g + 20 g	Lihaskatabolia
4 g	Muscle arcane
6 g + 3 g	Susceptibility to infection
6 - 43 g	Fatigue agents, energy metabolites and muscle analgesics
0,2 g &; 0,5 g/kg	Muscle damage/soreness
0.2 - 1.8 g/kg or 12 - 260 g	Muscle damage/soreness
0,08 g/kg	Muscle damage/soreness

 

In conclusion, according to current studies, lower doses of BCAA supplementation produce as good results as higher doses. In the studies I selected, the lowest dose studied was 0.08 g per kilogram of body weight, or about 4 g related to endurance training, while for resistance training it was 0.2 g per kilogram of body weight, or about 12 g. I suggest dosing the supplement according to your own weight, in which case e.g. The dose recommendation for a person weighing 60 kg could be about 5 g/day for endurance-oriented, long-term sports, and 12 g/day for weight training. In this case, the corresponding dosage for an athlete weighing 100 kg would be 8 g and 20 g per day. As a rule, it might be a good idea to schedule the dose just before training and in the days after training.

In order not to forget the truth, BCAAs can also be obtained from a varied diet just enough, in which case it is not necessary to add a separate amino acid preparation to the diet. Beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, nuts, seeds, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs are examples of foods that can also be eaten to secure the intake of essential amino acids.

 

References: 

Bassit, R. A., Sawada, L. A., Bacuray, R. F. P.,  Navarro, F. & Costa Rosa, F. L. F. B. P. (2000): The effect of BCAA supplementation upon immune response of triathletes

Coombes, J. S. & McNaughton, L. S. (2000): Effects of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on serum creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase after prolonged exercise

Hormoznejad, R., Javid, A. Z. & Mansoori, A. (2019): Effect of BCAA supplementation on central fatigue, energy metabolism substrate and muscle damage to the exercise: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Khemtong, C., Kuo, C-H, Chen, C-Y, Jaime, S. J., & Condello, G. (2021): 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

Kim, D-H,  Kim, S-H,  Jeong, W-S &  Lee, H-Y (2013): Effect of BCAA intake during endurance exercises on fatigue substances, muscle damage substances, and energy metabolism substances

MacLean, D. A., Graham, T. E. & Saltin, B. (1994): Branched-chain amino acids augment ammonia metabolism while attenuating protein breakdown during exercise

Mohamad-Panahi, P., Aminiaghdam, S., Lotfi, N.& Hatami, K. (2013): Effects of two different dosage of bcaa supplementation on serum indices of muscle damage and soreness in soccer players

Nosaka, K., Sacco, P. & Kazunori Mawatari, K. (2006): Effects of amino acid supplementation on muscle soreness and damage

Weber, M. G., Dias, S.S., de Angelis, T. R., Fernandes, E. V., Bernardes, A.G., Vinicius Flavio Milanez, Jussiani, E. I. & Paula Ramos, S. (2021): The use of BCAA to decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness after a single bout of exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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