Are BCAA's A Waste Of Money?

BCAA's are a multi-million dollar supplement. Everyone from regular gym folks to physique athletes and Instagram influencers uses or promotes them as essential for making the best possible gains.

Are they really, though?

First of all, what are BCAAs? The acronym stands for branched-chain amino acids. 

Twenty amino acids make up protein. Protein is the basic building block of muscle, connective tissue, hair, nails, blood cells, hormones, and bodily enzymes. 

Since we can only get them from food, nine amino acids are essential. Your body can produce the remaining eleven.

Three of them, the BCAA’s, are leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

BCAA's are already in whole food protein sources such as meat, dairy, and seafood. Quality protein powders also contain BCAA's and all other essential amino acids (EAA's)

Despite all the marketing hype around them, taking BCAA's alone won't stimulate muscle protein synthesis in humans since they're an incomplete source of protein without the other amino acids.

If you already eat enough complete protein, you don't need to waste money on BCAAs.

Seriously, you're throwing that money away.  

If you prefer drinking your protein for convenience, then complete, high-quality sources like whey or casein powders are better options.