How long should I take BCAAs before training?

As soon as you're interested in bodybuilding and nutrition, the question of taking BCAAs arises. These essential amino acids are the nutritional foundation of any strength or endurance athlete. By delaying the onset of fatigue, reducing muscle soreness and facilitating muscle anabolism, BCAAs are useful for building muscle mass, for lean periods and even for endurance sports, where they support recovery.

But it's important to be able to consume them in the right way, and to differentiate between isolated BCAAs, on the one hand, and BCAAs contained in a protein, on the other. While the sale of isolated BCAAs to add to drinks is commonplace on the sports nutrition market, beware of marketing arguments concerning the energy sold. The scientific literature is clear: there's no point in consuming BCAAs without complete protein and without a nutritional strategy linked to a goal.

Yes, BCAAs are essential amino acids that the body does not produce on its own. So taking BCAAs is crucial to boosting protein synthesis and repairing fiber after exercise. How long before training should I wait before taking BCAAs? In reality, the answer is not a question of timing. In practice, to reap their benefits and avoid a drop in performance, you need to pay close attention to the quality and quantity consumed throughout the day.

Dosage, process, ratio of leucine, isoleucine and valine, we take stock of what BCAAs have to offer in terms of health. 

Isolated BCAAs: a muscular aid for performance?

What is the purpose of consuming BCAAs?

Of the 22 amino acids present in the human body, 3 have a more complex structure. Leucine,isoleucine and valine are part of what are known as branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acid).

What's special about these three is that the body doesn't manufacture them like it does all the other amino acids said to be essential for consumption (of which there are 9). So it's adiet rich in amino acids and/or supplementation that supplies the body with the quantities it needs. 

A BCAA supplement with just one condition

Understanding the role of BCAAs enables you to benefit from their advantages in sport. If they are essential amino acids for the body, it's because BCAAs regulate :

• synthesis of glycogen, an energy substrate for physical effort;
• glycogenolysis, i.e. the conversion of glycogen into glucose.

This trio of amino acids works in synergy, in a ratio of the order of 2:1:1:. This means that the body uses twice as much leucine as isoleucine and valine, but each has its own role to play: 

• leucine triggers metabolic responses to exercise and regenerates muscles by limiting muscle catabolism; 
• isoleucine is involved in muscle metabolism and acts as an energy substrate; 
• Valine is also a source of energy and is involved in muscle repair, as well as helping to keep the nervous system working.

How long should I take BCAAs before training?

Taking BCAAs before training

We often hear that BCAA powders should be taken before training to optimize recovery times. Two studies are put forward to justify this choice:

• the first, from 2018, concludes that repeated pre-exercise supplementation has an impact onalleviating muscle soreness and damage following intense effort² ;
• the second, from 2020, shows that BCAA levels in the blood decrease after 10 minutes of intense exercise above 70% of Vo2 max. 

However, the ideal time to take them depends on your objective. If you're taking BCAAs as part of a mass gain through the absorption of a complete protein, we advise you to take them post-workout. Leucine, isoleucine and valine are mainly involved in post-training metabolic responses, which justifies this logic. 

The right dose of BCAAs to reap their benefits 

It is above all thetotal protein intake over the course of the day that is important, ideally distributed every 3 to 4 hours, to see positive adaptations to resistance training³.

Here are a few guidelines from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN): 

• To build muscle mass, we aim for an overall intake of between 1.4 and 2.0 g protein/kg bodyweight/day, valid for most physically active people. Although it is sometimes suggested that protein intakes in excess of 3 g/kg/day may be beneficial to body composition and fat loss in the case of bodybuilders, we do not recommend exceeding 2 g/kg/day. 
• To maximize protein synthesis, we choose our nutrients to consume around 0.25 g of high-quality protein per kilo of body weight, i.e. between 20 and 40 grams on an intake of fast protein. 
• For resistance exercise, adding 15 to 25 g of protein over 4 to 21 weeks improves performance. 

Daily requirements depend on the volume of exercise, age, body composition, total energy intake and training status of the athlete, hence the importance of being advised by a nutritionist specialized in sports nutrition.

Before, during or after your session: when and how to eat your proteins? 

The right time: away from meals

ISSN explains that the ideal intake period depends on individual tolerance. It adds, however, that the anabolic effect of exercise lasts at least 24 hours, but probably diminishes with time after exercise, implying an interesting post-exercise consumption window.

This famous anabolic window is reputed to be of interest for the improved insulin sensitivity and protein synthesis it induces. In reality, science puts it to shame, since it has been proven that pre- or post-workout protein consumption has rather similar effects on the measures studied (strength, hypertrophy, changes in body composition)⁴.

Again, rather than the time of intake, it's best to focus on taking BCAAs non-isolated and in adequate quantities throughout the day. 

BCAA supplementation: alone or with Whey? 

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) classifies proteins, and therefore non-isolated BCAAs, in Group A, a group of food supplements whose efficacy has been scientifically proven. On the subject of branched-chain amino acids, the AIS clearly states that there is no need to take isolated BCAAs. Individual amino acids are only of interest to boost the lower leucine content of plant proteins, for example, for people on vegetarian diets.

Whey, on the other hand, is a highly effective alternative for obtaining sufficient quantities of essential amino acids, including BCAAs. A daily dose provides around 25 g of protein, including 5.5 to 6 g of BCAAs. This protein is very popular with athletes for this very reason.

A word of caution about the quality of the product you choose. Choose a French whey made from local milk and without sweeteners, to avoid ultra-processed products. 

Should I take BCAAs on rest days?

BCAAs are a dietary staple that every athlete, regardless of discipline, needs. The conditions for taking BCAAs again depend on the objective.

If supplementation is being carried out as part of a mass gain phase and/or if protein targets are not being achieved with the conventional diet, then yes, BCAAs can be consumed on rest days to achieve the recommended protein dosages. 

If the reason for taking BCAAs is toavoid muscular fatigue or reduce stress-related muscular damage in order to speed up recovery, no, taking them on rest days will be of little or no benefit. 

Conclusion  

BCAAs, or Branched Chain Amino Acids, play a direct role in muscle development and recovery, helping to support an intensive sports session, limit muscle breakdown caused by exercise and promote the construction of new fibers. Properly dosed (around 5-6 g of BCAAs per day) in an overall ratio of 2:1:1, they help reduce muscle fatigue, maintain energy during exercise and prevent catabolism. They are therefore a real nutritional asset for those involved in bodybuilding, lean or endurance training.
Consumed throughout the day, before, during or after training, in the form of a shaker, they facilitate the recovery of skeletal muscle tissue, reducing the degradation caused by physical exercise and supporting protein synthesis. BCAAs also help maintain lean body mass and prevent muscle wasting to boost performance. They should be consumed as a snack between meals to avoid the sensation of satiety. 

Sources