What’s Better: Protein or Amino Acids (BCAA)? Expert Reviews | PRO7fitness.com

When it comes to controversial types of sports nutrition like amino acids (for example, BCAA or glutamine), the opinions of doctors on the advisability of their intake are, from our point of view, a decisive argument.

To understand the question “What is better: protein or amino acids (+bcaa)?”, we asked the chief physician of one of the clinics, gathered feedback from several well-known experts, and in conclusion, simply included common sense. Read on to find out what is actually better…

Amino acids are important; they are the foundation of life, the building material for creating muscle cells and synthesizing hormones… and all that…

That’s true.

But.

When you have a headache, what is better: to take one pill as prescribed by the doctor, or ten, to make the pain go away faster?

Balance is important.

In large doses, amino acids (BCAA, glutamine, arginine, etc.) and any other beneficial substances can turn into poison.

Nevertheless, among bodybuilders (both amateurs and professionals), there are many who adhere to the principle of “the more, the better” regarding sports nutrition, swallowing daily doses of amino acids in the form of supplements, sports proteins, and natural products that exceed the recommended amounts by 10-20, and sometimes even 40 times!

Many authoritative dietitians, athletes, and scientists today agree that “if you are healthy, special sports supplements are not needed at all. Everything you need can be obtained from natural food.”

And this is a fact that would be worth framing and hanging in prominent places in all sports nutrition stores, gyms, and… somewhere in your mind.

The entire spectrum of amino acids needed by the body can be obtained from the protein of natural food

To clarify the question of what is better, protein or amino acids (including BCAAs), we have gathered reviews from some doctors and scientists. As new facts emerge, the information in this section will be updated. To stay informed, subscribe to our newsletters at the bottom of the page.

What is better, protein or amino acids (+BCAA)? Review from the chief physician

We decided to ask the question of what is better, amino acids (including BCAAs) or protein, to the chief physician of one of the clinics. Pay attention to the logic of reasoning.

– Is there any point in taking amino acids in the form of special supplements? Maybe with a complete protein diet, they are already coming in food in optimal amounts?

The intake of amino acids is not natural for a healthy body. Nature has provided for the intake of protein into the digestive tract, its preparation, and subsequent breakdown by enzymes into peptides and amino acids.

Review from the chief physician: “.. the intake of amino acids is not natural for a healthy body”

There are a few situations in medicine where the function of the gastrointestinal tract is damaged to the extent that protein breakdown becomes an insurmountable task.
This can happen, for example, when enzymes, which are also proteins, are not synthesized in sufficient quantities due to a surgery or as a result of other massive damage, or in premature infants due to the immaturity of the digestive system.

Indeed, the entry into the bloodstream and delivery of amino acids to the site of synthesis of one’s own proteins (from which muscles are built) occurs faster when taking amino acids. But. If your digestive tract is capable of receiving and breaking down protein, then the intake of protein itself, rather than amino acids, is harmonious (this applies to all types, including BCAAs).

We recommend: How much protein should you drink per day to gain muscle mass?

Indeed, some amino acids are more important for muscle growth than others. However, this does not mean that “less important” amino acids are unnecessary and should be excluded from the diet as unnecessary ballast.

There are essential amino acids (the name implies only the impossibility of their synthesis in our body), and there are non-essential ones, the synthesis of which is possible. But, in any case, for both types, the intake through balanced food is implied.

Thus, from the perspective of maintaining the balance of processes and the harmony of development (after all, it is better to obey nature, as it is impossible to deceive it) the presence of all amino acids in the daily diet is important for maintaining natural metabolic processes.

The presence of individual amino acids as dietary supplements… I don’t want to be stubborn and I admit that I do not have extensive experience outside of medicine, but still I cannot find sufficient justification for their use.

Chief Physician’s Review: “.. I do not see sufficient justification for the use of individual amino acids (including BCAAs) in the form of supplements”

– In what cases and to whom can the intake of amino acids in the form of supplements be recommended?

I don’t know. It’s better to have a balanced protein.

Since the body is more complex than a bread oven (add ingredients, mix, put in the oven, and you get the necessary mass of the product), for an adequate process of gaining mass, as intended by nature and refined through phylogenesis, it is not enough to simply deliver amino acids to the site of use; they must be properly obtained, i.e., enzymes must be released in the gastrointestinal tract to break them down into polypeptides and monopeptides, and then into amino acids; at the same time, special hormones are released that promote muscle growth (anabolism) and send the building material where it is needed.

Neither amino acids nor hormones from external sources can replace these mechanisms, as the mechanisms are significantly more complex than what can be devised by… an athlete.

Chief physician’s review: “.. it is important not just to deliver amino acids, but to obtain them correctly (break them down), during which muscle growth hormones are released”

– The often recommended dose of protein is 2-3 grams. Is this not excessive? Many “pros” and stores recommend such amounts. In the “Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine. Sports Nutrition,” for example, in the section dedicated to proteins, graphs are presented showing that at a dosage of ~2.2 g per kilogram of body weight, there is no effect from protein intake, while the optimal dose is 1.7 g/kg.

I agree. It is rather excessive. According to all the sources I know, it should be around 2 g/kg.

From medical practice, the total dosage of amino nitrogen for patients (necessary to ensure basal metabolism and repair processes) is 0.15-2 g/kg per day, realistically, after reaching normal tolerance, – 0.5-1.5 g/kg.

I assume that for muscle growth, 2.0-2.5 g/kg is necessary; I need to read more, as I haven’t had time. I made this calculation (believe me) before I consciously read what was in your last question.

This nitrogen, to simplify the situation a bit, can consist of a mixture of amino acids in a 50/50 ratio of essential and non-essential.

Recommended: How to properly take protein for muscle growth?

Reviews from doctors and experts from the portal Examine.com about BCAA amino acids

Examine.com is a well-known English-language portal that researches what science says about the benefits and harms of various sports (and not only) supplements, ingredients, and medications. Here is what the creators (doctors and scientists) think about the advantages of BCAA ³:

“I consume BCAA only during “cutting” (caloric restriction), usually – before training.” – Sol Orwell – a fitness and sports nutrition enthusiast, one of the founders of Examine.com. (During “cutting,” caloric intake is significantly restricted, and to avoid muscle catabolism, it is important to consume enough protein.)

Recommended: Rules of cutting in bodybuilding

“As for suppressing feelings of fatigue, BCAA are likely effective only for untrained (beginner) athletes during prolonged workouts.”

It is evident that there is a difference in the effect of BCAA on trained and untrained athletes, which may be explained by the lower endurance to physical exercise in those who lead a sedentary lifestyle (they show signs of fatigue earlier, and the effect of alleviating these signs is more pronounced.” – Kurtis Frank – a leading researcher at Examine.com, with a degree in Applied Nutrition from the University of Guelph.

Review from a researcher at Examine.com: “.. BCAA are likely effective only for untrained (beginner) athletes during prolonged workouts”

What is better, BCAA or protein from natural food? Review from Dr. Mercola

Below we present the opinion on the advantages of protein from natural products compared to BCAA amino acids: a review from Dr. Mercola, a well-known foreign expert in dietetics ².

In his opinion, one of the main problems associated with the use of BCAA as supplements is that “excessive consumption of amino acids stimulates the release of a certain substance in the body – the enzyme mTOR.”

This enzyme determines nutrient sensitivity and, consequently, the release of certain hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, cell division, and survival. In other words, it manages the processes of cell growth and recovery.

What does this mean?

“Depending on whether its activity increases or decreases, biological tissue growth or cell preservation and recovery is ensured: if mTOR activity is low, the process of preservation and recovery occurs, leading to an increase in cell lifespan – this is the ideal and desired state.”

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However, an excessive amount of amino acids stimulates the activity of mTOR, triggering the mechanism of tissue growth. This is justified when it is necessary to ensure muscle growth, renewal, and recovery of other tissues in athletes who have developed a need due to physical exertion. However, doctors say that “the growth of all tumors is associated with high activity of the enzyme mTOR (i.e., the concentration of amino acids in the blood)”.

For this reason, scientists categorically do not recommend additionally taking BCAA amino acids in the form of supplements, as well as consuming a large amount of protein. Amino acids are the most powerful stimulant of mTOR enzyme activity.

According to Dr. Mercola, “it is better to limit the intake of not only BCAA supplements but also protein to 40-70 grams/day, depending on muscle mass”.

The common recommendation is ~1 g per kilogram of body weight for ordinary people and 1.4 – 2.0 g/kg for athletes. Some bodybuilders consume up to 3 g/kg, along with various amino acids…

“It is also important to avoid consuming leucine in the form of free-form amino acid supplements. When leucine is administered intravenously in free form, it has been found to cause a strong hyperglycemic reaction and insulin resistance.”

Important: When consuming natural protein-rich foods, the risk of “overdosing” on amino acids is minimized. However, if you, like most athletes, load up with a full arsenal, including huge portions of natural protein foods, sports proteins, gainers, and also BCAA amino acids, glutamine, taurine, HMB, and so on, then you are undoubtedly in a group at serious risk of harm from consuming too much protein, the molecular mechanism of which may already be triggered.

Dr. Mercola’s review: “.. When there is too much BCAA and protein in the diet, the activity of the mTOR enzyme increases, which stimulates the growth of biological tissues, including cancerous ones. That is why scientists do not recommend consuming BCAA amino acids in the form of supplements, as well as too much protein“

We recommend: BCAA Amino Acids: Harm and Side Effects

What is better: amino acids or protein: comparing amino acid profiles

To further strengthen the arguments in favor of preferring quality protein over individual amino acids, let’s evaluate how many amino acids are generally found in familiar products and compare them with what is offered in supplements.

The table below is borrowed from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition ¹, and the composition of whey protein is taken from Pure Protein ⁵.

Note the following:

• all listed products (both plant and animal) contain a complete set of amino acids;
• in animal products (beef and eggs), the relative share of protein (and amino acids) is significantly higher than in plant products;
• plant products contain dozens of times less of individual amino acids than animal products;
• whey protein is an amino acid bomb: even one 30 g serving of whey protein more than covers the amount of amino acids in 100 g of any natural product, including beef.

Now let’s practice some arithmetic.

Consider the example of one of the most important amino acids for muscle growth (one of the three BCAAs) – leucine.

A common recommendation in bodybuilding is to take 2-3 grams of leucine twice a day (a total of 4-6 grams). This is particularly evident on the first site that comes up in the search, myprotein.ru ⁴.

From the table, it can be seen that in “beef” equivalent, this is 2-3 pieces of beef weighing 100 g or a piece of beef + protein shake + several eggs.

In reality, if we consider all the products we consume throughout the day (especially if the diet also includes sports protein), it is clear that there should be more than enough amino acids, even taking into account that in bodybuilding, twice as many are required for muscle mass gain compared to an ordinary person.

The daily requirement for one of the most important amino acids for muscle growth, leucine, can be met by eating 300 g of beef; with a protein shake, it becomes even easier.

Conclusion

If you eat a variety of natural products with high protein content (including lean meat, dairy products, fish), you are likely getting all the necessary amino acids. In sufficient amounts? In the literal sense, it depends on the amount of food consumed.

You can gain muscle mass even on an exclusively vegetarian (plant-based) diet… though for that, you need to eat A LOT.

In conclusion, let’s reiterate the thought expressed at the beginning: the daily protein requirement can be fully met SOLELY through natural products.