Branched Chain Amino Acids for Bulking Up

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Branched chain amino acids are the three amino acids that muscles can use for energy. Athletes take them after workouts in the form of tablets, soft gels, or drink powders to spur muscle growth.

Exercise leads to muscle growth by first injuring or breaking down the muscle. When the muscle rebuilds, it grows. Some studies show that branched chain amino acid supplements reduce muscle breakdown. If you have to lose muscle before you can gain muscle, the idea is that branched chain amino acids could cut the amount of muscle you need to lose before you start to gain.

While these supplements might work, don’t expect dramatic results. “Exercise stimulates muscle [growth] anyway. So taking amino acids probably isn’t physiologically very significant, but it’s also not harmful,” Sherman says.