BCAA vs whey protein, the age-old discussion – is one better than the other? Are they needed at all? In this article, we’ll explore the differences between whey and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), their potential benefits, and whether they are necessary for your health and fitness goals.

 

What is Whey Protein?

 

Whey protein is a complete protein source that is derived from milk, it’s a by-product of cheese, sounds appealing doesn’t it? Back in the day we actually discarded whey protein or fed it to the animals. Imagine the look on a bodybuilder’s face seeing all that precious whey getting fed to Daisy the cow! Whey protein powder is a popular supplement for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, it’s a quick, easy and convenient way to ingest a good amount of protein.

 

What are Branched-Chain Amino Acids?

 

BCAAs are a group of three essential amino acids – leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are called “branched-chain” because of their chemical structure, which resembles a branch. BCAAs are essential amino acids, meaning they can’t be produced by the body and must be obtained through diet or supplements.

 

Benefits of Whey Protein

 

 

Whey protein has several proposed health claims, including:

 

• Muscle gain and post-workout recovery: Whey protein contains all nine essential amino acids (including leucine, isoleucine and valine contained in BCAAs mentioned earlier) which can maximise muscle protein synthesis (we like this, when muscle protein synthesis exceeds something called muscle protein breakdown we put ourselves in a great position to build new muscle tissue) (1).

 

• Weight loss: Protein is great for making us feel fuller for longer, when I was completing my dissertation for my degree, I found that high-protein diets were great for fat loss and maintaining lean muscle mass. You’ll see that there’s a tonne of research that will also suggest the same. However, we need to remember that there are a lot of other factors involved in weight loss. Just adding whey protein to your diet without addressing other behavioural, lifestyle and dietary habits is unlikely to produce any significant effects.

 

• Lower blood pressure: Some studies suggest that whey protein may help lower blood pressure one study showed that 28 grams of whey, twice a day, significantly decreased blood pressure (2).

 

Benefits of BCAA Supplements

 

The proposed benefits of BCAAs are:

 

• Stimulating muscle protein synthesis – can lead to muscle growth by reducing muscle protein breakdown and increasing the rate of protein synthesis (3).

 

• There is some research (4) that suggests BCAAs could help with muscle soreness, the proposed mechanism behind this is that BCAAs can slow the buildup of inflammatory markers in the body (mainly one called creatine kinase) which occur after meaningful exercises (such as strength training with weights).

 

My Unpopular Take on BCAAs

 

 

Amongst various claims, many BCAA supplements state that they aid in building skeletal muscle. This claim stems from the amino acid, leucine, contained within BCAAs. Leucine can be seen as the king of all amino acids when it comes to muscle growth as evidence shows it stimulates something called the mTOR pathway which in turn increases muscle protein synthesis – that thing we said we liked at the start of this article because it helps us make gains by putting us in an anabolic state to build and repair muscle.

 

Sounds good so far right?

 

When it comes to actually looking at studies directly testing the relationship between BCAAs and muscle growth they are generally flawed. They usually either test on animals (which can’t be directly applied to humans) or are poorly designed human trials that are sometimes funded by companies that manufacture BCAA supplements – it’s no surprise when any results that don’t support the hypothesis that BCAAs are great are brushed over – these companies want to push the agenda that their product is amazing and so will tunnel vision you with the potential benefits.

 

They don’t tell you that:

 

• If enough protein is consumed, supplementing with BCAAs is pretty pointless. It’s like pouring water into an already full pint glass. We can get enough BCAAs, including that king amino acid, leucine, from eating things like chicken, beef, pork, tofu, beans and eggs.

 

• There is a large body of evidence to suggest that, for resistance-trained individuals, 1.6 grams of protein per kg of body weight daily is ideal for building muscle mass and strength gains. When we consume this amount of protein we also get ample amounts of BCAAs at the same time.

 

• Whey protein contains BCAAs, around 6 grams per 25 gram scoop to be precise.

 

The Australian Institute of Sport, a well-respected scientific body that we Nutritionists often refer to for research purposes, classifies BCAAs in group C (check it out here). This list refers to supplements where “scientific evidence is not supportive of benefit amongst athletes OR there is no research undertaken to guide an informed opinion”. So, next time someone says that BCAAs are a must-take for athletic performance, be mindful that this may not be the case.

 

You will find people that take both and swear by it – I say fair play to these individuals. As with anything, you find that different things work for different people. 

 

Potential Side Effects of BCAAs and Whey Protein

 

 

As with most dietary supplements, there can be some side effects, the main one for whey protein seems to be gastrointestinal issues – sometimes whey can cause some stomach discomfort, especially when we aren’t used to ingesting significant amounts of protein. 

 

You will often see that well-known fitness phenomenon, “protein farts”, come to fruition until you adjust to your new protein intake! However, sometimes these aren’t due to the increased protein at all, they can also occur because whey protein supplements often contain additives (such as sorbitol) which can cause some gastrointestinal distress. Monitor how they make you feel and adjust accordingly – try changing the type of protein (for example, to a non-dairy one) or simply try and get more of your protein from whole foods.

 

Other reported side effects of whey protein are acne, nausea, bloating, headaches and tiredness (5). These usually occur at higher doses, so the best practice here is to stick to the recommended dose or slowly build up your intake over a prolonged period of time.

 

BCCAs can possess similar side effects to whey – bloating, diarrhea and nausea. Once again, they are more likely to occur at higher doses – they are likely to be safe at doses of 12 grams of BCAAs daily for up to a period of 2 years (6).

 

The Bottom Line – BCAA vs Whey

 

In my humble opinion, whey protein is the best option. I must stress though, this is my opinion based on the scientific research I have read. 

 

For me, I think of it like this:

 

Whey protein has consistently been shown to be beneficial for athletes, recreational gym goers and your average person looking to increase protein, help muscle repair, increase muscle growth and prevent muscle wasting.

 

Whey contains BCAAs. In fact, it is one of the most abundant sources of BCAAs – so why take both? Especially when the standard dose is just 4-20 grams of BCAAs per day which we could get from whey protein shakes or food sources. 

 

The scientific evidence behind the beneficial uses of whey surmounts that of the research surrounding BCAAs. There are literally thousands of studies showing the potential benefits of whey protein, many of which are well-designed randomised trials, so we can be confident in the reported outcomes. Although the effects of BCAAs are also well reported, the results tend to be less significant. 

 

Some people may find BCCA supplementation is great for them, I say good for you – I will not try to convince you otherwise. As I always stress, nutritional needs, supplementation and protocols are highly individualised. The best choice is what works for you.

 

Remember, we don’t always need supplements – it’s in the name – supplements are there to “supplement” your diet, not to form the basis of it. The best way is to focus on getting high-quality protein from whole foods and then, if needed, use supplements to help you meet your daily protein needs.