Disclaimer: Please note that none of these products describe themselves as weight loss supplements and should not be taken as such. Please consult with a medical professional before beginning any weight loss protocol. Tsuda Y, Iwasawa K, Yamaguchi M. Acute supplementation of valine reduces fatigue during swimming exercise in rats. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2018 May;82(5):856-861. doi: 10.1080/09168451.2018.1438168. Epub 2018 Feb 23. PMID: 29475409. They may also be involved in regulating your blood sugar levels by preserving liver and muscle sugar stores and stimulating your cells to take in sugar from your bloodstream ( 6, 7, 8, 9). While certain sugars and antibiotics are the mainstays of treatment for hepatic encephalopathy, BCAAs may also benefit people with this condition ( 26).

AbuMoh’d, M. F., Matalqah, L., & Al-Abdulla, Z. (2020). Effects of Oral Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Intake on Muscular and Central Fatigue During an Incremental Exercise. Journal of human kinetics, 72, 69–78. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2019-0099Gleeson M. Dosing and efficacy of glutamine supplementation in human exercise and sport training. J Nutr. 2008 Oct;138(10):2045S-2049S. doi: 10.1093/jn/138.10.2045S. PMID: 18806122.

Pérez-Guisado J, Jakeman PM. Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 May;24(5):1215-22. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181cb28e0. PMID: 20386132.Quality: When shopping for a BCAA supplement, you can buy supplements only from trusted brands that adhere to safety and quality standards, such as third-party testing and those that follow CGMPs established by the FDA. In your brain, tryptophan is converted to serotonin, a brain chemical that is thought to contribute to the development of fatigue during exercise ( 14, 15). The theory behind the benefits of BCAAs is that having them in the body around the time of working out means that they are readily available for use as the body needs them.