Bcaa use breaking fast or diminishing autophagy?

#1

Have read and heard mixed things. Some say use of BCAA is not necessary and can actually break a fast as well as decrease autophagy. Others say it’s transient effect on insulin is not enough to make a difference either way. Others say it is ok to take, but only if training. I take DoVitamins pure pump and post pump prior to and immediately following exercise, which is mostly functional strength training. They are keto-approved, basically just creatine, BCAA, and green tea extract. I am still losing weight ad want to promote fat loss and autophagy, but also would like to continue building muscle. Should I discontinue these supplements? Or maybe stop them until I reach maintenance?

(Tamela Robinette) #2

I would like to know the answer to this as well. I used to take BCAAs prior to and just after my workouts. At this stage I’m simply trying to lose weight, but later on will attempt EF for autophagy. So I’m thinking it’s ok for weightloss fasting but possibly not autophagy? I hope someone with more experience and knowledge can answer this for us.

#3

The BCAA leucine is the amino acid most inhibitory of autophagy. it induces a fed state in the brain and breaks your fast. It shuts down one of the processes you are trying to engage by fasting.

(Tamela Robinette) #4

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And bam, there it is, leucine. No more BCAAs while fasting.

(Doug) #5

:smile: Exactly - among fats, carbs, and proteins - even down to the specific amino acids, leucine is the worst thing for autophagy.

#6

@OldDoug, this makes sense. Leucine seems to have the biggest role in protein synthesis so makes sense it would be the most inhibitory for autophagy.

I typically follow roughly a 21:3 IF schedule on weekdays and then have 2-3 meals/day on weekends. If I am understanding correctly, I should still not have these supplements on weekdays, even though they would be being taken early enough in my fast that autophagy would not have started yet. If autophagy starts around 16-18 hours, then I am still entering it for a few hours prior to eating in the evening. But if I take the BCAA around 7 am, then theoretically I am starting my fast over each time and not hitting autophagy at all. I know that a few hours of autophagy is not all that significant, so maybe it does not matter in these cases? Or would taking BCAA only really matter during EF maybe? Either way, it seems like once I am in maintenance that I could resume taking them without issue. Thanks for the insight guys!