The Negligible Effect of BCAA Supplements in Adolescent Nutrition

Abstract

An adolescent athlete's nutrition is driven psychologically by the desire to build new muscle and better himself, overcoming the limitations of predisposed traits. This often entails the use of supplements, specifically branched-chain amino acids, which vary in effectiveness. As Sarkie Sowers (2009) explains in her "Primer on Branched Chain Amino Acids," the science supporting such products appears sound, offering a quick delivery of nutrients to prevent muscle catabolism, given that BCAAs catalyze protein synthesis. Nevertheless, supplement testing by incentivized, for-profit corporations raises questions of legitimacy. An impartial study conducted by Philip Atherton and his colleagues (2010) found that the effect of BCAA supplements does not differ from that of a high-protein diet due to the time needed to use certain amino acid concentrations. This suggests BCAAs are best applied in regulating the weight of older adults, while providing no benefit for adolescents with high metabolic rates. Although one might argue BCAAs could be used to balance a poor adolescent diet, the intrinsic motivation observed in teens who consume BCAA supplements almost always spurs good nutritional decisions, as supported by Mathilde Touvier's correlative findings (2007). Although BCAAs could produce a psychological placebo effect eliciting a physiological response, the strictly physical effect of BCAAs is negligible for adolescents.