If you have been going to the gym and working out for some time, you have probably come across supplements that help with various aspects of your workout, recovery, and muscle building.
Creatine and BCAA (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) are two popular supplements that regularly come up. While they serve different purposes and have different chemical profiles, they can be valuable additions to your fitness journey.
BCAA and creatine can maximize your gym performance, enhance the muscle-building process, aid in recovery, and improve brain function and cognitive clarity.
Let’s discuss the key differences between creatine and BCAA to understand which one we should supplement with, or if we should pair them together to support muscle growth, recovery, and overall performance.
BCAA vs Creatine: Similarities, Differences, Side Effects and Recommendations
Creatine and BCAA are both chemical compounds naturally found in certain foods. One of the key differences is that creatine is naturally produced by our bodies, while BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine) can only be obtained from certain foods.
The primary use of BCAA and creatine supplements is to improve athletic performance.
Before we dive into the specific purposes each serves, we have created a small takeaway that lists all the benefits of BCAA and creatine supplements.
- Creatine: Creatine helps muscle cells produce more energy (adenosine triphosphate, or ATP), aids in adding muscle mass, improves high-intensity performance, reduces tiredness and fatigue, speeds up muscle growth, and helps prevent and treat multiple diseases and neurological disorders (e.g., Parkinson’s disease).
- BCAA: BCAAs reduce muscle breakdown during exercise, ease muscle soreness, help with muscle growth, boost appetite, and aid in managing multiple diseases.
Important Note: A lot of BCAA supplement labels say that they contain zero calories (Some simply underreport the calorie content instead of listing it as zero.). Don’t be fooled by this, as it is an old regulatory loophole that allows brands selling raw amino acids to avoid listing calorie content. In reality, a 10g serving of BCAA contains between 40-60 calories.
So if you thought that you found a weight loss hack, we are sorry to break it to you, but BCAAs definitely contain calories. Please also understand that BCAAs do not help with weight loss, and there is no scientific evidence to support this. BCAAs increase appetite to improve muscle growth, which can backfire in weight loss/fat loss situations where people already experience elevated hunger levels.
What we have mentioned here provides a clear distinction between BCAA and creatine. While there are some overlaps, one does not interfere with the other. In other words, it is possible to take creatine along with BCAA. However, when choosing supplements, it is essential to understand the goals we are trying to achieve.
Let’s dive deeper into both BCAA and creatine to find out why people take these supplements.
Why Should we Take Creatine or BCAA?
The important question is whether it is worth purchasing supplements and taking them regularly. High-quality supplements can be expensive, so if we plan on supplementing with something, it is better to understand what is worth taking to avoid wasting extra money.
It is true that there are obvious benefits to taking creatine and BCAA, but the question is whether any of these are easily obtainable naturally so that we don’t need extra supplements.
Let’s break this down:
- Creatine: Creatine is naturally produced by our bodies (about 1g of creatine every day). It is also found in foods like red meat, tuna, herring, salmon, milk, and cod. Supplementing creatine is still a good idea as it is hard to obtain significant amounts from natural foods. For example, 1kg of steak contains around 5g of creatine, which is the daily supplementing dose, but eating or affording 1kg of steak a day can be difficult for many.
- BCAA: Branched-Chain Amino Acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are found in protein-rich foods like red meat, fish, eggs, chicken, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, almonds, lentils, tofu, and most other protein-rich foods. For example, 100g of chicken breast contains 5-7g of BCAA, so if you eat 300g in a day along with 2 large eggs, you will easily meet the daily requirement.
To give another perspective, supplementing with whey protein is quite literally the same as taking BCAA, as most high-quality protein powders already contain BCAA. If you are vegan and have trouble eating enough protein, then it is okay to purchase BCAA supplements. Make sure you are buying vegan options, as most BCAA supplements are made from animal products.
Please also note that many places promoting BCAA supplements also sell them.
As for creatine, the case is different. While it is true that enough creatine can be obtained from natural sources, it may require extra attention to properly structure your weekly diet. If you struggle with this, you can download the Workit App to access personalized nutrition programs.
You can achieve great results without supplementing with creatine, but if we compare creatine and BCAA, supplementing with creatine should be your priority as obtaining BCAA is far easier than creatine.
One instance where supplementing with BCAA makes total sense is when someone can only work out in the morning (and won’t be able to eat until hours later) or otherwise can’t structure and connect their workouts with their meals.
To summarize, taking both creatine and BCAA is good for your progress, recovery, and performance. If we had to choose one between creatine and BCAA, creatine is the clear winner as it offers more benefits and is much harder to obtain in large amounts via natural sources.
If you can afford and don’t mind spending extra dollars on supplements, it is totally okay to supplement with both. Creatine does not interfere with BCAA or vice versa. Just make sure that when purchasing supplements, there are no extra unnecessary ingredients as extra ingredients (mainly found in low-end products) can cause problems with your health longterm.
When Should You Take BCAA or Creatine?
If we decide to supplement with either or both, what is the best time to take BCAA and creatine to maximize results? Let’s analyze this and find out:
- BCAA: Supplementing with BCAA 30 minutes to an hour before your workouts will give the best results. The logic behind this is to provide your muscles with an extra energy source while working out. It is also okay to supplement with BCAA post-workout, but it is better to have a protein-rich post-workout meal (a whey protein shake is a good option).
- Creatine: Creatine can be taken at any time of the day—before or after a workout, or even at night—as the time of consumption doesn’t significantly affect performance or muscle gains. We recommend building a routine and taking it at the same time every day, as a formed habit is much less likely to be forgotten.
Timing matters for taking BCAA, but for creatine, you can take it whenever it is convenient. However, we still recommend building a daily routine and taking it at the same time every day.
Side Effects of BCAA and Creatine
There are well-documented side effects that can be experienced with both creatine and BCAA. Let’s discuss each in detail along with recommendations and safety measures.
Common Side Effects of Creatine:
- Weight Gain: Weight gain is caused from water retention in the muscles.
- Upset Stomach: For example, bloating, cramping, or diarrhea.
- Dehydration: As more water is retained in your muscles, you may experience increased thirst and require more hydration.
Less Common Side Effects:
- Kidney Stress: Excessive use of creatine might stress the kidneys, particularly in those who already experience gastrointestinal problems.
- Muscle Cramping: Muscle cramps have been reported on high doses of creatine.
Rare Side Effects:
- Rhabdomyolysis: Rhabdomyolysis (kidney failure) is reported but there is no scientific evidence to back this.
Common Side Effects of BCAA:
- Stomach Upset: Nausea, bloating, and diarrhea are common side effects of supplementing BCAA.
- Muscle Fatigue: BCAA is meant to suppress muscle fatigue, but some have reported experiencing it. This can be unrelated to BCAA or a result of overtraining.
Less Common Side Effects:
- Headaches: High does of BCAA can cause headaches.
- Loss of Coordination: High doses of BCAA may cause loss of coordination.
Rare Side Effects:
- Increased Insulin Resistance: High doses of BCAA can lead to obesity and increased insulin resistance.
General Considerations
- Hydration: BCAA and creatine increase the need for hydration.
- Dietary Balance: Do not rely on supplements to meet your daily nutrition needs. Instead, try to obtain creatine and BCAAs from natural sources and supplement only what you cannot obtain naturally.
- Medical Conditions: If you have pre-existing medical conditions (like kidney issues or general gastrointestinal problems) consult a healthcare provider before taking any supplements.
We can’t stress this enough: if you experience any medical conditions related to your kidneys or general gastrointestinal problems, consult a healthcare provider to ensure the supplements are safe for you.
Furthermore, purchase only high-quality products and avoid anything that lists extra ingredients. Buying creatine and BCAA that have been adulterated with other substances can seriously harm your health.
What Type of Gains Can I Expect with Creatine and BCAA?
Our progress and athletic performance are based on consistency and maintaining a healthy, consistent diet. If we assume that we maintain both and additionally supplement with creatine, BCAA, or both simultaneously, we can achieve significantly better results.
Let’s break down each supplement and analyze the type of benefits and growth we should expect from BCAA and creatine.
Creatine Supplements
- Increased Muscle Mass:
- As creatine retains water in muscles, they look fuller and more voluminous.
- Enhances your gym and athletic performance, primarily the ability to lift heavier weights and perform more repetitions. This essentially leads to muscle growth.
- Improved Strength and Power:
- Creatine increases phosphocreatine in muscles, enhances ATP production which is the primary energy carrier in cells.
- Creatine improves high-intensity performance, weightlifting and sprinting.
- Enhanced Athletic Performance:
- Improved explosive power and short burst activity.
- Increased endurance and less fatigue during workouts.
- Faster Recovery:
- Less muscle cell damage and inflammation after exercise.
- Quicker recovery times.
- Less muscle cell damage and inflammation after exercise.
- Cognitive Performance and Mental Clarity
- Creatine improves mental clarity, helps with brain activity, and has uplifting characteristics.
BCAA Supplements
- Reduced Muscle Soreness:
- Helps with muscle soreness (DOMS) after intense physical activity.
- Helps with post-exercise recovery.
- Reduces Muscle Breakdown:
- BCAAs provide energy during extensive exercise and help preserve muscle glycogen.
- Reduces muscle protein breakdown during workouts.
- Increased Muscle Growth:
- Stimulates muscle protein synthesis for muscle building.
- Helps maintain lean muscle mass.
- Enhanced Exercise Performance:
- Less fatigue, BCAAs allow longer and more intense workouts.
- Boosts endurance.
Combining Creatine and BCAA Supplements
- Muscle Growth:
- As creatine increases muscle mass and water retention, BCAAs preserve lean muscle and promote growth.
- Together, creatine and BCAA are ideal for muscle building and maintenance.
- Recovery:
- Creatine reduces muscle damage and inflammation, while BCAAs reduce muscle soreness.
- Together, creatine and BCAA cut down recovery time between workouts.
- Performance:
- Creatine boosts athletic performance and strength, while BCAAs improve endurance.
- Creatine and BCAA improve overall athletic performance, in terms of strength and endurance activities.
- Muscle Function:
- BCAAs reduce muscle breakdown, while creatine boosts energy for peak performance.
- Supplementing creatine and BCAA help you achieve better workout results.
Summary
- Creatine: Best for increasing muscle mass, strength, and athletic performance.
- BCAAs: Great for reducing muscle soreness and muscle breakdown, and improving endurance.
- Combined: Better muscle growth, recovery, strength, and endurance. Overall, better for fitness improvement.
If you hav any gastrointestinal problems, remember to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplements.
Conclusion
All in all, both creatine and BCAA are effective in their own respective ways. Both supplements carry many positives and can significantly enhance your workout performance.
If we had to choose one supplement, creatine is the obvious winner as it offers more benefits than BCAA and is generally more studied and researched. Creatine supplements are also cheaper than BCAA.
As for BCAA, it is also great if you can afford it, but if you already maintain a healthy diet and consume enough protein from fish, red meat, and chicken, there is no particular need to supplement with BCAA. You can easily obtain leucine, isoleucine, and valine from these protein sources.
In conclusion, in the debate between creatine and BCAA, creatine is the clear winner and should be a priority. Creatine is considered a super supplement, and rightfully so.