Dr. Andy Galpin

We'll talk about those details later, but in general, if you get enough protein, BCAAs are not really needed for muscle growth. That said, it does something different in the brain. The human data do suggest that the severity of your TBI symptoms correlate well with the degree of BCAA suppression in the brain. Bigger drop in BCAAs, more symptoms. The BCAAs have two big effects.

We'll talk about those details later, but in general, if you get enough protein, BCAAs are not really needed for muscle growth. That said, it does something different in the brain. The human data do suggest that the severity of your TBI symptoms correlate well with the degree of BCAA suppression in the brain. Bigger drop in BCAAs, more symptoms. The BCAAs have two big effects.

One of them is the fact that they are what's called a nitrogen donor. And the other is that they help transportation interference across the blood-brain barrier. So let me walk you through what those mean really quickly, as it's important to understand why they actually work in this case, but perhaps are not so important for muscle growth.

One of them is the fact that they are what's called a nitrogen donor. And the other is that they help transportation interference across the blood-brain barrier. So let me walk you through what those mean really quickly, as it's important to understand why they actually work in this case, but perhaps are not so important for muscle growth.

Now, when I say nitrogen donor, what I mean is they are specifically used as in broken down to give off nitrogen, which can be used for glutamate and GABA. I already talked about glutamate earlier and how that is a primary problem with extreme excitotoxicity. So getting too excited, turning too many neurons on.

Now, when I say nitrogen donor, what I mean is they are specifically used as in broken down to give off nitrogen, which can be used for glutamate and GABA. I already talked about glutamate earlier and how that is a primary problem with extreme excitotoxicity. So getting too excited, turning too many neurons on.

Now, both GABA and glutamate are heavily involved in TBI pathology, like we just talked about. From the transporter perspective, when you eat protein, the amount, or just as food or supplement, the amount of BCAAs in your blood goes up. Makes sense. But a bunch of proteins in your stomach, they get broken down into amino acids. Amino acids in your blood go up.

Now, both GABA and glutamate are heavily involved in TBI pathology, like we just talked about. From the transporter perspective, when you eat protein, the amount, or just as food or supplement, the amount of BCAAs in your blood goes up. Makes sense. But a bunch of proteins in your stomach, they get broken down into amino acids. Amino acids in your blood go up.

If you ate a complete protein, that will come with a bunch of BCAAs. The amount of those go up in your blood. Now, as the BCAA concentration goes up, two molecules called tryptophan and tyrosine. They happen to share the same transporters to get through the blood-brain barrier.

If you ate a complete protein, that will come with a bunch of BCAAs. The amount of those go up in your blood. Now, as the BCAA concentration goes up, two molecules called tryptophan and tyrosine. They happen to share the same transporters to get through the blood-brain barrier.

So if you have this big rise in BCAAs in your blood, the BCAAs will block up those transporters, which means the uptake of tyrosine and tryptophan are blocked. So they're not gonna get across the blood-brain barrier, not gonna get in the brain. So the amount actually in your brain of TNT, tyrosine and tryptophan,

So if you have this big rise in BCAAs in your blood, the BCAAs will block up those transporters, which means the uptake of tyrosine and tryptophan are blocked. So they're not gonna get across the blood-brain barrier, not gonna get in the brain. So the amount actually in your brain of TNT, tyrosine and tryptophan,

What that does is cause problems with things like serotonin because TNT act as precursors for serotonin, which of course is in a precursor for melatonin and various catecholamines. So this could be contributing to the TBI induced sleep problems. And so you can see the basic logic there.

What that does is cause problems with things like serotonin because TNT act as precursors for serotonin, which of course is in a precursor for melatonin and various catecholamines. So this could be contributing to the TBI induced sleep problems. And so you can see the basic logic there.

The current evidence does suggest that actually sleep is not compromised with BCAAs, but actually even potentially improved. I know of actually a study coming to mind right now that looked at 30 grams of BCAAs administered twice per day. found it actually improved insomnia and other latency-related issues. This study, I think, was in veterans with chronic TBI.

The current evidence does suggest that actually sleep is not compromised with BCAAs, but actually even potentially improved. I know of actually a study coming to mind right now that looked at 30 grams of BCAAs administered twice per day. found it actually improved insomnia and other latency-related issues. This study, I think, was in veterans with chronic TBI.

And so we know some about the mechanisms that I just outlined. It has a potential to be influencing some of our sleep-related problems, and it seems to be causing a positive and beneficial effect for sleep, which is a huge concern and one of the biggest symptoms associated with a brain injury. The SOE on BCAAs is surprisingly a 2. Remember, 1 is best, 5 is worst on this scoring.

And so we know some about the mechanisms that I just outlined. It has a potential to be influencing some of our sleep-related problems, and it seems to be causing a positive and beneficial effect for sleep, which is a huge concern and one of the biggest symptoms associated with a brain injury. The SOE on BCAAs is surprisingly a 2. Remember, 1 is best, 5 is worst on this scoring.

So the data are actually pretty strong here. It is pretty clear that it works as much as we can define work. There is extensive evidence in post-impact for both mild and severe TBIs. The benefits range from cognitive deficits, so reductions in cognitive deficits,

So the data are actually pretty strong here. It is pretty clear that it works as much as we can define work. There is extensive evidence in post-impact for both mild and severe TBIs. The benefits range from cognitive deficits, so reductions in cognitive deficits,