Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)

The association is established; acting on it is not advised

44 positions in the genome linked to how much the branched-chain amino acids is in the blood. They explain part of why levels differ between people; they do not say what to take.

What this supplement connects to

What this page holds

44 positions in the genome that published studies have linked to how much the branched-chain amino acids is in the blood, from 7 studies. The genes named most often: BCAT2, ABCG2, HNF4G, PRODH, PMFBP1, MAPK10.

What it means, and what it does not

These positions explain part of why two people eating the same food can have different the branched-chain amino acids levels. They do not say whether anyone should take Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), or how much. A blood level is measured by a test, and no guideline sets a dose from a gene result.

This is for learning, not medical advice. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement, especially alongside other medicines.

Sources

Papers, with their authors

A genetic map of human metabolism across the allele frequency spectrum

Zoodsma M, Beuchel C, Yasmeen S, Kohleick L, Nepal A, Koprulu M, Kronenberg F, Mayr M, Williamson A, Pietzner M, Langenberg C

Nature genetics · 2025 · PMID 41044249 · open access

Unravelling genetic architecture of circulatory amino acid levels, and their effect on risk of complex disorders

Abar L, Zuber V, Otto GW, Tzoulaki I, Dehghan A

NAR genomics and bioinformatics · 2024 · PMID 38711861 · open access

Characterising metabolomic signatures of lipid-modifying therapies through drug target mendelian randomisation

Richardson TG, Leyden GM, Wang Q, Bell JA, Elsworth B, Davey Smith G, Holmes MV

PLoS biology · 2022 · PMID 35213538 · open access

Decreased Circulating Very Small Low-Density Lipoprotein is Likely Causal for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Farashi S, Bonelli R, Jackson VE, Ansell BRE, Guymer RH, Bahlo M

Ophthalmology science · 2024 · PMID 39091897 · open access

Genome-wide characterization of circulating metabolic biomarkers

Karjalainen MK, Karthikeyan S, Oliver-Williams C, Sliz E, Allara E, Fung WT, Surendran P, Zhang W, Jousilahti P, Kristiansson K, Salomaa V, Goodwin M

and 75 more — show all

Hughes DA, Boehnke M, Fernandes Silva L, Yin X, Mahajan A, Neville MJ, van Zuydam NR, de Mutsert R, Li-Gao R, Mook-Kanamori DO, Demirkan A, Liu J, Noordam R, Trompet S, Chen Z, Kartsonaki C, Li L, Lin K, Hagenbeek FA, Hottenga JJ, Pool R, Ikram MA, van Meurs J, Haller T, Milaneschi Y, Kähönen M, Mishra PP, Joshi PK, Macdonald-Dunlop E, Mangino M, Zierer J, Acar IE, Hoyng CB, Lechanteur YTE, Franke L, Kurilshikov A, Zhernakova A, Beekman M, van den Akker EB, Kolcic I, Polasek O, Rudan I, Gieger C, Waldenberger M, Asselbergs FW, Hayward C, Fu J, den Hollander AI, Menni C, Spector TD, Wilson JF, Lehtimäki T, Raitakari OT, Penninx BWJH, Esko T, Walters RG, Jukema JW, Sattar N, Ghanbari M, Willems van Dijk K, Karpe F, McCarthy MI, Laakso M, Järvelin MR, Timpson NJ, Perola M, Kooner JS, Chambers JC, van Duijn C, Slagboom PE, Boomsma DI, Danesh J, Ala-Korpela M, Butterworth AS, Kettunen J

China Kadoorie Biobank Collaborative Group · Estonian Biobank Research Team · FinnGen

Nature · 2024 · PMID 38448586 · open access

Official information

How much to take, what too much does and what it interacts with — the questions a gene does not answer — are on the government pages below.

Questions about Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)

What is Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)?

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) is sold as a dietary supplement (amino acid). This page lists the 44 positions in the genome that research has linked to its blood level.

Do my genes decide my the branched-chain amino acids level?

Partly. 44 positions from 7 studies are linked to it, each with a small effect; diet, health and medicines matter too. A blood test measures the level itself.

Should I take Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) because of a gene result?

No guideline sets a supplement or a dose from these positions. Decide with a doctor or pharmacist, from a measured level where one is relevant.

Quoting this page

Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0: free to read, share and adapt for non-commercial use, naming MyGeneLog™ and linking the exact page. Commercial use, including training or serving a commercial AI system, needs a licence — https://www.mygenelog.com/license

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). MyGeneLog™. https://www.mygenelog.com/supplements/bcaa

Nothing on this page recommends taking anything. If a result here matters to you, take it to a doctor or a pharmacist rather than to a shop.