High BCAAs Plus High Fat Diet Equals Insulin Resistance Risk

We know that insulin resistance is a condition that isoccurred in animals with a diet high in the
a precursor to diabetes, but we’re still filling inbranched-chain amino acids, but only if they were
the pieces as to the blood chemistry of those obeseingested along with a high level of fat in the diet.
people who actually develop insulin resistance.  One Because obese humans tend to ingest high-fat
recent study out of Duke has found that thesediets, the combination of high-BCAA and high-fat
obese people have been found to hold onto proteinsintake might contribute to insulin resistance in obese
called branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which arehumans. BCAAs comprise as much as 25 % of amino
found in high levels in meat products, at far higheracids in dietary protein, and are particularly enriched in
levels than non-obese people and there’s adiets high in animal (meat) proteins.
suspicion that these amino acids, in combination withSo what do we do with all of this great information?
a high-fat diet, may be contributing to insulin Well, the animal data suggest that there is nothing
resistance.  The team found that the BCAAwrong with obtaining protein from sources that are
signature in obese humans consisted of thehigh in branched-chain amino acids, as long as you are
branched-chain amino acids plus a cluster of severalnot eating beyond what your energy needs are,
products related to the body's breakdown processesmeaning, if you add a lot of unneeded protein to a
for BCAA.fatty diet, perhaps that's where you get into
Apparently this overload causes changes at theproblems.  So either you burn up the fat and use
cellular level that can lead to insulin resistance; thethe protein for muscle building in the gym, or follow
scientists found specifically that insulin resistancethe old rule of thumb:  eat everything in moderation.