Optimum nutritions bcaa 5000 powder provides a 5000 mg blend of the three branched chain amino acids l valine l leucine and l isoleucine in every serving the branched chain amino acids bcaas so named because of their unique branched chemical structure are essential in that the body cannot make them from other compounds in recent times these amino acids have been investigated for their potential anticatabolic preventing muscle breakdown and anabolic muscle building effects 5000 m