BCAA and creatine

[Ericschoi]

Hi guys.
I'm just wondering what BCAA does to your body? I know it increases strength and work out duration. But is it beneficial to you guys too? I don't see much difference before and after. I take BCAA during work out usually after warm up cardio, before lifting. But I don't drink it one shot. Maybe three or four times through out the work out. Is it OK to do that? I also take creatine right after work out which is supposed to increase strength. Am I wasting it since BCAA increases strength anyway.
Oh I take a caffeine tablet as a pre-work out. It seems that it works with a little bit of side effect( feeling down the day after if you skip to take the tablet)
But in general, are caffeine, BCAA and creatine followed by whey protein good combination?

[aaronuconn]

BCAA's won't do much for strength. I'm only a fan of them pre-fasted training or just plain leucine between meals.

Creatine - take 3-5g whenever.

[socrates6666]

Hi guys.
I'm just wondering what BCAA does to your body? I know it increases strength and work out duration. But is it beneficial to you guys too? I don't see much difference before and after. I take BCAA during work out usually after warm up cardio, before lifting. But I don't drink it one shot. Maybe three or four times through out the work out. Is it OK to do that? I also take creatine right after work out which is supposed to increase strength. Am I wasting it since BCAA increases strength anyway.
Oh I take a caffeine tablet as a pre-work out. It seems that it works with a little bit of side effect( feeling down the day after if you skip to take the tablet)
But in general, are caffeine, BCAA and creatine followed by whey protein good combination?

I tend to take BCAA in the morning when I wake up, then again right before my workout, post workout I mix 10g I creatine with my protein, by not altering my diet and I been doing this for the last 2 weeks I have significantly increased m lifts by approx 5 to 10%

[terryo79]

There are some interesting studies done that show a positive connection between liver function and BCAA's.

"RECENT FINDINGS: There has been continued interest in the potential of oral BCAA supplements in improving energy metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, insulin resistance, severity of liver disease, serum albumin levels, quality of serum albumin, or postoperative complication rates. Unfortunately, many trials suffer from lacking or inadequate controls or small sample size. In a fine example of scientific perseverance, Dutch researchers uncovered the long-known phenomenon of ingested blood being highly comagenic in patients with cirrhosis to be due to the low biologic value of blood protein. The absence of isoleucine and the abundance of leucine in the hemoglobin molecule by way of BCAA antagonism leads to impaired protein synthesis and azotemia paving the way for hepatic encephalopathy."

[chadwr85]

There are some interesting studies done that show a positive connection between liver function and BCAA's.

"RECENT FINDINGS: There has been continued interest in the potential of oral BCAA supplements in improving energy metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, insulin resistance, severity of liver disease, serum albumin levels, quality of serum albumin, or postoperative complication rates. Unfortunately, many trials suffer from lacking or inadequate controls or small sample size. In a fine example of scientific perseverance, Dutch researchers uncovered the long-known phenomenon of ingested blood being highly comagenic in patients with cirrhosis to be due to the low biologic value of blood protein. The absence of isoleucine and the abundance of leucine in the hemoglobin molecule by way of BCAA antagonism leads to impaired protein synthesis and azotemia paving the way for hepatic encephalopathy."

You know in what you presented it seems BCAA's are beneficial but here's 2 problems
1. Who funded the study? Likely supplement companies because lets be honest, who really want's to know the effect BCAA's have on the body. So if a Supplement company funded it then disregard all the findings because that is clear bias.
2. Who was tested and were all variables scientifically sound? Did they give extra of many things to those who received BCAA's? Etc, etc.
Scientific studies on supplements should also be read with caution because supplement companies fund a majority of the research which creates favorable results for the companies. You have to read the whole study and see for yourself.

[chadwr85]

BCAA's aren't very useful. Just eat food, take protein if you desire, and take creatine.

[terryo79]

You know in what you presented it seems BCAA's are beneficial but here's 2 problems
1. Who funded the study? Likely supplement companies because lets be honest, who really want's to know the effect BCAA's have on the body. So if a Supplement company funded it then disregard all the findings because that is clear bias.
2. Who was tested and were all variables scientifically sound? Did they give extra of many things to those who received BCAA's? Etc, etc.
Scientific studies on supplements should also be read with caution because supplement companies fund a majority of the research which creates favorable results for the companies. You have to read the whole study and see for yourself.

About to hit the lights for the night. Tomorrow I will dredge up the rest of the articles info I found. I had enzymes in the 1000's from undiagnosed hep c and heavy drinking so I've been doing lots of research on supplements and liver effects, so far it seems that BCAA's are a plus for a hepatic liver from all I've found. Glutamine from what I can find is a no-no for a hepatic liver. And creatine doesn't seem to really have any impact on the liver at least not in my case.

[hercules455]

BCAAs are good for recovery and assisting with protein synthesis. I always use them during a cut.

[cumminslifter]

there are a TOOOOOOON of studies on BCAA's, do some research and decide on your own if you think you need them

[chadwr85]

Yeah I'm not saying BCAA's aren't beneficial, I'm just saying beware of the things I mentioned in a study.

[nugget5]

You can always look into something like CREmTOR, which will have creatine and BCAA with HICA added to the mix