In a word is it worth taking BCAA?

[GGHT]

Yes or no, specify why if you wish.

[armz_ha]

Yes or no, specify why if you wish.

Imo yes, ONLY if you're having trouble fitting in lots of protein...

[GGHT]

Imo yes, ONLY if you're having trouble fitting in lots of protein...

Thanks buddy. reps

[Dimitar]

Yes, pre-workout only. Take 20% of your body weight in grams. So if you are 200lbs, take 40g and see if you like it. I do.

[GGHT]

Yes, pre-workout only. Take 20% of your body weight in grams. So if you are 200lbs, take 40g and see if you like it. I do.

I heard it helps with recovery time?

[Complete Muscle]

Imo yes, ONLY if you're having trouble fitting in lots of protein...

agreed, especially when cutting

[Dimitar]

I heard it helps with recovery time?

Yes, and keeps me going in the gym, as it spares the BCAA in the muscles as a source of energy when needed.

[Mavs]

Yes, most definately...Next to a multi-vitamin and protein, the most valuable supp, IMO.

[gymratluke]

Hell ya its worth it. Its pretty cheap and i believe it works. I take it before and after work outs and just once on off days.

[JustBrowsin]

yes. its been proven to aid in protein synthesis and decrease catabolism. Great cutting supplement IMO. To the poster up top, you sure about those doses? 40g is a helluva lot of BCAA

[AllProStatus]

Imo yes, ONLY if you're having trouble fitting in lots of protein...

I agree with the above. I use them throughout the day and they have helped me a lot. These are staples in my diet.

[GGHT]

Damn looks like i'll be getting some....reps for all those who helped, if I don't I will when recharged.
Are they expensive?

[97S281_27]

To the poster up top, you sure about those doses? 40g is a helluva lot of BCAA

I was wondering about that also??? 40 grams of BCAA's is quite a bit.

[timers]

haha, 40 grams. Thats 40 capsules for me.

Thats WAY too much.

my bottle says take 1-3 capsules, 1000 mg daily.


40 x that is insane.

[Dimitar]

I was wondering about that also??? 40 grams of BCAA's is quite a bit.

To you and to the person above...

I read those instructions in a ebook some time ago, written by a guy who totally dismissed BCAA until he used them in the quantity stated pre-workout and was happy with the results. Moreover, this is the recommended dosage of Xtreme Formulations ICE, which is a BCAA product with some Glutamine:

Suggested Use: Mix ICE in cold water with a shaker bottle for best results split dose and consume before and during your workout. Optimal dosage is determined by bodyweight, lean body mass to be more specific. Determine bodyfat percentage and subtract your fat mass from your total body mass. The figure you are left with is you LBM (lean body mass). For example a 220 pound athlete with 10% bodyfat would be carrying 22 pounds of fat mass, so this athlete's LBM calculates out to 198 pounds. Now take your LBM and multiple that figure by 0.2, in this example the new figure which is used for dosage is 39.6. Each scoop of ICE provides 5 grams of product, so in this case the athlete would mix approximately 8 scoops of product in cold water. For optimal results do not use less than half of this dose. Liquid amounts can vary but a good starting point is to use 2 ounces of water per scoop (5 g) of ICE.

I can't handle the taste anymore so I take at most half the recommended dosage for my weight. Still, the results are noticeable unlike any of the other things I have tried. Again, I'm speaking from experience. Also, I use BCAA only on workout days.


P.S. I consider buying some gelatin capsules for ICE since it's way too overflavored and getting back to the intial dosage. I won't regret it for sure, but next time will buy some bulk BCAA.

[Complete Muscle]

ICE is approx 30% glutamine (with BCAA's), so 40g ICE would be around 28g BCAA's and 12g glutamine. That still sounds like a lot. Wouldn't a good whey protein shake accomplish basically the same thing?

[j_neatherlin]

yes

[Dimitar]

ICE is approx 30% glutamine (with BCAA's), so 40g ICE would be around 28g BCAA's and 12g glutamine. That still sounds like a lot. Wouldn't a good whey protein shake accomplish basically the same thing?

Correct, ICE has 2.77g of Glutamine in 10g.

ON Whey is about 23% BCAA. That means you would need to ingest about 5 servings to get the same amount. If I eat anything even within an hour of working out I would get sick and won't finish my workout. I know many people are not like that, but taking a 100+ grams of protein seems more excessive to me.

Any other feedback from users?

[gottiCN]

im not new to supplements or anything...ive taken my fair share but what is bcaa??? ive never heard of it

[GGHT]

im not new to supplements or anything...ive taken my fair share but what is bcaa??? ive never heard of it

Branch Chain Amino Acids

There have been a lot of threads about it, im reading up also.

[Dimitar]

im not new to supplements or anything...ive taken my fair share but what is bcaa??? ive never heard of it

BCAA = Branch-Chained Amino Acids

When muscles run out of energy during a workout, for example, the body burns them for energy. You can make your own conclusion about their supplementation from here.

[gottiCN]

oh no ****...another supplement i will probably end up taking...i take it this is used in pre-workout?

[sowle2themax]

im not new to supplements or anything...ive taken my fair share but what is bcaa??? ive never heard of it

branch chain amino acids
i just use my ON, whey when i wake up pre workout and after workout, and with milk at night time
gives me a nice supply throughout the day
but yes they are worth it, but would i just buy a tub of bcass no

[Complete Muscle]

If your body has adequate carbs would you still use BCAA's for fuel? I should have said whey/carb shake in my earlier post.

[Dimitar]

The first 5 passages are quite informative

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/inmag12.htm

edit: page 4 is quite good as well, I just realized I knew most of it but never saw it all in one article

edit II: note that they say glycogen (energy stored) and not blood sugar levels (energy in the system). Someone somewhere said that it does not matter what you ate before working out but what you ate the day before. I completely agree. Once you replenish the glycogen stores in the liver and the muscles (starting with your post-workout shake), you will have the same energy even without your carb shake, of course up to the point you deplete those stores. Then you use the BCAA's to keep going. Again, that's how I feel it. It may be different for different people.

[Complete Muscle]

Interesting read Dimitar! I will be trying this out soon...

[Sixpack]

Yes for sure

[FreeBirdbulker]

I think it would be valuable to stack some BCAA's with a simple Amino Acid mixture too. BCAA's are not the only aminos burned during exercise for energy. There are about 3-4 others.

For instance
Dymatize 4800 is $20.95
Optimum BCAA Powder is $23.95

That would last you about 2-4 months depending on how much you took.

[cute_monster]

so wht's best to take before cardio to prevent catabolism,a protein shake or bcaa?

[Sixpack]

I like ICE by Xtreme Formulations or Xtend by Scivation yes take them pre, during and for sure afterwards of all your workouts. Also inbetween meals if you wish. I do cardio practically on an empty stomach besides a scoop of whey and a serving of BCAA to prevent muscle loss. The results have been great