your opinion on BCAA, protein powder,HMB, A acids:

[Dave2003]

my opinion :
before considering their efficiency, let's assume training is adequate (no overtraining!), you get 3 good meals a day with 30-60gr protein per meal, you take some vitamins (the B vitamins for instance help assimilate protein), drink enough (!) and rest enough.
supplements are imho an aid on top of a good natural feeding program or sometimes to compensate for a missed meal.

BCAA:
used them in the past, after a few days, I could feel a better stamina and pump during workouts. I will do them again but I would prefer the powder version from Optimum for instance. I don't think all these caps are good
pre workout and especially post workout for me.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/inmag13.htm
some glutamine seems to work too to fight catabolism and increase GH production. some before training and some at bedtime can help.

PROTEIN POWDER:
there's much controversy about whey or casein etc. my opinion is: take 3-4 x30gr per day, with juice-water (avoid milk when you're above 30, black people also can't digest it well as they miss the lactase enzyme). Soy protein is cool too, one day can't hurt, perhaps mixed with a glass of liquid vanilla soja.
So, one glass upon waking up, one in the 30' following the workout (then a meal), one in the afternoon, one at bedtime.

AMINO ACIDS (tabs, caps):
It's good to take some during the day with water or 1/4 juice-3/4 water. perhaps 2 x 5 tabs a day (an exemple).

don't forget to drink enough water per day.

HMB:
never used it but it seems from what I read that it's one of those supplements working too. I'm curious to experiment it this summer.

a digestive enzyme or two per day won't hurt either.

positive but not excessive nitrogen balance is the key.

what do you think ?