BCAA Dose and Timing

[ebracer05]

I've been reading about this lately and was wondering what you guys recommend.

Right now I don't take a whole lot... 5g upon waking and 5g intraworkout and 3g with meals. I have been planning to take 5g leucine with my meals but I just haven't established that habit yet.

I have been reading about guys saying they get very good results taking 5-10g pre, 10-20g intra, and 5-10g post workout. That is a lot more than I'm using... Apparently according to my weight, I should be consuming roughly 40g per day.

What are your opinions on this? I will be doing some more research on this and will report back, but I'm especially curious if anyone can speak from their personal experience.

 

[Purefilth]

At your stage - i think these are unneccessary TBH.

I even think theyre unneccessary for me too.

 

[TheStig]

The only amino acid I take is beta alanine, but that's more as a pre workout for the endurance it gives. It prevents lactic acid buildup, prolonging failure.

 

[ebracer05]

Why do you say they are unnecessary Purefilth? Because they don't work, or because the benefit they would provide is not significant at this stage of the game?

 

[TheStig]

Since you're just starting out, you'll make good gains regardless of which supplements you take. Supplements will only make a noticeable difference once you have a good amount of experience under your belt, and the gains start coming slower. This is excluding protein and creatine though, those are bread and butter, protein being more important than creatine. Creatine is more optional. If you get a good whey protein isolate, you'll be getting a full profile of BCAAs, as they are the building blocks of protein.

 

[ebracer05]

I'm actually not just starting out... I was out for 9 months due to a combination of laziness and a surgery. Prior to that, I had a lifting history of at least 3 years. I wish I had known what I was doing back then, because I'd sure be a lot further ahead now!!

 

[DanZy]

BCAAs can be helpful but won't really do anything dramatic, also your dosage is going to have to be huge (a minimum of 30g) for any effects. Also, they're mad expensive so I wouldn't reccomend it.

Ultimately supps are not mandatory, most are useless anyway. Protein powders just help you hit your macros easily and creatine is the only supp that lives up to the hype.

 

[TheStig]

I'm actually not just starting out... I was out for 9 months due to a combination of laziness and a surgery. Prior to that, I had a lifting history of at least 3 years. I wish I had known what I was doing back then, because I'd sure be a lot further ahead now!!

Oh ok..I still stand by what I said though. Get back up to the highest point you were at, and then you'll see more of a difference BCAAs might make. Or not. Up to you. I've never taken BCAAs because I've heard the benefits are marginal, and like danzy said, they're expensive. I'm not saying they aren't good, they just aren't going to bring you great gains like creatine can and probably will. Like I said, if you take a good protein, you're already getting a good amino acid profile. I'm no expert though, you can do what you want.