Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

[TheStig]

Just wanted to save all of you out there a few bucks who supplement with BCAAs, with the expectation of more gains from them.

This video hits the nail on the head (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mdJOgbdlV4), and it's exactly what I've thought myself all along, albeit more detailed.

BCAAs are simply building blocks of protein, therefore protein will surely contain BCAAs. As IceCreamFitness says in this video, protein contains 20-25% BCAAs already. He goes on to explain that even if one would consume less protein than 1g/1b bodyweight, they could still get the amount of amino acids that are necessary to facilitate muscle growth. The only situation where consuming a BCAA supplement would be effective, would be for a vegan who takes in very, very little protein.

Moral of the story: 99% of the population does not need BCAA supplements. Just putting that out there.

Edit: his math was a bit off in the link I posted, here is his correction (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KddKF8YGyto). No big deal, the point still stands.

 

[ebracer05]

I know that you guys don't think these are worth the money... maybe they aren't, but I feel like I have benefited from their use.

See, one thing people miss is that when you eat something like eggs that does contain BCAA's, your body is limited in how quickly it can liberate and absorb the BCAA's according to how quickly it can catabolize the protein. When you take free form BCAA's, you don't have that issue and you are probably getting more of them and in a different ratio than you would from whole foods alone. This isn't an insignificant point. It's equivalent to the difference of a slow release 30mg Adderall capsule that releases slowly throughout the day vs taking a 30mg instant release tablet... 2 very different things!

You will not get the same results from eating foods with BCAA's in them vs. taking them in sufficient quantities in free form. It will trigger a much different biological response.

 

[DanZy]

BCAAs require a massive dosage, like 30 grams, to actually help. You'd burn through the powder so stupidly quickly dosing like that and the results would be minimal at best

 

[Colossus]

I know that you guys don't think these are worth the money... maybe they aren't, but I feel like I have benefited from their use.

See, one thing people miss is that when you eat something like eggs that does contain BCAA's, your body is limited in how quickly it can liberate and absorb the BCAA's according to how quickly it can catabolize the protein. When you take free form BCAA's, you don't have that issue and you are probably getting more of them and in a different ratio than you would from whole foods alone. This isn't an insignificant point. It's equivalent to the difference of a slow release 30mg Adderall capsule that releases slowly throughout the day vs taking a 30mg instant release tablet... 2 very different things!

You will not get the same results from eating foods with BCAA's in them vs. taking them in sufficient quantities in free form. It will trigger a much different biological response.

I agree. Another point to consider is that you arent necessarily getting the full spectrum of BCAAs from your protein powder, or your diet. BCAAs supplements (good ones) will "stack" the proven anabolic AAs (like leucine and glutamine) at much higher concentrations than others like valine, isoleucine, etc.

I take Xtend (no, not the boner pills), which I feel is one of the better BCAA supplements on the market. I just take it intra-workout or as a refreshing cold drink on my days off.