BCAAS

[boostinu13]

Hey guys looking at these 3 products

Looks like Dymatize elite is the best hands down. It contains high amount of everything including 2.5g of glutamine. I am just wondering am I missing something when looking at these?

MusclePharm BCAA $43 approx

L-Leucine 3000mg

L-Valine 2000mg

L-Isoleucine 1000mg

Dymatize elite recoup $45 approx

L-Leucine 3600mg

L-Valine 1800mg

L-Isoleucine 1800mg

L-Glutamine 2500mg

Citrulline Malate & Hydrogen citrate 1000mg

Gaspari Nutriton BCAA 6000 $47 approx

L-Leucine 4000mg

L-Valine 1000mg

L-Isoleucine 1000mg

[Ninja]

You can get all of those BCAA's from your regular diet, why are you buying a pot of them?

Not trying to be a dick just asking if your fasting, cant eat certain foods, or are you a vegetarian etc?

If not your wasting $45

Here are the amino acid profiles of beef, chicken and fish

[boostinu13]

I understand and I do realize you can from your diet. I just need to top my diet up at this stage due to certain things that are causing it to turn into rubbish and not eating a few foods.

[trainlikeafreak]

Xtend from scivation is pretty good and tastes really nice. i recommend watermelon flavour.

if u get the large tub itll last u ages.

[Ninja]

I understand and I do realize you can from your diet. I just need to top my diet up at this stage due to certain things that are causing it to turn into rubbish and not eating a few foods.

Fair enough

[michaelk]

Get an 8:1:1 Ratio amino drink for best results.

I've been getting great recovery results with BCAA supplementation, both post and intra workout. Nice not hurting for days, I wish the amino technology that is around now was available back when I started.

Yes everything can be achieved if you eat enough, its just a case of time and fitting it into lifestyle (general rule of thumb is the customer will walk in at the sound of the microwave beep and immediately upon the food dropping to an inedible temperature) and speed of digestion (can't rapidly assimilate beef straight after a workout), or if your on the road and seeing multiple clients, then the food will spill on your shirt before the first visit, but only on days you don't have a spare.

[Deez]

xtend is awesome! taste10/10. I had Aminolast from gaspari and now using BCAA from inner armour. Only reason I take it is because I fast. Purely an insurance policy. If i didn't train fasted, I wouldn't take it.

[Android]

Get an 8:1:1 Ratio amino drink for best results.

I've been getting great recovery results with BCAA supplementation, both post and intra workout. Nice not hurting for days, I wish the amino technology that is around now was available back when I started.

Yes everything can be achieved if you eat enough, its just a case of time and fitting it into lifestyle (general rule of thumb is the customer will walk in at the sound of the microwave beep and immediately upon the food dropping to an inedible temperature) and speed of digestion (can't rapidly assimilate beef straight after a workout), or if your on the road and seeing multiple clients, then the food will spill on your shirt before the first visit, but only on days you don't have a spare.

repped

L-Leucine is responsible for triggering muscle protein synthesis.

The whole point of protein shakes was to get aminos into your body fast in the first place!

And i believe by ingesting amino acids your body can assimilate nutrients "as if" there was an insulin spike, without actually using sugars, kinda cool (except protein shakes just becos they have amino acids in their profile, does not do this)

But now they've found the trigger to protein synthesis, L-Leucine.

So the 8:1:1 ratio is probably the best value for results nowadays.

Anyone says BCAAs are a waste of money...good luck to them must be great spending every day meticulously reading and eating food that matches the profile of nutrients they've calculated they need for maximum growth. as michaelk has said, lifestyle dictates choices.

Of course, if you don't believe in meal timings then scoffing BCAAAs becos you missed a meal is irrelevant

good luck :-)

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne39.htm

[Daz69]

Hey Android.. I am I correct in stating, Consumption of a meal high in carbohydrates & BCAA has a particularly dramatic effect because both glucose from the carbs & BCAA (especially Leucine) increase insulin secretion. Insulin facilitates the transport of BCAA into muscle cells therefore stimulating protein synthesis... Hence the need for BCAA & a high GI carb source post exercise..

[Android]

Hey Android.. I am I correct in stating, Consumption of a meal high in carbohydrates & BCAA has a particularly dramatic effect because both glucose from the carbs & BCAA (especially Leucine) increase insulin secretion. Insulin facilitates the transport of BCAA into muscle cells therefore stimulating protein synthesis... Hence the need for BCAA & a high GI carb source post exercise..

got to right Daz :pfft:

The only purpose for taking slin is for the insulin spike, a sugar spike of your own insulin secretion is ... insulin.

I think PWO shakes should have protein, simple carbs and if you can...Creatine, BCAAs, and Glutamine

[Gain results]

Hey Android.. I am I correct in stating, Consumption of a meal high in carbohydrates & BCAA has a particularly dramatic effect because both glucose from the carbs & BCAA (especially Leucine) increase insulin secretion. Insulin facilitates the transport of BCAA into muscle cells therefore stimulating protein synthesis... Hence the need for BCAA & a high GI carb source post exercise..

Yup I agree with android :clap:

[jimmybro1]

Xtend from scivation is pretty good and tastes really nice. i recommend watermelon flavour.

if u get the large tub itll last u ages.

Green apple!

[denzil]

Xtend from scivation is pretty good and tastes really nice. i recommend watermelon flavour.

if u get the large tub itll last u ages.

Green apple!

GREEN APPLE deff for the win! love this stuff, tastes like spar letta cream soda (saffas wil knw wat im on lol) can drink this all day lol

[Diab0lic]

While there is science behind using BCAAs I just don't think it's cost effective. Just take a scoop of WPI, will do just as much good as the BCAAs but will definitely do a better job at preventing wallet catabolism

A good WPI often has a larger amount of BCAAs per serving than a BCAA product, just sayin...

[Phedder]

While there is science behind using BCAAs I just don't think it's cost effective. Just take a scoop of WPI, will do just as much good as the BCAAs but will definitely do a better job at preventing wallet catabolism

A good WPI often has a larger amount of BCAAs per serving than a BCAA product, just sayin...

I agree it's not very cost effective, but I'm also on the Green Apple Xtend band wagon and I'd happily drink that just for flavour. I drink 1 scoop through training and usually put 1 scoop in my drink bottle I take to work, absolutely delicious. Much better for you and more cost effective than buying a diet coke or something when you get sick of plain water too.

I think of it as 50% cost for the BCAAs, 50% cost for flavour. That's how I can justify the expenditure in my head

[BeastBuilder]

Instead of Xtend am in on the Green Apple Amino X by BSN.

Tastes awesome. I have it post workout to tide me over to either when I have my Mass Gainer or when I have my Post Workout meal, depending on what I'm feeling. Haven't had Mass Gainer in a few weeks, got a bag sitting at home waiting for me but will save this till after comp :wink:

Started having Post Workout after listening to a few of George Farah's ideas on nutrition.

[Riccardo]

+1 on the bsn product and the wpi. Amino supplementation 7-10g of bcaa prior to training augments protein synthesis. A mixture of Essential aminos is more effective than a leucine only equivalent possibly due to insulin. The effect of Insulin around training is a controversial one and I never really bought into the whole insulin spike thing as physiological levels of insulin are more anti catabolic than they are anabolic. The effect of cortisol post workout throws another spanner into the mix also. I have a mate who does research in this exact area so will ask him what he thinks.

[dom]

is there any extra benefits in taking the brand names such as the xtends and aminoX etc rather than say nutratechs version? not fussed on flavouring and being a student the price difference is a major consideration

[jimmybro1]

+1 on the bsn product and the wpi. Amino supplementation 7-10g of bcaa prior to training augments protein synthesis. A mixture of Essential aminos is more effective than a leucine only equivalent possibly due to insulin. The effect of Insulin around training is a controversial one and I never really bought into the whole insulin spike thing as physiological levels of insulin are more anti catabolic than they are anabolic. The effect of cortisol post workout throws another spanner into the mix also. I have a mate who does research in this exact area so will ask him what he thinks.

Agreed an insulin spike isn't necessarily a good thing as raises cortisone.

Why do things have to be so complicated though, just have a meal post-workout in the long run is it really going to make a significant difference. As long as your getting the nutrients your body needs.

[jimmybro1]

is there any extra benefits in taking the brand names such as the xtends and aminoX etc rather than say nutratechs version? not fussed on flavouring and being a student the price difference is a major consideration

The unflavored BCAAs are extremely bitter, if you can stomach it, its the cheap option. Also doesn't mix well, pretty insoluble in water.

[Bigger]

I didn't think BCAA's did much until I started eating them by the handful. I was eating good protein, but 7-8 BCAA caps with each meal and in between each meal definitely gives your body everything it needs, don't care what science says, it works. How do we know that everyone has the same digestive ability to absorb BCAA's from food?. If you're naturally slim then you've probably got less ability than a front row forward.

I read all the reviews on supplementreviews.com and AST 4500 seemed to have the best reviews and a heap of them. I get them from iherb. That's about 40-50 a day, and works out at about $4.62/day, cheap. To me it's as important as protein powder.

[Riccardo]

When I mentioned cortisol I was more referring to its ability to modulate insulin sensitivity. acute raises in cortisol are actually a good thing. It's only chronically elevated levels that are bad for us. As for eating BCAAs with meals, yip that could be a good idea to boost the protein in your diet and ensure you're getting the most from each meal however having them in between meals as well is overkill. But hey it's not gonna harm you so go for it if you got the money to spend.

Btw you SHOULD care about what the science says, it's the reason anyone does anything. Your method of consuming them all day long is based on science as well! Albeit intuitive science rather than science based on evidence.

[Daz69]

+1 on the bsn product and the wpi. Amino supplementation 7-10g of bcaa prior to training augments protein synthesis. A mixture of Essential aminos is more effective than a leucine only equivalent possibly due to insulin. The effect of Insulin around training is a controversial one and I never really bought into the whole insulin spike thing as physiological levels of insulin are more anti catabolic than they are anabolic. The effect of cortisol post workout throws another spanner into the mix also. I have a mate who does research in this exact area so will ask him what he thinks.

Hey Riccardo a couple of questions if I may.?

Are BCAA best taken prior to, or post training..?

Regards raised insulin post training, if it is anti-catabolic isn't that in a way beneficial..?

Won't it be preventing muscle protein breakdown? Whilst BCAA are stimulating protein synthesis..?

[Riccardo]

Hi Daz,

I would recommend taking BCAAs just prior to workout or during the workout itself because they are fast acting. But anytime around your workout is going to be beneficial. They augment the muscle protein synthesis induced by resistance training.

As for insulin spiking, firstly muscle protein breakdown is only very slightly elevated post workout, it actually increases much more for several hours after training. Therefore it's not so much what you consume immediately following your workout but in the following hours/day, that's to say, if you are eating properly for the rest of the day, then protein breakdown shouldn't be an issue. Furthermore, net protein accretion is what we are concerned with, that's protein synthesis minus protein breakdown. Its been found that a mixed protein/carbohydrate meal helps net protein balance more via an elevation in protein synthesis than a reduction in protein breakdown and that this happens regardless of insulin concentration (remember insulin is more anti-catabolic than anabolic).

Now if you are training fasted, it may be a different story because insulin signalling will be reduced prior to training. however GH will also be elevated so who knows, this may offset the lack of insulin?

In the grand scheme of things, all this tinkering with peri-workout nutrition probably isn't going to make or break you. Do what you can and try to down some BCAAs before training but if you don't it's no biggie. I suspect it isn't going to have much of an effect on body composition at the end of the day anyway.

[Pseudonym]

Now if you are training fasted, it may be a different story because insulin signalling will be reduced prior to training. however GH will also be elevated so who knows, this may offset the lack of insulin?

Being on Intermittent Fasting at the moment, most of my workouts are done after an 18 hour fast. I find it makes me extremely insulin sensitive (or so I'm guessing). Put some sugar in my post-workout meal, and suddenly I can feel my pulse pumping harder. It also seems like I get leaner when I keep my carbs to within a couple of hours post-workout (but maybe I'm just eating more when I spread them out further).

Not sure whether this supports or contradicts your argument, Riccardo, but I thought I'd throw in my two cents and see what you make of it.