what does 10g of amino acids mean?

RobertM2040

Hi!
Silly question, but what does it mean when a drink has "10 grams of BCAAs?"
Does that mean i get 10 grams of protein? If not, how do i use that information to supplement my diet?
thanks!

cajuntank

Yes, from a caloric standpoint (i.e... 1 gram of protein = 4 calories, so 10 grams of BCAA = 40 calories minimum). No, from a complete protein (that delivers all amino acids needed) standpoint that you will get from meat, dairy, and a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains.

As an edit...since this was mentioned and might be confusing due to the caloric labeling on the product. The FDA only considers proteins as having calories, not individual amino acids, so the manufacturer can get away with labeling as having 0 calories even though technically, it's still 10 grams of protein at 4 calories per gram.

MelissaPhippsFeagins

BCAAs are not complete proteins. However, your body will use them to make proteins if it needs them. Otherwise, you'll excrete them in your urine.
I don't know how many calories are in 10 grams of BCAAs. Email the manufacturer of your brand and ask if it's not on the label.

yarwell

http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/instantised-bcaa.html

"BCAAs are considered essential in that they are not produced by the body and must be obtained through our diet. If they are not present in our diet, we would be unable to survive. BCAAs comprise about 1/3 of the protein within our muscles and contribute to the growth of muscle mass. Furthermore, BCAA contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass.

BCAA can be found naturally in the diet; foods richest in Branched Chain Amino Acids are red meat and dairy products. BCAA are found in every protein-containing food."

Might be handy for veg*ns if their protein sources are weak on this.

stevencloser

That's about the amount in a regular old protein shake, just without all the other amino acids I guess.