Do you use BCAAs ?
Options
Karliemyalgia
Posts: 146 Member
Just been doing some poking around the internet about BCAA's (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) and was curious how many people out there use them? Which kind do you use and why?
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Replies
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When I was training up for marathons years ago, I was a fan of BCAAs and creatine for recovery. Not sure what the BCAA brand was though 🤷🏿♀️2
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I do some at different times. I only will use vegan BCAA. I take glutamine daily for digestive health and lean muscle preservation. I used to compete in figure and in marathons.
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BCAAs are largely ineffective. There is some evidence supporting recovery but you need something like 10g of BCAA daily. And all the benefits if BCAAs diminish if you are not a novice to exercise and/or consuming adequate protein.
I stopped taking then because they are pretty worthless. I do take a pre-workout, use protein powders and have L-Citrulline.
What are you looking to achieve with supplementation?7 -
I do some at different times. I only will use vegan BCAA. I take glutamine daily for digestive health and lean muscle preservation. I used to compete in figure and in marathons.
Glutamine doesn't preserve muscle. The only time it's been shown to help, is with trauma and burn victims.
You are much better off replacing both of those supplements with vegan whey protein and consuming higher quality proteins (ones containing higher levels of L-Luecine).6 -
I didn't use it for any type of professional training, but when I used it. I saw a difference in me toning up more rather than losing weight and muscle mass. The brand I got was from GNC.0
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I do some at different times. I only will use vegan BCAA. I take glutamine daily for digestive health and lean muscle preservation. I used to compete in figure and in marathons.
Glutamine doesn't preserve muscle. The only time it's been shown to help, is with trauma and burn victims.
You are much better off replacing both of those supplements with vegan whey protein and consuming higher quality proteins (ones containing higher levels of L-Luecine).
Glutamine works with glucose. ( see my refrences) so while it is not as simple as that statement it does have impact on muscle. I use vegan protein. I have digestive conditions, glutamine helps a lot. I use it for muscle preservation following workouts and in a..m. fasting. There are endless studies and theories. I go by how I feel. Glutamine DOES make me less sore.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266414/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S00852538154602602 -
I've never used it before. I haven't seen any indication or studies that make it worth it to me. I do supplement with whey protein as needed.5
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Here are some interesting studies
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266414/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4241904/1 -
I do some at different times. I only will use vegan BCAA. I take glutamine daily for digestive health and lean muscle preservation. I used to compete in figure and in marathons.
Glutamine doesn't preserve muscle. The only time it's been shown to help, is with trauma and burn victims.
You are much better off replacing both of those supplements with vegan whey protein and consuming higher quality proteins (ones containing higher levels of L-Luecine).
Glutamine works with glucose. ( see my refrences) so while it is not as simple as that statement it does have impact on muscle. I use vegan protein. I have digestive conditions, glutamine helps a lot. I use it for muscle preservation following workouts and in a..m. fasting. There are endless studies and theories. I go by how I feel. Glutamine DOES make me less sore.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266414/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0085253815460260
And here is the overarching evidence on glutamine.
I never said it didn't help digestive issues but it doesn't support muscle mass unless you have a muscle wasting condition.
https://examine.com/supplements/glutamine/
5 -
I will note that regardless of the evidence, if a person feels a supplement helps, than it can be pbeneficial.
In terms of supplement prioritization, without training context i would say
Whey
Creatine monohydrate
L-Citrulline
Vitamin d5 -
I will note that regardless of the evidence, if a person feels a supplement helps, than it can be pbeneficial.
In terms of supplement prioritization, without training context i would say
Whey
Creatine monohydrate
L-Citrulline
Vitamin d
I'm glad you mentioned this @psuLemon sometimes a certain flavour can just prime us for our workouts regardless of evidence. Like my candy (dextrose) preworkout. I've done workouts without and they just aren't the same. Or even a certain song can get us pumped. In the end I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing!1 -
I will note that regardless of the evidence, if a person feels a supplement helps, than it can be pbeneficial.
In terms of supplement prioritization, without training context i would say
Whey
Creatine monohydrate
L-Citrulline
Vitamin d
I do agree with this. Many people have results from whey and some people have digestive discomfort. Really its all much ddeeper than we are discussing.I do some at different times. I only will use vegan BCAA. I take glutamine daily for digestive health and lean muscle preservation. I used to compete in figure and in marathons.
Glutamine doesn't preserve muscle. The only time it's been shown to help, is with trauma and burn victims.
You are much better off replacing both of those supplements with vegan whey protein and consuming higher quality proteins (ones containing higher levels of L-Luecine).
Glutamine works with glucose. ( see my refrences) so while it is not as simple as that statement it does have impact on muscle. I use vegan protein. I have digestive conditions, glutamine helps a lot. I use it for muscle preservation following workouts and in a..m. fasting. There are endless studies and theories. I go by how I feel. Glutamine DOES make me less sore.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266414/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0085253815460260
And here is the overarching evidence on glutamine.
I never said it didn't help digestive issues but it doesn't support muscle mass unless you have a muscle wasting condition.
https://examine.com/supplements/glutamine/
Ok so maybe I should mention autoimmune disease and I have had rhabdomyolysis a few times which left me hospitalized. I was bed ridden for a week at least and went into shock the first time. That is muscle wasting,more accurately it is the accumulation of dead muscle tissue breakdown that becomes detrimental. It was from severe over training before I went to college for Kinesiology. I combined marathon training with figure.
Perhaps this is why I personally have great results with glutamine.
Whey. Pea and Vegan proteins all have benefits. Creatine , Vit D and citrulline = yes. I also use citrulline periodically before my woorkout.0 -
Does the person above disagree with @VegjoyP's autoimmune condition?
Anywhoooo...@Karliemyalgia since this thread has happily turned into a discussion of evidence-based medicine (although, in an interestingly passive-aggressive way), you may be interested in bookmarking SuppVersity which was made for your kind of question.
Be warned, while he does try to make it accessible to laypeople like you and me, he often goes mega-nerd with the graphs and stats. If you're into it, you're into it! If you're not into it so much, then he does a TLDR in navy blue near the bottom of most posts.
This blog has been around so long it may have been the reason I explored BCAAs in the first place years and years ago (and, fwiw, had an interesting relationship with the potential impact of leucine on my lifting.)
2 -
Does the person above disagree with @VegjoyP's autoimmune condition?
Anywhoooo...@Karliemyalgia since this thread has happily turned into a discussion of evidence-based medicine (although, in an interestingly passive-aggressive way), you may be interested in bookmarking SuppVersity which was made for your kind of question.
Be warned, while he does try to make it accessible to laypeople like you and me, he often goes mega-nerd with the graphs and stats. If you're into it, you're into it! If you're not into it so much, then he does a TLDR in navy blue near the bottom of most posts.
This blog has been around so long it may have been the reason I explored BCAAs in the first place years and years ago (and, fwiw, had an interesting relationship with the potential impact of leucine on my lifting.)
What interesting, that guy suggest reading the Examine.com Research Digest (ERD). The ERD is a premier supplement guidebook. It's the main reason I would always recommend examine.com.1 -
I will note that regardless of the evidence, if a person feels a supplement helps, than it can be pbeneficial.
In terms of supplement prioritization, without training context i would say
Whey
Creatine monohydrate
L-Citrulline
Vitamin d
I do agree with this. Many people have results from whey and some people have digestive discomfort. Really its all much ddeeper than we are discussing.I do some at different times. I only will use vegan BCAA. I take glutamine daily for digestive health and lean muscle preservation. I used to compete in figure and in marathons.
Glutamine doesn't preserve muscle. The only time it's been shown to help, is with trauma and burn victims.
You are much better off replacing both of those supplements with vegan whey protein and consuming higher quality proteins (ones containing higher levels of L-Luecine).
Glutamine works with glucose. ( see my refrences) so while it is not as simple as that statement it does have impact on muscle. I use vegan protein. I have digestive conditions, glutamine helps a lot. I use it for muscle preservation following workouts and in a..m. fasting. There are endless studies and theories. I go by how I feel. Glutamine DOES make me less sore.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266414/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0085253815460260
And here is the overarching evidence on glutamine.
I never said it didn't help digestive issues but it doesn't support muscle mass unless you have a muscle wasting condition.
https://examine.com/supplements/glutamine/
Ok so maybe I should mention autoimmune disease and I have had rhabdomyolysis a few times which left me hospitalized. I was bed ridden for a week at least and went into shock the first time. That is muscle wasting,more accurately it is the accumulation of dead muscle tissue breakdown that becomes detrimental. It was from severe over training before I went to college for Kinesiology. I combined marathon training with figure.
Perhaps this is why I personally have great results with glutamine.
Whey. Pea and Vegan proteins all have benefits. Creatine , Vit D and citrulline = yes. I also use citrulline periodically before my woorkout.
I am sorry you have had to deal with a lot of issues. I can sympathize as my wife has dealt with a magnitude of health issues, to include 8 surgeries over 8 years and an autonomic disorder (POTS). It's one of the reason why I got into researching supplementation a lot to see if there was a way to improve her medical condition (which interestingly enough, L-Citrulline has helped).
The bigger thing we need to know, is what is the OP expecting? How does her diet look (calories, macros, etc...)? What does her training look like? Does she time nutrients?3 -
I will note that regardless of the evidence, if a person feels a supplement helps, than it can be pbeneficial.
In terms of supplement prioritization, without training context i would say
Whey
Creatine monohydrate
L-Citrulline
Vitamin d
I do agree with this. Many people have results from whey and some people have digestive discomfort. Really its all much ddeeper than we are discussing.I do some at different times. I only will use vegan BCAA. I take glutamine daily for digestive health and lean muscle preservation. I used to compete in figure and in marathons.
Glutamine doesn't preserve muscle. The only time it's been shown to help, is with trauma and burn victims.
You are much better off replacing both of those supplements with vegan whey protein and consuming higher quality proteins (ones containing higher levels of L-Luecine).
Glutamine works with glucose. ( see my refrences) so while it is not as simple as that statement it does have impact on muscle. I use vegan protein. I have digestive conditions, glutamine helps a lot. I use it for muscle preservation following workouts and in a..m. fasting. There are endless studies and theories. I go by how I feel. Glutamine DOES make me less sore.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266414/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0085253815460260
And here is the overarching evidence on glutamine.
I never said it didn't help digestive issues but it doesn't support muscle mass unless you have a muscle wasting condition.
https://examine.com/supplements/glutamine/
Ok so maybe I should mention autoimmune disease and I have had rhabdomyolysis a few times which left me hospitalized. I was bed ridden for a week at least and went into shock the first time. That is muscle wasting,more accurately it is the accumulation of dead muscle tissue breakdown that becomes detrimental. It was from severe over training before I went to college for Kinesiology. I combined marathon training with figure.
Perhaps this is why I personally have great results with glutamine.
Whey. Pea and Vegan proteins all have benefits. Creatine , Vit D and citrulline = yes. I also use citrulline periodically before my woorkout.
I am sorry you have had to deal with a lot of issues. I can sympathize as my wife has dealt with a magnitude of health issues, to include 8 surgeries over 8 years and an autonomic disorder (POTS). It's one of the reason why I got into researching supplementation a lot to see if there was a way to improve her medical condition (which interestingly enough, L-Citrulline has helped).
The bigger thing we need to know, is what is the OP expecting? How does her diet look (calories, macros, etc...)? What does her training look like? Does she time nutrients?
Thank you for this. Sometimes I think why do I even post in forums because the reactions Iget sometimes are almost angered and many just do not have same experience or views. I would think there would be more support however I have not seen that. Thank you.
I have decided to stay out of forums except fun posts like" If it didnt have calories " I love the tracker and will ke ett p this positive.
I hope you, yourfamily and with your wife. Tell her she is never alone!1 -
Thank you everyone who responded, and @vegrachel78 @psuLemon I appreciate all the link drops to the studies I will be reading them.
I don't have any particular desires in mind and I am not a prudent nutrient timer or anything like that. I am also physically disabled so my workouts are extremely personalized and in water. I was just curious about BCAAs after hearing a bit about them in some fit chicks youtube video and was curious to know who has tried them and what their experience is like. It sounds like, while it may not do much, it doesn't harm you any either.
Anyway, thank you all for your input. Hope you all have a great night.1 -
Karliemyalgia wrote: »Thank you everyone who responded, and @vegrachel78 @psuLemon I appreciate all the link drops to the studies I will be reading them.
I don't have any particular desires in mind and I am not a prudent nutrient timer or anything like that. I am also physically disabled so my workouts are extremely personalized and in water. I was just curious about BCAAs after hearing a bit about them in some fit chicks youtube video and was curious to know who has tried them and what their experience is like. It sounds like, while it may not do much, it doesn't harm you any either.
Anyway, thank you all for your input. Hope you all have a great night.
Overall, emphasis should be not losing too fast, adequate protein and getting whole nutrient dense foods for a wide range of vitamins and minerals. If you invest in any supplement, make it a whey protein powder (if you tolerate dairy). There really isn't such a thing as too protein. In general, aiming for .8g-1g of lean body mass is ideal. But if you can't estimate that, than you can use goal weight.
And don't listen to fit chicks.1
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