BCAA's.... How do you feel about them?

i only take them if i work out (cardio only) 1st thing in the morning in a fasted state... i can't eat before doing cardio because it makes me sick, so taking the BCAAs helps spare muscle mass. if I am lifting or doing cardio later in the day i don't supplement anything.

I take them through out the day but not as a supplement. I find if I add a little of the powder to my water it helps me get my water in. If I don't do a weight day or Insanity I don't take any.

I take BCAA's intra-workout, and the protein powder I make my shake with post-workout has additional BCAA's (specifically 3.2g leucine, which research has shown is the upper limits required for optimal muscle protein synthesis). While I don't believe in nutrient timing or meal timing, studies have shown that while ingesting BCAA's intra-workout will not eliminate muscle protein breakdown (nor would we want it to), it can help to limit muscle protein breakdown and keep MPB above basal levels. Also, ingesting BCAA intra-workout has been studied to have a sparing effect on muscle glycogen degradation.

Post workout, ingesting BCAA (again, specifically 3.2g leucine) has been studied to have anabolic effects on protein metabolism by increasing the rate of muscle protein synthesis and decreasing protein degradation (and no, I don't believe in a 30 minute anabolic window, just get your protein in whenever you can).

Bottom line. My goals are to build muscle mass, and if BCAA's have been studied to have an anabolic and sparing effect on protein and glycogen, I'll trust the studies unless my experience proves otherwise. Plus, I don't like to drink plain water during training, and the green apple BCAA powder I mix with a sugar-free lemonade packet tastes AWESOME!! haha.

I use them on my workout days (don't bother on a rest day). On days I lift I take them after lifting before Cardio - on Cardio only days I take them after cardio