BCAA yay or nay?

soba82
soba82 Posts: 13 Member
I remember seeing a post about the benefits of using BCAA during and post workout. Can't seem to find it now. But I recently started to use BCAA and really noticed a difference in my workout and also noticed a reduction in muscle fatigue after I was done my workout.
Curious to see if anyone else has used BCAA and what was the result?
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Replies

  • FunkyTobias
    FunkyTobias Posts: 1,776 Member
    Waste of money if you're getting adequate protein


  • ShodanPrime
    ShodanPrime Posts: 226 Member
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    nay
  • soba82
    soba82 Posts: 13 Member
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    soba82 wrote: »
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?
    How do you know it's working? What is it's purpose?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    soba82 wrote: »
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?

    We're giving you our opinions based on our experience, of which collectively, we have quite a bit. That's what you asked for and that's what you received. Unless you're on some hyper elite level, BCAA supps are not an ideal place to put money.
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    I have had great results supplementing with BCAA's.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Nay - I get adequate protein from my diet.
  • FunkyTobias
    FunkyTobias Posts: 1,776 Member
    edited April 2016
    cgvet37 wrote: »
    I have had great results supplementing with BCAA placebos.

    Fixd.


  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    I take 5g BCAAs immediately prior to a fasted work out. I don't use it otherwise.

  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
    I see BCAAs akin to having a match. I see whole protein sources akin to having a match and a log. If you are cold, I guess a match (for that brief moment) is better than nothing, but I would take the match and log, if I had my choice. :)
  • CrossfitOCRunner
    CrossfitOCRunner Posts: 61 Member
    Hell YEA!!! Everything is a waste of money if you can't afford it. I love what BCAAs do for me in lieu of or in addition to consuming whole protein, which I also do.
  • Fit4LifeAR
    Fit4LifeAR Posts: 233 Member
    DavPul wrote: »
    soba82 wrote: »
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?

    We're giving you our opinions based on our experience, of which collectively, we have quite a bit. That's what you asked for and that's what you received. Unless you're on some hyper elite level, BCAA supps are not an ideal place to put money.

    You would be surprised of how many people love to give advice on something they have never used.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Fit4LifeAR wrote: »
    DavPul wrote: »
    soba82 wrote: »
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?

    We're giving you our opinions based on our experience, of which collectively, we have quite a bit. That's what you asked for and that's what you received. Unless you're on some hyper elite level, BCAA supps are not an ideal place to put money.

    You would be surprised of how many people love to give advice on something they have never used.

    I've never used heroin. Does that disqualify me from advising someone not to use it?
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    Do they help me through a tough training session, at least mentally? Yes. Am I willing to spend money on them for that little at least mental boost? Yup.

    I don't care if it's all in my head. I get a performance boost coming from somewhere and that's good enough for me.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    edited April 2016
    Waste of money. Eat protein rich meals.

    As for don't knock it until you try it, I don't try every fitness craze and supplement that comes along. I want evidence that something works before I use it. Waste your money all you like.

  • dwygtd
    dwygtd Posts: 19 Member
    I train in the morning in a vasted state after waking up so I take 5-10g before workout to protect muscle mass, it doesn't make me fell any different though
  • Adi4Fitness
    Adi4Fitness Posts: 97 Member
    Tried it, didn't make a lick of a difference. Carnitine kept my energy levels up , i took it because my diet was deficient in red meat.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    Hell YEA!!! Everything is a waste of money if you can't afford it. I love what BCAAs do for me in lieu of or in addition to consuming whole protein, which I also do.
    Well no, everything is a waste of money if it actually doesn't do what's it's purported to do.
    If one is getting in enough protein, BCAA's don't do anything "extra". One doesn't get extra credit for exceeding macro profile.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    I love how some supplements get such a religious following... makes me want to go into the sup business.

    OP, when I was first starting out lifting, I used BCAA and thought how great it was. I then cycled off when I ran out and everything was exactly the same. I gave it a second go and again, nothing changed.

    I've tried them several times and my observation has always been that nothing is different, reading literature on the subject I've come to the same conclusion that many people have already given, when eating a protein rich diet, there are no real gains from BCAA except for either the very elite, or possibly those training (intensely) while fasted.

    For me, it was a waste of money as BCAAs tend to be very expensive.
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    Just ordered some BCAAs.

    I train fasted most days. I usually struggle to hit my protein goal. I am in a deficit trying to cut fat.

    Are BCAAs for me?
  • ShodanPrime
    ShodanPrime Posts: 226 Member
    soba82 wrote: »
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?

    Yup.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    Fit4LifeAR wrote: »
    DavPul wrote: »
    soba82 wrote: »
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?

    We're giving you our opinions based on our experience, of which collectively, we have quite a bit. That's what you asked for and that's what you received. Unless you're on some hyper elite level, BCAA supps are not an ideal place to put money.

    You would be surprised of how many people love to give advice on something they have never used.
    One doesn't have to use something to give legit advice on it. Lots and lots of chemists will give sound advice on drugs and their side effects but don't use them.
    What's surprising is how many people blindly use supplementation because they "heard" from their friend or read in a magazine that it's beneficial to them without actually researching if it really is. And also that the majority of supplements out there aren't that pure and have lots of contaminants in them that they aren't aware of.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    I use them intra workout when on a deficit. That being said, I'm pretty lean so any little bit to help prevent muscle loss is worth it to me.
  • ShodanPrime
    ShodanPrime Posts: 226 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Fit4LifeAR wrote: »
    DavPul wrote: »
    soba82 wrote: »
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?

    We're giving you our opinions based on our experience, of which collectively, we have quite a bit. That's what you asked for and that's what you received. Unless you're on some hyper elite level, BCAA supps are not an ideal place to put money.

    You would be surprised of how many people love to give advice on something they have never used.
    One doesn't have to use something to give legit advice on it. Lots and lots of chemists will give sound advice on drugs and their side effects but don't use them.
    What's surprising is how many people blindly use supplementation because they "heard" from their friend or read in a magazine that it's beneficial to them without actually researching if it really is. And also that the majority of supplements out there aren't that pure and have lots of contaminants in them that they aren't aware of.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    I don't know, I think I really need to go try some coke so I can advise my friends not to.
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    I also workout in fasted state. Also in a deficit currently.

    So from 6 pm and 5.30am workout on empty stomach. I take two things - Beta alanine and 200mg caffeine capsules and then at 8.30 am I take my protein shake with creatine.

    That's it -I used to take BCAA but for me I did not notice any difference at all.

    Also, there is a user here -he posted his entire weight loss journey with logging and details -he had his carbs up at 60% and protein down to 20% and still suffered negligible muscle loss.

    So even very high protein diets don't do very much from his pov
  • MindPump1
    MindPump1 Posts: 77 Member
    You can drink a glass of whole make and get all your BCAAs right there. No need to buy the supplement. Protein and BCAAs can be made up for directly from diet, and do not need to be supplemented.
  • soba82
    soba82 Posts: 13 Member
    DavPul wrote: »
    soba82 wrote: »
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?

    We're giving you our opinions based on our experience, of which collectively, we have quite a bit. That's what you asked for and that's what you received. Unless you're on some hyper elite level, BCAA supps are not an ideal place to put money.

    *and I absolutely appreciate your opinion I just was looking for more detail in your response. Yes you have used and found it didn't make a diff or not you haven't because your diet/workout doesn't require it. I am just starting out so I am happy to hear your thoughts.
  • soba82
    soba82 Posts: 13 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Nay - I get adequate protein from my diet.

    That's definitely something I struggle with, but I'm working to correct that. :)
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    DavPul wrote: »
    Fit4LifeAR wrote: »
    DavPul wrote: »
    soba82 wrote: »
    Eh, waste of money. But if you like it.

    Lol yeah I do. It's working so far. So I'm assuming all y'all have used BCAA before and didn't like it or see a diff?

    We're giving you our opinions based on our experience, of which collectively, we have quite a bit. That's what you asked for and that's what you received. Unless you're on some hyper elite level, BCAA supps are not an ideal place to put money.

    You would be surprised of how many people love to give advice on something they have never used.

    I've never used heroin. Does that disqualify me from advising someone not to use it?

    Ladies and gentleman we have a winner.