Are BCAAs necessary?

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BLifts38
BLifts38 Posts: 248 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Input please.
«1

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  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
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    What are BCAA?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I've never taken them.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Necessary, No.
    But they may provide a small benefit in a limited set of circumstances.
  • fserv
    fserv Posts: 1 Member
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    No, you get them in your diet from any complete protein source. Branched chain amino acids aren't any more or less special than any other amino acid. Some research suggests BCAA supplementation can help increase mass, but that just because it's protein. So it does the same thing any typical whey protein does
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    I take BCAAs and CLA. I have found since I started taking them I'm getting more visible results faster. Of course I'm also a female with a calorie goal of around 1400 before workouts so it is more difficult to hit my macro goals than if I were eating 2000 or a man who could gain muscle more easily.

    Currently in recomp
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    no they arent needed but I notice they give me more energy to workout as opposed to real food and I dont seem as sore after,I can also workout harder. for some caffeine gives them energy for me it doesnt.
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
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    I take BCCA because I do 18:6 IF and train in the middle of my fasted period. If you get enough protein and you don't fast, there's no need for it.
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
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    No supplement is ever necessary for everyone. It can be helpful for certain people. I find that my BCAA helps with my fasted cardio and helps ease my soreness. Try to get a weeks worth of samples to see if it does anything for you before purchasing! :smile:
  • TammyEphesians413
    TammyEphesians413 Posts: 1 Member
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    They help your muscles recover quickly, thus helping with soreness & allowing workouts to be better . They have helped me in Crossfit & Camp Gladiator. Listen to your body, all supplements work different for everyone. ☺
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    https://examine.com/supplements/branched-chain-amino-acids/
    BCAAs are important to ingest on a daily basis, but many protein sources, such as meat and eggs, already provide BCAAs. Supplementation is unnecessary for people with a sufficiently high protein intake (1-1.5g per kg of bodyweight a day or more).
  • gerla_k
    gerla_k Posts: 495 Member
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    No they're not necessarily, it's a supplement. If you get enough protein with your food you don't need to take bcaa.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    edited May 2017
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    Like most supplements, they have definitely been over-hyped. But they may be beneficial in a few cases: 1. low protein diets, 2. training fasted and not eating for prolonged periods after, 3. placebo (this is applies to a lot of things)
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
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    Did nothing for me; creatine makes a difference for recovery for me.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    Like most supplements, they have definitely been over-hyped. But they may be beneficial in a few cases: 1. low protein diets, 2. training fasted and not eating for prolonged periods after, 3. placebo (this is applies to a lot of things)

    For me, they also provide a satiety/suppressant effect.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    stanmann571 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Like most supplements, they have definitely been over-hyped. But they may be beneficial in a few cases: 1. low protein diets, 2. training fasted and not eating for prolonged periods after, 3. placebo (this is applies to a lot of things)

    For me, they also provide a satiety/suppressant effect.

    Fascinating. I have never heard that association before.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited May 2017
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    rybo wrote: »
    Necessary, No.
    But they may provide a small benefit in a limited set of circumstances.

    I would agree with this.

    I IF, and I frequently train fasted... so I kind of treat them like I do a multivitamin... like insurance. Is it necessary? Probably not. Is it helping? Maybe. But it certainly isn't hurting me.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    They help me with DOMS, and I've seen an improvement in my body comp since I started using them. They also help me drink more water because flavor.

    Do I NEED them? Nah. If I was broke, and had to chose between buying them or eggs/chicken/whatever, I'd go with the real food.
  • Muscle_for_Fitness
    Muscle_for_Fitness Posts: 2,198 Member
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    I take them with my protein shake but can't say they have done much for me but I don't train in a fasted condition. They are fairly cheap though.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Muscle_for_Fitness wrote: »
    I take them with my protein shake but can't say they have done much for me but I don't train in a fasted condition. They are fairly cheap though.

    So you take protein with your protein shake?
  • cs2thecox
    cs2thecox Posts: 533 Member
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    Info I got from my trainer was that they're only worth it if you train fasted in the mornings.
    Otherwise, if you're getting your protein, there'll already be enough in your system from meals and snacks to not worry about it.

    They did help with my DOMS when I just started lifting (and was probably doing too much), but I don't use them any more.
    Occasionally I chuck them in my protein shake because I need to use the pack up!!

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