We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
New Research on BCAAs-Don't waste your money.
Replies
-
Additional info from Alan Aragon re: BCAAs with a list of 8 supporting studies and a jissn article. The consensus is they are not only not beneficial but can potentially inhibit the optimal use of ingested amino acids.
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=alan aragon2 -
Glutamine and Taurine are the most abundant amino acids in muscle. Studies have shown glutamine (both orally and intravenously) to be far more beneficial than BCAA's in preserving muscle tissue in patients with muscle-wasting diseases as well as those who's limbs are immobilized for long periods through being bedridden by other illnesses or injuries.
Personally, I have never bought into the theory that we need lots of extra BCAA's to build extra muscle or increase muscular performance. I think the only folk that are likely to see the benefits of taking BCAA's in doses way above what would be considered a RDA would be bodybuilders or other athletes taking steroids that enable far greater (unnaturally so) utilization and uptake into muscles of the extra nitrogen they are ingesting which, of course, will usually manifest itself in greatly increased muscle mass.
Interestingly, in my mid-20s I used glutamine caps sublingually as recommended by an article in a well-known bodybuilding publication when the case for ingesting glutamine for muscle growth first came to light a couple of decades ago. During that time (about 6 months), I reckon I made my greatest gains, although admittedly there may have been other factors at play such as my (back then) very regimented and disciplined training protocol and likely much higher natural testosterone levels.
I guess looking back I was silly to suddenly stop taking glutamine in light of the fact that I was making great gains at the time. It was just I felt the monetary expense was a little too great at the time, and I noticed that the price of glut increased dramatically as more and more athletes began buying it upon hearing of it's potential benefits.0 -
Additional info from Alan Aragon re: BCAAs with a list of 8 supporting studies and a jissn article. The consensus is they are not only not beneficial but can potentially inhibit the optimal use of ingested amino acids.
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=alan aragon
so even if you are getting a "placebo" effect it might be best to just stop...interesting.
I have never personally used it but I know lots who do...1 -
so even if you are getting a "placebo" effect it might be best to just stop...interesting.
I have never personally used it but I know lots who do...
Yup. The interesting thing to me is that there is a mentality of needing to "supplement" in the fitness culture. Most of them are useless and those that aren't give a very small advantage. A good balanced diet with adequate protein and exercise covers is really all that is necessary to improve fitness and body composition.2 -
I don't understand the people saying that they taste good. I tried one that came free with my protein powder and it was awful. I felt like I was drinking pure sugar! Maybe I didn't dilute it enough? Or was it just a bad product?1
-
Yup. The interesting thing to me is that there is a mentality of needing to "supplement" in the fitness culture. Most of them are useless and those that aren't give a very small advantage. A good balanced diet with adequate protein and exercise covers is really all that is necessary to improve fitness and body composition.
Those are my thoughts too.
I only use protein powder in the summer in my smoothie as I eat eggs with ham most of the winter.
Other than that...nada...coffee is my preworkout...
However I get grief given as I don't use supplements...guess I am not "hard core" enough for some.0 -
Just curious ....are there any studies showing that they do help with recovery?0
-
gym4life64 wrote: »Just curious ....are there any studies showing that they do help with recovery?
There are studies which can “show” most things.2 -
gym4life64 wrote: »Just curious ....are there any studies showing that they do help with recovery?
Not that I've seen. For recovery why use BCAAs though? Why not a whole protein with full amino acid profile?1 -
A study done at the University of Illinois observed the effects of supplementing with BCAAs in between meals (4). The researchers found that the individuals supplementing with BCAAs in between meals were able to stimulate a far greater amount of protein synthesis! A greater amount of protein synthesis will, in time, lead to greater muscle building.
1 -
Guess it just comes down to what your own feelings are leaning towards. Personally, I mix BCAA or EAA with Gatorade to drink during my training. Does it work? I don't know.....but it can't hurt0
-
gym4life64 wrote: »Guess it just comes down to what your own feelings are leaning towards. Personally, I mix BCAA or EAA with Gatorade to drink during my training. Does it work? I don't know.....but it can't hurt
Did you read Aragon's article or any of the studies?1 -
gym4life64 wrote: »Guess it just comes down to what your own feelings are leaning towards. Personally, I mix BCAA or EAA with Gatorade to drink during my training. Does it work? I don't know.....but it can't hurt
how do you know it can't hurt???
I've seen pretty healthy folks who have recently started stacking and bam...sometime happens...
not saying it's the cause of the supplements aka BCAA's or Powder or preworkout etc...
but I don't think that there are enough studies on some of these things at all and yet people are rushing out to get them and put them in their bodies.
Note this does not apply to protein powder or creatine.0 -
Did you read Aragon's article or any of the studies?
No, I haven't. But like I said....it can't hurt. I aim for 275-300g of protein a day so I am sure I am not lacking.1 -
gym4life64 wrote: »
No, I haven't. But like I said....it can't hurt. I aim for 275-300g of protein a day so I am sure I am not lacking.
I'd suggest you read it before further comment so that you can comment with full information. If you had read it, you'd have read Aragon's suggestion from the info contained in some of the studies that BCAAs can potentially inhibit the use of ingested amino acids. So possibly it can hurt.
At the very least, they are unnecessary and show no benefit. Especially for someone who is getting 275 to 300 grams of protein per day.3 -
I'd suggest you read it before further comment so that you can comment with full information. If you had read it, you'd have read Aragon's suggestion from the info contained in some of the studies that BCAAs can potentially inhibit the use of ingested amino acids. So possibly it can hurt.
At the very least, they are unnecessary and show no benefit. Especially for someone who is getting 275 to 300 grams of protein per day.
In addition to this. 300g of protein is extremely high for someone even if they are heavy, lean and on anabolics.2 -
At the very least, they are unnecessary and show no benefit. Especially for someone who is getting 275 to 300 grams of protein per day. [/quote]
That honestly has been my argument for a long time. My BCAA/EAA w/Gatorade has only been maybe the last three months. Pushing myself hard, harder than ever, trying to break some goals. Throwing this in during training which can some days last three hours to see if it helps. Truth.....is I don't know. There is no magic pill or powder.
I just like that people read things and take buy into them so much. Creatine....good, then bad, then good again. Coffee...bad, very bad, then good. EGGS! Remember when eggs literally killed people! Now...they are OK.
3 -
That honestly has been my argument for a long time. My BCAA/EAA w/Gatorade has only been maybe the last three months. Pushing myself hard, harder than ever, trying to break some goals. Throwing this in during training which can some days last three hours to see if it helps. Truth.....is I don't know. There is no magic pill or powder.
I just like that people read things and take buy into them so much. Creatine....good, then bad, then good again. Coffee...bad, very bad, then good. EGGS! Remember when eggs literally killed people! Now...they are OK.
Seriously? Read things and buy into them so much? It's evident that you haven't read any of the resources posted so I guess you'd rather defend your ideas than take in any new information. There is a meta analysis in my original post, a study posted by someone else, Alan Aragon's article with 8 studies and a scholarly article linked at the bottom. Not exactly like someone reading an article on BB.com and running with it. But hey bro, believe what you chose. If you want to keep spending money on a useless supp while ingesting more than enough protein for all them gainz, help yourself.3 -
LOL...Ok...you win. You're right. I'm wrong0
-
In 2017 I gave BCAAs and pre-workout a try, and both were a waste of money.0
-
Bry_Lander wrote: »In 2017 I gave BCAAs and pre-workout a try, and both were a waste of money.
Interested why you thought the pre-workout was a waste of money? The main ingredient is usually caffeine which has proven benefits.0 -
However, those that reported that they consumed excessive amounts of caffeine were likely to have poor fitness.2
-
trigden1991 wrote: »
Interested why you thought the pre-workout was a waste of money? The main ingredient is usually caffeine which has proven benefits.
must have used a non stim pwo.0 -
gym4life64 wrote: »However, those that reported that they consumed excessive amounts of caffeine were likely to have poor fitness.
what's excessive? I consume about 400-600mg over the day. but what I have is a tolder and an Infant.
600 barely cuts it 0 -
I think some BCAAs have caffeine throw in them.. which might be the cause for energy.
0 -
At least there's some benefit if they have caffeine mixed with them.
Of course, the only benefit stems from the caffeine itself. The BCAAs are still as useless as they ever were.
Totally agree. I was using Amino Energy, but the boost is from the caffeine.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 394.7K Introduce Yourself
- 44K Getting Started
- 260.5K Health and Weight Loss
- 176.1K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.7K Fitness and Exercise
- 444 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153.1K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 4.1K MyFitnessPal Information
- 16 News and Announcements
- 1.3K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.8K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions