BCAAs? has anyone noticed a difference in the speed of recovery and not aching so much after?

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Replies

  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited January 2018
    Norris7493 wrote: »
    I had this issue. I've been working out like 7 or 8 times per week for the last 8 months while on a calorie deficit (down 71LBS). After about a month of this, I was having a ton of issues with recovery. After doing a lot of reading on this. I decided to pump up my protein intake (between 40 - 50% of my calories). Not only is my recovery much improved, but I'm making strength gains while on a large calorie deficit. I get most of my protein from meat, whey protein (isopure brand), and protein bars. Also, as a bonus, the increase in protein is making me way less hungry between meals. I've been doing the protein thing for about 7 months now.

    how do you manage to lose weight while upping your protein so much? i am trying to lose weight but i find protein bars have too many calories in them if they have a decent amount of protein. im currently taking impact whey protein and eat chicken and eggs most days. i usually have around 100g of protein

    Part of the issue is you don't need to eat a candy bar with some protein sprinkled in, most of the ones you get are either really expensive or full of cheap proteins like gelatin and collagen that aren't the best quality proteins. Many of them are also inflating the nitrogen numbers (a process called amino spiking) so don't have near the protein stated.

    You are getting 100g of protein a day, that's not hard to get with chicken, turkey, cottage cheese etc, so if you can't budget the protein bar in then don't worry, just find another source that comes from real food.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    Here's my anecdote.

    I'm on an aggressive cut. So aggressive my diary is closed unless you're my friend. I get 140-170g of protein per day easily, while dropping weight, lifting heavy *kitten* *kitten* and do not need BCAAs. And I know from experience they would do nothing but just taste kind of nice during a workout.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Here's my anecdote.

    I'm on an aggressive cut. So aggressive my diary is closed unless you're my friend. I get 140-170g of protein per day easily, while dropping weight, lifting heavy *kitten* *kitten* and do not need BCAAs. And I know from experience they would do nothing but just taste kind of nice during a workout.

    Oh, they must be amazingly good at covering the leucine lol. If the devil served food in hell it would taste like leucine! :grimace:
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,937 Member
    So, a little objective data. The original theory behind BCAAs was that they would help MPS (Muscle Protein Sythesis). When studied, they didn't. They showed that they, ingested alone, could actually, have a negative effect on MPS. It is because they are incomplete and as such are ineffective. It is like trying to start a fire without heat, oxygen and fuel. Elements are missing that work in the whole but not individually.

    If one would read the studies, this is all spelled out.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Here's my anecdote.

    I'm on an aggressive cut. So aggressive my diary is closed unless you're my friend. I get 140-170g of protein per day easily, while dropping weight, lifting heavy *kitten* *kitten* and do not need BCAAs. And I know from experience they would do nothing but just taste kind of nice during a workout.

    Oh, they must be amazingly good at covering the leucine lol. If the devil served food in hell it would taste like leucine! :grimace:

    What, the BCAAs? They do taste good tho. Little fizzy.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited January 2018
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Here's my anecdote.

    I'm on an aggressive cut. So aggressive my diary is closed unless you're my friend. I get 140-170g of protein per day easily, while dropping weight, lifting heavy *kitten* *kitten* and do not need BCAAs. And I know from experience they would do nothing but just taste kind of nice during a workout.

    Oh, they must be amazingly good at covering the leucine lol. If the devil served food in hell it would taste like leucine! :grimace:

    What, the BCAAs? They do taste good tho. Little fizzy.

    From what I've seen, BCAA's drinks tend to be a bit lighter on the leucine and use citrus with a lot of sodium and sweetener to hide the taste of the leucine. Try some pure leucine powder and you'll see what I mean, it's nasty bitter stuff.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Here's my anecdote.

    I'm on an aggressive cut. So aggressive my diary is closed unless you're my friend. I get 140-170g of protein per day easily, while dropping weight, lifting heavy *kitten* *kitten* and do not need BCAAs. And I know from experience they would do nothing but just taste kind of nice during a workout.

    Oh, they must be amazingly good at covering the leucine lol. If the devil served food in hell it would taste like leucine! :grimace:

    What, the BCAAs? They do taste good tho. Little fizzy.

    From what I've seen, BCAA's drinks tend to be a bit lighter on the leucine and use citrus with a lot of sodium and sweetener to hide the taste of the leucine. Try some pure leucine powder and you'll see what I mean, it's nasty bitter stuff.

    Oooh. Probably just as bad as some terrible preworkouts I've tasted
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Here's my anecdote.

    I'm on an aggressive cut. So aggressive my diary is closed unless you're my friend. I get 140-170g of protein per day easily, while dropping weight, lifting heavy *kitten* *kitten* and do not need BCAAs. And I know from experience they would do nothing but just taste kind of nice during a workout.

    Oh, they must be amazingly good at covering the leucine lol. If the devil served food in hell it would taste like leucine! :grimace:

    What, the BCAAs? They do taste good tho. Little fizzy.

    From what I've seen, BCAA's drinks tend to be a bit lighter on the leucine and use citrus with a lot of sodium and sweetener to hide the taste of the leucine. Try some pure leucine powder and you'll see what I mean, it's nasty bitter stuff.

    Oooh. Probably just as bad as some terrible preworkouts I've tasted

    That's probably the leucine you are tasting.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Here's my anecdote.

    I'm on an aggressive cut. So aggressive my diary is closed unless you're my friend. I get 140-170g of protein per day easily, while dropping weight, lifting heavy *kitten* *kitten* and do not need BCAAs. And I know from experience they would do nothing but just taste kind of nice during a workout.

    Oh, they must be amazingly good at covering the leucine lol. If the devil served food in hell it would taste like leucine! :grimace:

    What, the BCAAs? They do taste good tho. Little fizzy.

    From what I've seen, BCAA's drinks tend to be a bit lighter on the leucine and use citrus with a lot of sodium and sweetener to hide the taste of the leucine. Try some pure leucine powder and you'll see what I mean, it's nasty bitter stuff.

    Oooh. Probably just as bad as some terrible preworkouts I've tasted

    That's probably the leucine you are tasting.

    Ta-da! You so smart.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited January 2018
    PikaJoyJoy wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    mmapags- i am looking for a yes or no from people who have tried it

    So, you prefer individual anecdotes over peer reviewed scientific studies? Why?

    ^I agree with mmapags and wonder the same question because the studies are going to give you the answer you actually need.

    As for personal anecdotes -> no, they don't "speed up recovery." Aside from a placebo effect, I'd be willing to also put out there that your sister's body probably got used to working out and the DOMS just naturally subsided as it does.

    i prefer to see what people actually think to it rather than read studies that may or may not be accurate. there is so much info on the internet that contradicts each other. one study will say one thing and then another will say the opposite.
    i dont think that is the case with my sister as she was saying today that she missed out on her bcaas the other day and she was really sore. she doesnt usually get that sore when taking it and she can feel the difference

    I have been working out for the last 5 years and my DOMS have NOT gotten any better over time. so getting used to working out doesnt always mean less soreness or no soreness. its going to depend on the person. even if I get a lot of protein I still have DOMS the next few days.with or without bcaa's
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    Okiludy wrote: »
    I love how BCAA threads roll down the same hill over and over.

    1. Someone asks a question on them.
    2. People who have answered it a bunch of times show the scientific studies.
    3. Someone else defends or questions the evidence against.
    4. Many give personal experiences but it’s ignored.
    5. The person who was nice enough to post the data is called mean or white knighted against. Even when they are just attempting to save the OP time and money.
    6. We wait for up to a week and a BCAA question comes up again and we repeat.

    Ground Hog Day is alive and well

    Everyday is Ground Hog Day on MFP. :lol:
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    Seth1825 wrote: »
    Okiludy wrote: »
    I love how BCAA threads roll down the same hill over and over.

    1. Someone asks a question on them.
    2. People who have answered it a bunch of times show the scientific studies.
    3. Someone else defends or questions the evidence against.
    4. Many give personal experiences but it’s ignored.
    5. The person who was nice enough to post the data is called mean or white knighted against. Even when they are just attempting to save the OP time and money.
    6. We wait for up to a week and a BCAA question comes up again and we repeat.

    Ground Hog Day is alive and well

    Hi, first, awesome pic, Metallica is my favorite band, second, I'm sure 5 was referring to my response lol. Now there's nothing wrong with posting information, I'm all for that, but the way he made his comments it came off as like "you're an idiot for not preferring these studies, why would you want to listen to people's opinions" that's why I called him out, otherwise it would've been fine, that's all. I find that often when someone asks a question some people come back acting like some expert and try to seem like they're above the person asking the question in a way. So I appreciate when someone helps to post data, but it's how you relay information that I was focused on.

    I thought someone posted the data already.
  • GymTennis
    GymTennis Posts: 133 Member
    edited January 2018
    You need none of that stuff, if you have your programing, nutrition and recovery, sleep figured out. The only thing that can help you a bit is creatine, if you respond to it. Some people don't. BCAA's, whey proteins, even if it gives you some advantage, it's going up to 5%, if... The only thing that can really help you is steroids.