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

24

Replies

  • 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: 4,571 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: 4,571 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.
  • PikaJoyJoy
    PikaJoyJoy Posts: 280 Member
    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

    So instead of relying on actual science (taking into account really reading through even when there are contradictions so you can see where the contradictions or uncertainty lay in each conclusion) you're going to take the word of random people on the internet?
  • PikaJoyJoy
    PikaJoyJoy Posts: 280 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.

    *nod nod* Some of the flavorings are super tasty.
  • PikaJoyJoy
    PikaJoyJoy Posts: 280 Member
    edited January 2018
    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.

    If someone chooses to simply and abruptly address a question in a matter-of-fact way because that might be how they are (even though I honestly think that in this case the "tone" received was more your issue than what it really was) - that's their right.

    Why do "you" think that trying to tell someone how to act and talk is your right and some how makes you better for it? If we were really all about manners, you'd have privately messaged the "offending person" and made suggestions that way instead of calling them out in the public forum.

    Just saying.

    To add - in regards to your comment about why the other person didn't just "post links" without comment...

    Personally, I'd be wary of clicking on links posted on this forum with no information at all. In fact, that's the kind of thing that could potentially be flagged as spam (because spammers do this kind of thing) and get you banned.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    edited January 2018
    h1udd wrote: »
    I cant be bothered to read the arguments so am jumping right in at the end, so sorry if this has already been covered.

    When I started taking fitness seriously I was doing the stonglifts 5x5 program and read up on different forums about the effects of BCAAs so I bought them .... they didn't make any difference at all, I didn't recover any quicker, I didn't break through plateaus and my lifts increased no quicker. So I quit.

    when I got into cycling I read on the forums about how they help, so I bought them again ... and again I didn't recover quicker, my FTP, Vo2max didn't improve quicker. So I quit.

    In my experience they didn't work ..... BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT and this I find important for all the snake oils, magic pills, supplements etc .. they might not do what they say on the tin, BUT they can be an excellent motivator .... Right now I get up at 04:30 and look forward to drinking my Blue Raz Pre-workout with 300mg caffine L-something -Bsomething, Glutosomething blah blah blah ....... yes I could just drinka coffee or eat a 3p caffine pill to get moving. But I like the theatre of it all, I like to buy in to an image, it motivates and drives me. ... So don't knock all supplements ... some of them boost you in unexpected ways

    thank you. see this is the kind of answer i was wanting off people. instead i got arsey comments because i didnt want to just look at a study on a link that may or may not be dodgy. i actually want to hear peoples experience with them and have a conversation.
    i get you with the pre workout. im not usually a caffine person. i dont drink tea or coffee and energy drinks usually make me feel ill, but ive got some pre workout that works great for me, it gives me the energy i need and i end up having a really good session at the gym :) i try not to have more than 100mg though seems i only started having caffine a month ago. dont want to over do it :)

    If you think that respected medical journals and public health organizations might be dodgy, but strangers on the internet are trustworthy, you're shopping for an answer.

    Try starting here
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10627921/how-to-cut-through-the-new-years-broscience/p1

    +1 Can't imagine we what would be dodgy about a PubMed link unless you have no clue what PubMed is.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 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

    Lol! Pretty much sums it up. :D
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    edited January 2018
    mmapags wrote: »
    i have been recommended to take bcaas to speed up my recovery from weight lifting as i can get very sore muscles the next day. just wanted more opinions. has it worked for you?

    They will not help at all. They are useless. Don't waste your money. Adequate protein intake is all you need.
    https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0184-9
    https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-016-0128-9
    http://physiqonomics.com/bcaas/

    can i just ask, are you saying this from experience and have you actually tried it?
    theres always different information on the internet that contradicts each other so i dont know which is right and which is wrong.
    my sister is currently taking bcaas and she says it helps her alot, but just wanting more opinions from people who have tried it to see how many people it has actually worked for before i decide whether to buy it or not. i am currently taking protein shakes to up my intake, but recovery can still be slow

    Check Alan Aragon's research on it, you're wasting your money. BCAA'S is the biggest scam product in the industry. BCAA'S is the equivalent of buying a house with no roof. It's not like creatine which has been proven to work. Just get protein powder, you get enough bcaa's in them or even better, eat food with protein.
  • JAYxMSxPES
    JAYxMSxPES Posts: 193 Member
    fb47 wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    i have been recommended to take bcaas to speed up my recovery from weight lifting as i can get very sore muscles the next day. just wanted more opinions. has it worked for you?

    They will not help at all. They are useless. Don't waste your money. Adequate protein intake is all you need.
    https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0184-9
    https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-016-0128-9
    http://physiqonomics.com/bcaas/

    can i just ask, are you saying this from experience and have you actually tried it?
    theres always different information on the internet that contradicts each other so i dont know which is right and which is wrong.
    my sister is currently taking bcaas and she says it helps her alot, but just wanting more opinions from people who have tried it to see how many people it has actually worked for before i decide whether to buy it or not. i am currently taking protein shakes to up my intake, but recovery can still be slow

    Check Alan Aragon's research on it, you're wasting your money. BCAA'S is the biggest scam product in the industry. BCAA'S is the equivalent of buying a house with no roof. It's not like creatine which has been proven to work. Just get protein powder, you get enough bcaa's in them or even better, eat food with protein.

    Yup. Most companies will post the amino profile on the container somewhere. Compare the label on your protein supplement to a BCAA supplement and you don't even need the peer-review to see that it's not worth it. Leucine is Leucine whether it's in a BCAA suppplement, container of Whey, or a nice juicy steak. It's like a pound of fat and a pound of muscle are both one pound.
  • EmmaCaz4
    EmmaCaz4 Posts: 113 Member
    My personal experience is I find they are good for me & my goals. Currently at the moment they really help me as they're the only thing that stops me throwing up 1st thing with my morning sickness. However; I have been using them for a while for my bodybuilding alongside protein powders but at different points in the day. I was also using creatine and coffee as pre-workout but had to stop as not safe to use during pregnancy. :)
  • JDMac82
    JDMac82 Posts: 3,192 Member
    I use to never use any type of POST workout. Then i started and my recovery time has improved. I still get soreness from time to time but its not nearly as bad and the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is NO where near as bad.