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

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Replies

  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    COGypsy wrote: »
    I've been adding BCAA's to my morning shake for a few months and have seen absolutely no difference in muscle soreness. I'm still sore pretty much every day and so far the only effective solution I've found is foam rolling and buttloads of ibuprofen.

    If you want to start you digestive system rotting out (from someone with experience)

    It's much easier to tolerate if you cap daily dosage at about 1200 mgs with only occasional jumps to 1800. It's irritated ulcers when I've had those and messed with my kidneys a couple of times at higher doses, for sure so I've become more diligent in monitoring my dosage. I drink a ton of water, which helps tremendously with tolerance as well as taking it with food. But it's the only OTC pain reliever I've found to be effective, so not much choice but to work around the side effects as best I can while it's an option.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    COGypsy wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    COGypsy wrote: »
    I've been adding BCAA's to my morning shake for a few months and have seen absolutely no difference in muscle soreness. I'm still sore pretty much every day and so far the only effective solution I've found is foam rolling and buttloads of ibuprofen.

    If you want to start you digestive system rotting out (from someone with experience)

    It's much easier to tolerate if you cap daily dosage at about 1200 mgs with only occasional jumps to 1800. It's irritated ulcers when I've had those and messed with my kidneys a couple of times at higher doses, for sure so I've become more diligent in monitoring my dosage. I drink a ton of water, which helps tremendously with tolerance as well as taking it with food. But it's the only OTC pain reliever I've found to be effective, so not much choice but to work around the side effects as best I can while it's an option.

    Over the course of 15 years It gave me reflux.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    OP, here is the question that needs to be answered. What does your diet look like and do you get adequate protein? How big is your deficit? What does your training look like (frequency and type of training)? Have you tried to time nutrients around a workout?

    If you are having trouble recovering, its more likely that your diet and or training protocol is out of whack.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    COGypsy wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    COGypsy wrote: »
    I've been adding BCAA's to my morning shake for a few months and have seen absolutely no difference in muscle soreness. I'm still sore pretty much every day and so far the only effective solution I've found is foam rolling and buttloads of ibuprofen.

    If you want to start you digestive system rotting out (from someone with experience)

    It's much easier to tolerate if you cap daily dosage at about 1200 mgs with only occasional jumps to 1800. It's irritated ulcers when I've had those and messed with my kidneys a couple of times at higher doses, for sure so I've become more diligent in monitoring my dosage. I drink a ton of water, which helps tremendously with tolerance as well as taking it with food. But it's the only OTC pain reliever I've found to be effective, so not much choice but to work around the side effects as best I can while it's an option.

    Over the course of 15 years It gave me reflux.

    Yep, also my experience. Was taking the vitamin I for back pain. I ended up finding a great physical therapist and determined the root cause of my pain was too much sitting from an office job with long hours and a long commute. With some targeted mobility/stretching got the back to clear up, quit vitamin I and the reflux went away.

    Incidents like this is why I'll post on this forum the suggestion to determine and fix the root cause of an issue, before medicating/supplementing.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    Welcome to one of the most disputed topics on MFP. Both sides quoting "Facts" and "Objective Data," both sides pointing to studies to back up their claims. Both sides swearing the other sides "Facts" or "Studies" are BS.

    Whats wrong with being able to discuss our own experiences in addition to JUST facts and research that's all.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Seth1825 wrote: »
    vtneddo wrote: »
    I am SO GLAD to see literature being touted in this thread instead of anecdote, despite what the OP is naively requesting. Cheers to using the research to shape the future of this field!

    I don't understand why everyone is so hung up on the fact asking people's indidual experiences? Yes okay obviously you can't debate facts, but everyone responds slightly different to products.


    If you asked two people about their experience with creatine and the first said they got absolutely nothing out of it and the second said they sharted themselves into unintentional weight loss you would get an entirely false impression of a very widely studied and useful (to some) supplement.

    Research, science, expert opinion AND personal experience is fine but excluding everything except anecdotes is silly.

    I agree and I never wanted to exclude everything except anecdotes though
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Seth1825 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    Seth1825 wrote: »
    vtneddo wrote: »
    I am SO GLAD to see literature being touted in this thread instead of anecdote, despite what the OP is naively requesting. Cheers to using the research to shape the future of this field!

    I don't understand why everyone is so hung up on the fact asking people's indidual experiences? Yes okay obviously you can't debate facts, but everyone responds slightly different to products.


    If you asked two people about their experience with creatine and the first said they got absolutely nothing out of it and the second said they sharted themselves into unintentional weight loss you would get an entirely false impression of a very widely studied and useful (to some) supplement.

    Research, science, expert opinion AND personal experience is fine but excluding everything except anecdotes is silly.

    I agree and I never wanted to exclude everything except anecdotes though

    Yet, the OP did.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    Seth1825 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    Seth1825 wrote: »
    vtneddo wrote: »
    I am SO GLAD to see literature being touted in this thread instead of anecdote, despite what the OP is naively requesting. Cheers to using the research to shape the future of this field!

    I don't understand why everyone is so hung up on the fact asking people's indidual experiences? Yes okay obviously you can't debate facts, but everyone responds slightly different to products.


    If you asked two people about their experience with creatine and the first said they got absolutely nothing out of it and the second said they sharted themselves into unintentional weight loss you would get an entirely false impression of a very widely studied and useful (to some) supplement.

    Research, science, expert opinion AND personal experience is fine but excluding everything except anecdotes is silly.

    I agree and I never wanted to exclude everything except anecdotes though

    Yet, the OP did.

    I was under the impression that she was seeking out other opinions but I didn't think she wanted to totally exclude research. That was my understanding. Perhaps I was incorrect there.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    From page 1:
    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.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    Ok fair enough, but I see where she is coming from, it's not easy to find the right research either.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    From page 1:
    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' want to keep arguing with you either bud. We obviously don't see eye to eye on the communication here and that's fine, let's just you and I agree to disagree. There is nothing wrong with presenting facts and you can't debate facts so I agree with you on that too, my issue before was how you communicated with the OP, but that's my perception and maybe I was wrong and If I am I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be a monitor or message board police I just felt that you came off in a certain way and wanted to defend the OP, that was all. Again you're right about the facts and research no arguing on that.
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    edited January 2018
    Seth1825 wrote: »
    vtneddo wrote: »
    I am SO GLAD to see literature being touted in this thread instead of anecdote, despite what the OP is naively requesting. Cheers to using the research to shape the future of this field!

    I don't understand why everyone is so hung up on the fact asking people's indidual experiences? Yes okay obviously you can't debate facts, but everyone responds slightly different to products.

    It doesn't mean the response a person gets is directly related to what they think they are.

    It's like when I said for example somebody who does IF or Keto will claim that their diet IS the reason for their weight loss....when fact is that they lost weight because of being in a caloric deficit. With that said, does IF or Keto on it's own can guarantee anyone weight loss? Not if they are not in a deficit. This is why anecdotes sucks, a person can claim it works for them, so people (especially newbies) will think it's a fact in any situation. This is why science trumps anecdotes.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    fb47 wrote: »
    Seth1825 wrote: »
    vtneddo wrote: »
    I am SO GLAD to see literature being touted in this thread instead of anecdote, despite what the OP is naively requesting. Cheers to using the research to shape the future of this field!

    I don't understand why everyone is so hung up on the fact asking people's indidual experiences? Yes okay obviously you can't debate facts, but everyone responds slightly different to products.

    It doesn't mean the response a person gets is directly related to what they think they are.

    It's like when I said for example somebody who does IF or Keto will claim that their diet IS the reason for their weight loss....when fact is that they lost weight because of being in a caloric deficit. With that said, does IF or Keto on it's own can guarantee anyone weight loss? Not if they are not in a deficit. This is why anecdotes sucks, a person can claim it works for them, so people (especially newbies) will think it's a fact in any situation. This is why science trumps anecdotes.

    I'm not saying that science does not beat anecdotes though!
  • raefon
    raefon Posts: 7 Member
    mmapags, cant agree more with you. I said the exact same stuff on a keto discussion with people arguing about CICO and my post was deleted simply because I said people should use peer reviewed studies and not google as they provide information which has no basis.

    On BCAA, waste of money. No they don't work, any evidence provided by people would be placebo. Taking it before exercise means it competes as an energy source and as such may just be providing you with some energy to work out. But would not and does not help with recovery.
  • raefon
    raefon Posts: 7 Member
    Oh as an extra note because I read another response on ibuprofen. just so you don't fall into this trap, latest ibuprofen reseach shows muscle growth is reduced by 200% taking it, there is also a reduction in strength and other studies show there is no change in the amount of soreness after one week of taking it compared to not taking it. So if you take it for more than a week you wont even know the difference and only have negative effects.

    For something taking so often by people it has a lot of negative side effects.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    raefon wrote: »
    Oh as an extra note because I read another response on ibuprofen. just so you don't fall into this trap, latest ibuprofen reseach shows muscle growth is reduced by 200% taking it, there is also a reduction in strength and other studies show there is no change in the amount of soreness after one week of taking it compared to not taking it. So if you take it for more than a week you wont even know the difference and only have negative effects.

    For something taking so often by people it has a lot of negative side effects.

    Is there a better NSAID to take like when you have soreness in your joints? I take Aleve and that seems to help, it's the same drug class as Ibuprofen though.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    raefon wrote: »
    Oh as an extra note because I read another response on ibuprofen. just so you don't fall into this trap, latest ibuprofen reseach shows muscle growth is reduced by 200% taking it, there is also a reduction in strength and other studies show there is no change in the amount of soreness after one week of taking it compared to not taking it. So if you take it for more than a week you wont even know the difference and only have negative effects.

    For something taking so often by people it has a lot of negative side effects.

    It's the damage to kidneys and GI tract with long-term use I'm more worried about. Way too many people assume that being OTC means it's without risk. Same type of attitude people have about herbal remedies.
  • raefon
    raefon Posts: 7 Member
    To be quite honest no, any NSAID will have side effects. They vary from person to person...even if its just your gut health that is suffering ( which can have some long lasting effects) Personally, you are better off looking at rollers, point release, massage and topical creams such as prototype 8 from ATP or good blends made by a qualified and trusted aroma therapist. There is a one called AROMAMUM in Brisbane. But again hard as you have to ensure to get the right one because people try to use the same name etc.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    raefon wrote: »
    To be quite honest no, any NSAID will have side effects. They vary from person to person...even if its just your gut health that is suffering ( which can have some long lasting effects) Personally, you are better off looking at rollers, point release, massage and topical creams such as prototype 8 from ATP or good blends made by a qualified and trusted aroma therapist. There is a one called AROMAMUM in Brisbane. But again hard as you have to ensure to get the right one because people try to use the same name etc.

    Yea I might start with trying a foam roller too. Thanks!
  • JAYxMSxPES
    JAYxMSxPES Posts: 193 Member
    Taking it before exercise means it competes as an energy source and as such may just be providing you with some energy to work out. But would not and does not help with recovery.

    How do they compete as an energy source? They aren't stimulants and they don't contain energy so they can't provide energy.
    Oh as an extra note because I read another response on ibuprofen. just so you don't fall into this trap, latest ibuprofen reseach shows muscle growth is reduced by 200% taking it, there is also a reduction in strength and other studies show there is no change in the amount of soreness after one week of taking it compared to not taking it. So if you take it for more than a week you wont even know the difference and only have negative effects.

    If you have this available to you, would you post it please? There's been a fair amount of peer-reviewed research on this and I haven't seen these results yet. I would be curious to read how the experiment was executed, participant group, etc.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    JAYxMSxPES wrote: »
    Taking it before exercise means it competes as an energy source and as such may just be providing you with some energy to work out. But would not and does not help with recovery.

    How do they compete as an energy source? They aren't stimulants and they don't contain energy so they can't provide energy.
    Oh as an extra note because I read another response on ibuprofen. just so you don't fall into this trap, latest ibuprofen reseach shows muscle growth is reduced by 200% taking it, there is also a reduction in strength and other studies show there is no change in the amount of soreness after one week of taking it compared to not taking it. So if you take it for more than a week you wont even know the difference and only have negative effects.

    If you have this available to you, would you post it please? There's been a fair amount of peer-reviewed research on this and I haven't seen these results yet. I would be curious to read how the experiment was executed, participant group, etc.

    Actually, NSAIDs have been found to have a modest impact on muscle synthesis but it's pretty inconsequential. I'll try to locate the research when I get back to the office.
  • JAYxMSxPES
    JAYxMSxPES Posts: 193 Member
    JAYxMSxPES wrote: »
    Taking it before exercise means it competes as an energy source and as such may just be providing you with some energy to work out. But would not and does not help with recovery.

    How do they compete as an energy source? They aren't stimulants and they don't contain energy so they can't provide energy.
    Oh as an extra note because I read another response on ibuprofen. just so you don't fall into this trap, latest ibuprofen reseach shows muscle growth is reduced by 200% taking it, there is also a reduction in strength and other studies show there is no change in the amount of soreness after one week of taking it compared to not taking it. So if you take it for more than a week you wont even know the difference and only have negative effects.

    If you have this available to you, would you post it please? There's been a fair amount of peer-reviewed research on this and I haven't seen these results yet. I would be curious to read how the experiment was executed, participant group, etc.

    Actually, NSAIDs have been found to have a modest impact on muscle synthesis but it's pretty inconsequential. I'll try to locate the research when I get back to the office.

    See, that's what I had read as well. The impact was real but marginal at best and not worth talking about. When I saw the post above about a 200% reduction I had to double-take because that is definitely something new. If the research is true, I wonder if it's been repeated in other studies because it varies from what other's have discovered.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    I haven't seen the paper, but Layne Norton did a video on it:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMRznWvOvfA
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited January 2018
    JAYxMSxPES wrote: »
    JAYxMSxPES wrote: »
    Taking it before exercise means it competes as an energy source and as such may just be providing you with some energy to work out. But would not and does not help with recovery.

    How do they compete as an energy source? They aren't stimulants and they don't contain energy so they can't provide energy.
    Oh as an extra note because I read another response on ibuprofen. just so you don't fall into this trap, latest ibuprofen reseach shows muscle growth is reduced by 200% taking it, there is also a reduction in strength and other studies show there is no change in the amount of soreness after one week of taking it compared to not taking it. So if you take it for more than a week you wont even know the difference and only have negative effects.

    If you have this available to you, would you post it please? There's been a fair amount of peer-reviewed research on this and I haven't seen these results yet. I would be curious to read how the experiment was executed, participant group, etc.

    Actually, NSAIDs have been found to have a modest impact on muscle synthesis but it's pretty inconsequential. I'll try to locate the research when I get back to the office.

    See, that's what I had read as well. The impact was real but marginal at best and not worth talking about. When I saw the post above about a 200% reduction I had to double-take because that is definitely something new. If the research is true, I wonder if it's been repeated in other studies because it varies from what other's have discovered.

    Well, first off, a 200% reduction is impossible mathematically unless you are talking about some type of atrophy.
  • JAYxMSxPES
    JAYxMSxPES Posts: 193 Member
    JAYxMSxPES wrote: »
    JAYxMSxPES wrote: »
    Taking it before exercise means it competes as an energy source and as such may just be providing you with some energy to work out. But would not and does not help with recovery.

    How do they compete as an energy source? They aren't stimulants and they don't contain energy so they can't provide energy.
    Oh as an extra note because I read another response on ibuprofen. just so you don't fall into this trap, latest ibuprofen reseach shows muscle growth is reduced by 200% taking it, there is also a reduction in strength and other studies show there is no change in the amount of soreness after one week of taking it compared to not taking it. So if you take it for more than a week you wont even know the difference and only have negative effects.

    If you have this available to you, would you post it please? There's been a fair amount of peer-reviewed research on this and I haven't seen these results yet. I would be curious to read how the experiment was executed, participant group, etc.

    Actually, NSAIDs have been found to have a modest impact on muscle synthesis but it's pretty inconsequential. I'll try to locate the research when I get back to the office.

    See, that's what I had read as well. The impact was real but marginal at best and not worth talking about. When I saw the post above about a 200% reduction I had to double-take because that is definitely something new. If the research is true, I wonder if it's been repeated in other studies because it varies from what other's have discovered.

    Well, first off, a 200% reduction is impossible mathematically unless you are talking about some type of atrophy.

    Yes. Had me thinking that it most the study was done on mice / rats and they were given the same dosage as a human which would be incredibly high for them. Kind of like the Aspartame studies. LOL
  • Silkysausage
    Silkysausage Posts: 502 Member
    I take them but I don't think there's any great effect to them, my brand tastes like paracetamol but strangely I am still taking it....only until the pack runs out.

    I'm a beginner in weightlifting and was very sore especially after squats but now I'm slowly increasing weight and stretch after the workout, I'm nothing that my recovery is great.

    Mind you, my diet is incredibly good and I drink lots of fluids so these factors all play a part.
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