BCAAs

[Fanya]

Okay, so I've been reading a lot about these lately. I've got the odd tub of whey and creatine sitting around, but that's as far as my supplementation goes. I got really interested in BCAAs though when I happened across one of those over-the-top articles about them at t-nation.

Anyway, I suppose you could say I'm convinced about how helpful they are. What's the issue here? Why are they so fucking expensive!? I don't have the money to shell out what seems to be about 30 bucks for a 250g bottle, especially when the recommended daily dose is like 20+g.

Who on this forum utilizes BCAAs, can vouch for their effectiveness, and perhaps has a link or two that I can buy from without draining my bank account?

[Rahf]

Okay, so I've been reading a lot about these lately. I've got the odd tub of whey and creatine sitting around, but that's as far as my supplementation goes. I got really interested in BCAAs though when I happened across one of those over-the-top articles about them at t-nation.

Anyway, I suppose you could say I'm convinced about how helpful they are. What's the issue here? Why are they so fucking expensive!? I don't have the money to shell out what seems to be about 30 bucks for a 250g bottle, especially when the recommended daily dose is like 20+g.

Who on this forum utilizes BCAAs, can vouch for their effectiveness, and perhaps has a link or two that I can buy from without draining my bank account?

Whey contains BCAA's. I think that the best instance to use them in is before cardio (and after if you don't drink whey in the PWO). Being the beginner I am, I can't really tell if they are working or not. It's a precautionary method I do to keep as much lean muscle as possible.

[Fanya]

My whey is shit; I wouldn't trust it.

[NightHunter]

http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_Details.aspx?cid=33&pid=314

[Fanya]

That BCAA mix has a 2 (leucine) :1 :1 ratio as opposed to the 1.0 (isoleucine) : 1.8 (leucine) : 1.2 (valine) ratio found in muscle itself. I already eat a lot of avocado so if my goal was just to increase my intake of that one particular amino acid I wouldn't bother buying BCAAs at all.

edit: If anyone can offer insight as to how these two ratios offer different benefits in training it would be appreciated :smile:

[NightHunter]

Then (http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_Details.aspx?cid=25&pid=6761) why (http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_Details.aspx?cid=25&pid=6747) didn't (http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_Details.aspx?cid=25&pid=6759) you (http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_Details.aspx?cid=25&pid=1845) say (http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_Details.aspx?cid=25&pid=6762) so? (http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_Details.aspx?cid=25&pid=1846)

Edit:
edit: If anyone can offer insight as to how these two ratios offer different benefits in training it would be appreciated
I can't help you with that one. Supplementation isn't my strong point. I believe Juji may have mentioned(briefly) BCAA use in one of his articles on the main site, I can't remember for sure.

Edit MkII:
I was wrong, the article I was thinking about was his "What, how, and why is Whey?". I'm not sure if he touched on BCAA use or not, and the thread isn't stickied anywhere anymore I don't think.

Edit MkIII:
I found the thread but he only mentions that BCAAs can be included in peri-workout nutrition.
Here's the article if you want to give it a read anyway (http://www.trickstutorials.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17389).

[Ashtar]

They seemed a bit excessive for me. From what I understand, they are some of the 8 essential amino acids which don't require alteration to be used in the muscles. They are already broken down into the amino acids and don't need to be broken down from proteins or peptides. I forget which of the 8 are the BCAAs though, I think there were 3?

So they go to the muscle and kickstart the recovery process faster or something. To people who aren't constantly training it's probably not as critical a factor as it might be to say, someone who trains hours every day trying to optimize or whatever. Definately not required for noobs like me. Which is good, because I hear they taste gross, not like chicken.