BCAA Protocol

[American]

So I'm sitting on about 1600 grams of powdered BCAA's and I want to use and abuse them in the pursuit of additional muscle. Things have been going well lately (Gains all-around, ~10lbs. added in 2 months), and I want to make them even better.

I've read all that I could find and respect from the PN forums and t-nation, and I've found these ideas:

*5-10g serving 3-5x/day between meals
*Non-training days:5g servings 2-3/day
Training days: 5g on waking, 5g during workout, 5g post-workout.
*5-10g servings 5x/day (That was Christian Thibideaus'.....a guy really into his BCAA's)

I was thinking adding 10g to ever liter of water I drink a day, adding up to 30-50g a day. Also, I'm adding 10g to my pre-,during-,post-workout shakes, which I think is probably too much given I'm using a good hydrolyzed whey/maltodextrin/dextrose blend.

So I'd suppose I'm asking:
1)Which protocol do you think?
2)Is it best to consume the BCAA's quickly (say within 15 minutes) or do you think drinking them across the day would be fine?

[Rahf]

Before training on an empty stomach. Three separate occasions with one hour between them still on an empty stomach after training if you want the full effect of BCAA. If you don't take them on an empty stomach, you won't receive any real benefit from the fast absorbing amino acids and it'll basically be like eating some type of food that only contains leucine, valine and isoleucine (doesn't exist but in theory).

I'd take 10g just before training on an empty stomach and then be done with it. Eating it during the day provides no benefit since I also eat food regularly.

[American]

Really? You don't think there'll be additional benefit to extra bcaa consumption?

[Rahf]

The point of BCAA powder is to stimulate your muscle protein synthesis. The first step in order to achieve this, is to ingest it on an empty stomach. Any content in there and the absorption will be slowed, yielding a lessened effect.

Now that you have it, use it wisely. If you want to be properly "anal" about it, use it before training and 30-60 minutes after training.