ExRx.net

Can anyone recommend good reading on BCAA supplementation? Many of my gym buddies use BCAA and swear by it. I'm vague on what benefit it is supposed to give them, other than the usual "helps you build more muscle" advert material I see for it.

I looked here on exrx but I couldn't find anything. The stuff that Google turns up generally is advertising or bodybuilding articles that can't cite anything much more weighty than the adverts do for evidence.

I'm looking to know what it is theoretically doing for them, as well as what it might actually be doing.

Thanks!

Peter

t-nation.com makes their own and I have yet to have any bad experiences with them. I don't have time to go into it now, but I believe that it, glutamine, creatine and protein are the only supplements that really do what they say they do.

They enhance recover. However, BACCs prevalent in whey and egg proteins. If you ingest enough protein, you are getting plenty BCAAs.

Plus, BACCs are expensive. I question if you get back as much as you spend on them.

A better investment is a whey protein that has a mixture of hydrolyzed whey. It is much more accessable to the body...more is digested.

As someone noted, "It not how much protein you eat, it how much you digest.

As for information on them, here an aticle on them: http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1123403

Kenny Croxdale

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Thanks TimD.

Let me add some information on to this article. Certainly, BCAAs enhance recover but to what extent and at what cost?

As stated in my post above, whey protein and egg protein contain a good supply of BCAAs. So, how much more do you need?

Again, if you ingest enough quality protein, you get enough BCAAs. Also, there needsto be a balance of the right amino acids. Mother nature is does a good job of providing the right ratio in whey and egg.

In the article, Thibaudeau recommends that you take between 120-240 tablets a day. The cost of that would be about $43-$86 a month.

Berardi recommendation would mean you'd take about 293 tablets a month, if you are working out only three times a week. The cost of following Berardi's plan would be right at $98.

The cost of shipping was not added in to the above pricing.

The question then becomes, are you getting you making enough gains compared to the money you invest? I seriously doubt it!

I am sure there are other recommendations that require less tables to be taken. So, will taking fewer tablets (meaning spending less) provide with a better results to cost ratio? I doubt it!

Examine the Branch Chain Aminos in whey protien and egg. You'll note that you get a good supply, especially if you increase your intake.

Kenny Croxdale

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Thanks TimD.

Thanks for the information, Kenny. That's quite helpful.

Peter