BCAA pre / intra workout hinders performance?

[#8]

My physio guy told me that intake of BCAA less than 30 minutes before a workout will actually be detrimental to your weight lifting workout. He went on in much more detail than I am about to but he mentioned something about Leucine having some kind of ill effect on muscle contraction because its processing in the liver or something. Keep in mind I just butchered his reasoning but it was something along those lines.

Does anyone know at all what he was talking about? He said taking BCAA was fine but it should be consumed 45-60 minutes pre workout to have any real benefit. Anyone know what the deal is here?

[TT Eric]

BCAA are needed to build muscle, repair, spare, maintain, initiate protein synthesis, I don't see why reducing it could help...

It make me remember when I was training 20-25 years ago, I use to be considerate like a good 'tester' for supplements, simply because I was so depleted in everything in my body (mostly from my lack of knowledge and misinformation I got from the magazines that lead me to train 2-2.5 hrs 6x per week, extremely intense, not like the average joe, year round, sick or not, no vacation, no deload week, eating badly, like a pork but badly, barely no fruits/veggies, vitamins/minerals, no whey...) So whenever I was trying a supplement my body was so much in need that I could see right away if it was working or not. For example when I took for a while some chromium picolinate, I could feel right away after the first pill a huge spike in my energy levels - I mean huge, I never saw anybody else feeling any different by taking this alone. I remember when I tried BCAA for the first time I clearly saw a difference too, I was taking it intra workout, I saw instantly that recuperation was better and it helped pack some muscles. My nutrition and training was extremely steady for so many years that any changes I was making, I could feel it right away.

So I can tell I saw the results first hand that it helped in a positive way, it has not been detrimental.

Eric

[#8]

I think for someone as nutrient starved as you were it may have posed a benefit yes. Im talking detrimental at a cellular level here. He mentioned that muscles actually lose their ability to fully contract, thus reducing strength during a weight bout.

[fmrdh]

BCAA are needed to build muscle, repair, spare, maintain, initiate protein synthesis, I don't see why reducing it could help...

It make me remember when I was training 20-25 years ago, I use to be considerate like a good 'tester' for supplements, simply because I was so depleted in everything in my body (mostly from my lack of knowledge and misinformation I got from the magazines that lead me to train 2-2.5 hrs 6x per week, extremely intense, not like the average joe, year round, sick or not, no vacation, no deload week, eating badly, like a pork but badly, barely no fruits/veggies, vitamins/minerals, no whey...) So whenever I was trying a supplement my body was so much in need that I could see right away if it was working or not. For example when I took for a while some chromium picolinate, I could feel right away after the first pill a huge spike in my energy levels - I mean huge, I never saw anybody else feeling any different by taking this alone. I remember when I tried BCAA for the first time I clearly saw a difference too, I was taking it intra workout, I saw instantly that recuperation was better and it helped pack some muscles. My nutrition and training was extremely steady for so many years that any changes I was making, I could feel it right away.

So I can tell I saw the results first hand that it helped in a positive way, it has not been detrimental.

Eric

Based on this post..... we are probably very similar.

[cog]

Dr.Mauro diPasquale is a firm believer in pre workout bcaa supps.Google his site and read his article on it.

[Praetorian]

There is plenty of evidence out there that they are beneficial.
P

[#8]

I absolutely agree they are beneficial and I think Dr. D has a lot of useful things to say. Ive read many of his articles.

Im talking specifically dosing immediately prior to or during a workout. I will try to find more info on this topic.

[Praetorian]

The evidence I am alluding to is using them immediately before as well as during training.
P

[Skailes]

The evidence I am alluding to is using them immediately before as well as during training.
P Agreed here as well. I use BCAAs during my workout and find that they are beneficial to my training and progress. I suggest that you do a google scholar search for BCAA studies and see what you come up with.

Also and one of the reasons that I tend not to use the advice given from Drs or others in the medical field unless I know for a fact that they are up to date on their nutritional info/research is that many of them got their education/degree/diploma etc many years ago and nutritional research is an ever evolving field that has advanced considerably over the last few years. So chances are your physio's info is way outdated. I suggest you look up all the research you can and then present it to him as a meta-analysis type of study. That is if you care enough to help him out....

[big supplemets]

well i used bcaas yesterday as a pre workout. first time and i killed it. so my next training day i will be taking them gain... do what works for you man.