Certain people will tell you that it is unnecessary to consume BCAAs alone in a diet already consisting of sufficient protein. This is obviously because in most regular protein sources there is already a large component of amino acids that are BCAAs. So, say you consume 10g of BCAA tablets pre-workout, it probably won't do much considering you probably got considerably more BCAAs from protein sources you consumed (BCAAs are one grouping of amino acids and protein is composed of amino acids). From this point of view, BCAAs seem to be just an over-hyped marketing scam.
The other point of view is that the acute effects of BCAA supplementation may be beneficial for recovery, especially before, during, and after your workout. Another claim is that it helps promote keeping muscle mass in cutting weight. There are several studies showing positive acute effects of BCAAs when consumed around a workout, however most of these are done either with:
1. Limited test subjects.
2. Test subjects in a fasted state
3. Unrealistic Exercise programs
4. Not taking into account test subject's daily intake of protein.
5. Not comparing BCAAs to other amino acids or pre-workout protein intake.
etc, etc, etc
The reality is most likely that there wouldn't be big difference between drinking a protein shake before a workout and consuming x grams of BCAAs before your workout. Some will argue that your body will be able to use BCAAs in supplement form quicker since they are free form (not bonded into proteins basically) and therefore create immediate recovery from muscular damage. However, does it really matter if your body gets the BCAAs it needs in two hours rather than 5 minutes? Also, does it really matter to give your body immediate BCAAs during your workout if there is already sufficient BCAAs in your body from previous protein intake? These questions are what supplement companies tend to ignore for obvious reasons.
I still keep an open mind. Many experts DO support BCAAs for whatever reasons despite several factors and there is a lot of anecdotes of people who found them to be beneficial. Still, I lean towards the more useless than neccesarry side however I believe there may be slight acute benefits (however, that is just a personal belief and not scientific fact...bros tend to not know the diff).
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