I’ve got a quick question about BCAA capsules. I know for some capsules (such as medicines which could be denatured), it is definitely better so just swallow it.
However, I’ve also heard that some capsules are just as good or better ingested by being mixed in a drunk. So thus my question is: would opening up a BCAA capsule into a protein shake or a glass of milk pre/post workout be better than just taking it as a pill?
Would it be worse? Also, is there any current research out there which suggests an amount or point of dimishing returns on BCAA ingestion at one particular time?
My knowledge is that BCAA are best taken by themselves on an empty stomach. If taken with other or aminos (protein, milk, etc.) the aminos will fight for binding sites and the banch cain aminos wont be absorbed as readily.
Im not 100% on this but maybe someone will jump in and verify/dispute this. Also, the capsules help protect the aminos from stomach acid(again, not 100% sure)
Biotest BCAAs dissolve in water after a couple hours… so go ahead and break all you want, I really dont think it makes a difference. They are only in pill form for convenience.
[quote]Houshin Akai wrote:
Biotest BCAAs dissolve in water after a couple hours… so go ahead and break all you want, I really dont think it makes a difference. They are only in pill form for convenience.[/quote]
Yeah, but can you take 'em with a post workout shake that contains milk, etc?
[quote]HendrixJams wrote:
Houshin Akai wrote:
Biotest BCAAs dissolve in water after a couple hours… so go ahead and break all you want, I really dont think it makes a difference. They are only in pill form for convenience.
Yeah, but can you take 'em with a post workout shake that contains milk, etc?[/quote]
binding sites? you must mean transport protein uptake. yes, there would be competition for uptake as there is a maximal amount that can occur, but there are a few reasons not to worry.
the BCAAs will be absorbed long before any of the proteins in the milk. of the milk, 20% is the whey fraction, this will absorb between the BCAA and the casein, 80% of the protein in milk. if this were the amino acid intake, there would be minimal to no slowing of uptake of amino acids at normal dosages. the greatest effect of slow absorbtion comes from the casein which gets digested very slowly as it forms a gel in the stomach.
in general protein absorption from different proteins rarely affects the rates of other proteins’ absorption.
[quote]ubl0 wrote:
binding sites? you must mean transport protein uptake. yes, there would be competition for uptake as there is a maximal amount that can occur, but there are a few reasons not to worry.
the BCAAs will be absorbed long before any of the proteins in the milk. of the milk, 20% is the whey fraction, this will absorb between the BCAA and the casein, 80% of the protein in milk. if this were the amino acid intake, there would be minimal to no slowing of uptake of amino acids at normal dosages. the greatest effect of slow absorbtion comes from the casein which gets digested very slowly as it forms a gel in the stomach.
in general protein absorption from different proteins rarely affects the rates of other proteins’ absorption.[/quote]
So…uh…
It’s okay to take BCAA’s with a smoothie that contains milk?
I just picked up a book called
“Nutrient Timing”.
Written by John Ivy, and Robert Portman
it talks about when and how to take protein powder.
This book is actually the reason I didnt buy BCAA’s in capsule form.
Just to let everybody know the book nor I am implying that BCAA’s in capsule form are no good. Just that the book gives specific mixtures of protein powder, hi GI carbohydrate and BCAA’s to use, and the only BCAA’s it calls for is Glutamine and Leucine.
P.S
Holy crap, i never realized how expensive BCAA’s are until the other day when i went looking for them.
I take 15g BCAA per day in pill form, but the timing changes based upon whether it is a training day or not.
I take 5g pre workout and 5g post workout. I also take 3 scoops of Surge during and post workout which contain BCAA’s. I save my final 5g for just before I go to sleep.
On non-training days I take 5g midmorning and 5g midafternooon. I still take 5g just before bedtime.
