Quote:
Originally Posted by Drak
Prolly should have researched better.
Edit: on re-read it says taken before, during after workout. Provides energy etc.
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My issue is just with the immediacy before a workout that you need to take in protein and BCAA supplements and whether they have any efficacy as a "pre-workout".
BCAA are just a category of amino-acids that we get from our regular foods. This particular category of amino acids has been proven to increase muscle recovery, which makes sense as they are a key component in our muscle tissues.
However, BCAA intake does not help athletic performance:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18974721
Also, amino acid and protein metabolism does not work the same way as sugar metabolism. They don't enter our blood stream and metabolic processes as quickly. When you workout you also substantially shut downs your digestive processes.
In my opinion a lot of this "pre-workout" stuff is just a marketing gimic by the supplement companies. The scientific literature supports the use of BCAA intake as a recovery tool, but it doesn't state that you need to take it immediately before a workout. The only way to take it immediately before a workout is to take a relatively expensive "pre-workout" shake. There's been a jump between the scientific research and what supplement producers are marketing.