Before we discuss the best time to take BCAA, whether that be tablets or powder, let’s first look at the importance of BCAA supplementation.
Branch chain amino acids, or BCAAs, are one of the best supplements for muscle growth, muscle repair and muscle recovery. BCAAs are made up of three amino acids: Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. These three amino acids directly influence the muscles.
BCAAs are found in protein-packed foods such as eggs and steak, or you can supplement with a BCAA powder too. Ingesting BCAAs either from food or supplementation, or both, on daily basis is important for muscle growth and repair and like all supplements if you can get enough BCAA in from food alone then you don't need to take additional BCAA's however, if you aren't getting enough BCAA's or are having a long period without eating protein rich foods then supplementing with BCAA's would be a good addition to your diet.
BCAA's for CrossFit - When you’re working out at high intensity like a CrossFit style workout you are rapidly depleting your body’s stores of nutrients like glycogen and glucose therefore the release of BCAAs into your body triggers your body to continue synthesizing protein instead of ceasing protein synthesis due to the stress of exercise.
This is why you will see a lot of CrossFit athletes reaching for BCAA drinks such as NOCCO and Fit Aid however, supplementing with a BCAA powder is a much more cost effective (and tasty) solution plus our BCAA's in Amino Performance are Caffeine free and contains additional L-Glutamine, vitamins and electrolytes so no cramping up or dehydration too.
So what is the best time to take BCAA supplementation?
We have inferred that the best time to take BCAA powder or tablets is either before working out, during or after. We know, this is a bit vague, but let us explain how versatile this amazing product can be.
Before a workout BCAA's
Taking a BCAA supplement before working out can be great for those that train fasted in a morning. Research has shown that taking BCAA supplementation (we prefer powdered BCAAs) can have a fatigue reducing effect allowing you to perform just as well as you would with a prior intake of food 2 hours before. Many people think that they won’t workout as well if they didn’t eat carbs before they train. This is simply not the case, or not the case for most people. If you have a decent meal the night before containing carbs, fats and protein then this should be enough to fuel your morning workout fasted. And you can then take BCAAs to give you that extra amino acid boost.
How much BCAAs do I need before working out?
We recommend taking 5g-10g of BCAAs before working out.
Intra Workout BCAA's
Taking a BCAA powder such as Amino Performance fruit punch during training is a great way to nourish the muscles whilst you train, whilst enjoying a refreshing beverage at the same time. Taking a BCAA powder intra training helps reduce fatigue.
How much BCAAs do I need during training?
We recommend taking 5g of BCAAs before working out. This is just 1 scoop of Amino Performance.
Post Workout BCAA's
Taking BCAAs post training is great for muscle recovery and repair. The BCAAs help your muscle fibers to heal and because Amino Performance utilizes instantised BCAAs it means the absorption is rapid and fast acting.
How much BCAAs do I need after training?
We recommend taking between 5g-10g of BCAAs post training. This is just 1-2 scoops of Amino Performance.
The benefits of BCAA powder over BCAA tablets
We prefer powder over BCAA tablets everyday of the week. To get a good dose of branch chain amino acids that elicits a positive response on the body you need to consume between 5g and 10g each time. This can essentially mean popping 10 and 20 tablets. Powder is much more potent, and it can taste great. Never go for a flavorless BCAA powder. Yuk. We have some great flavour technicians working for us ensuring all our products taste great. Try our Fruit Punch BCAA powder – it tastes truly awesome! Plus we added an extra amino powerhouse to our BCAA blend: L-Glutamine, and fortified the powder with vitamins and electrolytes so no cramping up or dehydration.
