Diet

Dosage and intake of BCAA

introduction

When it comes to taking dietary supplements, there are generally very different recommendations, some of which are not always correct.
When using BCAA as a supplement, there are various factors that can influence the correct dosage. This includes, among other things, the sporting activity, the intensity, the size and also the body weight.

How Much BCAA Should You Take?

Unfortunately, this question is not easy to answer as there are strong individual differences.
For the correct dosage, please pay attention to the recommended dosage of the respective product.
The BCAA are among the amino acids that the body cannot produce itself and are therefore supplied from diet. They belong to the so-called essential amino acids.
As a dietary supplement for athletic people who also eat healthily, a BCAA intake of 15 grams is usually a good measure. In the case of high physical activity, the maximum daily amount of approx. 35 grams of BCAA (Max. 50 grams) are not exceeded.
People who do not do sports usually need up to twelve grams of BCAA a day. These amounts of leucine, isoleucine, and valine are usually covered by a healthy diet.

However, if you look at leucine, isoleucine and valine individually, the daily recommendations differ significantly from each other.
A healthy man should consume ten to 50 milligrams of leucine per kg of body weight. For non-athletes (approx. 75 kg) this is 0.5 to 3.5 grams of leucine.
Athletes need five to ten grams of leucine, depending on the intensity and frequency.

For isoleucine, the default for non-athletes is around one gram per day. Athletes need significantly more isoleucine. Here, the required intake can vary depending on the type of sport, duration and intensity.
Extreme and competitive athletes need up to 15 grams of isoleucine per day. Average athletes get by with five to eight grams per day.

Valine is again dosed a little lower. Athletes should consume three to seven grams per day to cover their needs. Competitive athletes accordingly a little more and non-athletes significantly less.
In general, it is very important that these three amino acids are always taken together. Only in this way do they develop their optimal effect.

Read more on the topic: Leucine

How Often Should You Take BCAA?

Generally speaking, you can limit BCAAs to four times a day.
In any case, it should be taken before training so that there is enough energy for the coming loads. The intake should be about half an hour before training so that the BCAAs can also be transported to the muscles and can help build muscle there.

Read more on the topic: BCAA for muscle building

If it is a very intensive training, and the training scope is also very high, then you can also take a small dose during training.
Another point in time is immediately after training, so that regeneration can run optimally and muscle protein can be protected and built up.
On non-training days, the BCAAs can be divided into three to four equal portions and taken with meals of the day. The last dose can be taken before going to sleep to optimize recovery at night.
If complete breaks in training are taken, then taking BCAAs at two times of the day is sufficient, usually in the morning and in the evening. This protects the muscles from the breakdown of protein cells.

How long can you take BCAA?

So-called cures are carried out with many dietary supplements. This means that a preparation is taken for a while, and then there is a pause in which the product is not taken. Since we consume BCAAs and proteins every day with a normal diet, there are no cures or breaks when supplementing BCAAs.
Those who follow the dosage recommendations can easily take BCAAs without having to take a break.
BCAAs can therefore be taken continuously without any risk or side effects.
However, you should always adjust the intake to the level of need. If you do less sport, the amount of BCAAs can also be reduced. If the consumption of sport increases again, then more BCAAs can be supplied.

Read also: BCAA side effects

Powder or capsules - which is the better option?

The advantage of a BCAA powder is that you can dose it much better than a capsule.
Capsules, on the other hand, are much more convenient for transport and storage because they cannot leak. Inexperienced athletes should strictly follow the recommendations and information of the manufacturer, so the BCAA capsules are very suitable as dietary supplements. In addition to the dosage, the correct mixing ratio is also planned in here. In addition, other nutrients can be built into the capsules.
Another disadvantage of the powder is its taste. BCAAs in and of themselves don't taste really good and are usually flavored. Capsules only open in the stomach and are therefore tasteless.

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