Do you count BCAAs towards your calories/protein?

[chewyxrage]

Thread title says it all. I personally do count the 30g of BCAAs I drink during the first half of the day towards my calories and protein. Curious about the rest of you.

Why or why not? The FDA doesn't consider them calories for nutritional labeling purposes.

 

[germaine91]

BCAAs have about 6 calories per gram, so yes count them.

Also, why are you supplementing with them? Are you deficient in protein? If so, why not supplement with a protein powder or just eat more protein?

 

[Headholio]

My understanding is that the FDA doesn't require counting them on labels because they are not considered macronutrients (individual aminos rather than protein). That doesn't mean they don't have calories or that they don't count as protein in your body. So I would count them.

 

[RickRock13]

I always count mine to my protein total.

 

[notjake11]

BCAAs have about 6 calories per gram, so yes count them.

Also, why are you supplementing with them? Are you deficient in protein? If so, why not supplement with a protein powder or just eat more protein?

Because they have been shown to be beneficial for those who are strenuously exercising/lifting in terms of minimizing catabolism and maximizing recovery/healing. They are also particularly good at helping in those areas for people who train fasted (intermittent fasting for example).

 

[RickRock13]

Because they have been shown to be beneficial for those who are strenuously exercising/lifting in terms of minimizing catabolism and maximizing recovery/healing. They are also particularly good at helping in those areas for people who train fasted (intermittent fasting for example).

This is exactly how and why I use them. I train fasted daily as part of IF, and BCAAs are an important part of my supplement regiment

 

[chewyxrage]

This is exactly how and why I use them. I train fasted daily as part of IF, and BCAAs are an important part of my supplement regiment

Same here.

Looks like the overall consensus is to count them. Good. Easy 30g of protein

 

[germaine91]

Because they have been shown to be beneficial for those who are strenuously exercising/lifting in terms of minimizing catabolism and maximizing recovery/healing. They are also particularly good at helping in those areas for people who train fasted (intermittent fasting for example).

You might want to look at the research again because BCAAs have only been shown to be effective if the person's diet is deficient in protein, in which case they should up their protein, not waste money on BCAAs.

I train fasted. Powdered forms of Carbohydrate have been shown to have a greater increase in training performance than BCAAs in fasted people.

 

[Headholio]

You might want to look at the research again because BCAAs have only been shown to be effective if the person's diet is deficient in protein, in which case they should up their protein, not waste money on BCAAs.

I train fasted. Powdered forms of Carbohydrate have been shown to have a greater increase in training performance than BCAAs in fasted people.

Exercise-induced muscle damage is redu... [J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI

 

[germaine91]

Where does it mention the protein intake? ^^^