Introduction
There are generally very different recommendations for taking food supplements, some of which are not always correct. When using BCAA as a supplement, there are various factors that can influence the correct dosage. These include sporting activity, intensity, height and also body weight.
How much BCAA should one 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. BCAA are among the amino acids that the body cannot produce itself and are therefore supplied from the diet.
They therefore belong to the so-called essential amino acids. As a dietary supplement for sporty people who also come to eat healthy, a BCAA supply of 15 grams is usually a good measure. In case of high physical strain, the daily maximum amount of approx.
35 grams BCAA (max. 50 grams) should not be exceeded. People who do not do any sport usually need up to twelve grams of BCAA per day.
This amount of leucine, isoleucine and valine is normally covered by a healthy diet. However, if you look at leucine, isoleucine and valine individually, the daily recommendations differ considerably. A healthy man should consume ten to 50 milligrams of leucine per kg of body weight.
For the non-athlete (approx. 75 kg) this is 0.5 to 3.5 grams of leucine. Athletes need five to ten grams of leucine, depending on intensity and frequency.
For isoleucine, the requirement for non-athletes is about one gram per day. Athletes need considerably 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 manage with five to eight grams per day. Valin is again somewhat lower dosed.
Athletes should consume three to seven grams per day to cover their needs. Competitive athletes should take a little more and non-athletes a lot less. In general it is very important that these three amino acids are always taken together. Only in this way can they develop their optimal effect.
How often should one take BCAA?
Generally speaking, BCAAs can be limited to four times a day. In any case, one intake time should be before the training, so that sufficient energy is available for the coming loads. The intake should be about half an hour before the training, so that the BCAAs can be transported to the muscles and can contribute to the muscle building.
If it is a very intensive training, and the training volume is also very high, then you can also take a small dosage during training. Another time is directly after the training, so that the regeneration is optimal and the muscle protein can be protected and built up. On non-training days, BCAAs can be divided into three to four equal portions and taken with the daily meals.
The last dose can be taken before going to bed in order to optimise recovery at night. If complete training breaks are taken, then it is sufficient to take BCAAs at two times of the day, usually in the morning and evening. This protects the muscles from the breakdown of protein cells.
