Let’s Waste Money On: BCAA Supplements?

If you’ve not had these babies pushed at you by fitness stores, magazines, social media and influencers, well I wonder where the hell you’ve been for at least the last five years or so. But to put it bluntly; do you even really know what they are, what they do and where they come from? This isn’t as stupid a question as it first appears; after all, the scent of money has the depressing tendency to deaden the nerves and overrule little things such as facts. And supplements are one hell of a business – and the primary purpose of business is to make money.

First off, what they are. In a nutshell; BCAA’s are ‘branched chain amino acids’ – three chemicals (leucine, isoleucine and valine) which are required for body function. We can’t make these within our bodies (which is why they’re called ‘essential’), so they must be consumed – normally, through our diet. Or the pills or powder, if the companies have their way.

These chemicals are important because they’re critical regarding muscle growth / maintenance and delaying fatigue. This a scientifically proven fact. Therefore – the supplement industry argues – more BCAAs equal more lifts, miles run, larger muscles etc. Result; rats and bros shovelling down the stuff by the spoonful (and I’ll confess, I’ve done this myself in the past.)

But… it doesn’t work that way. It normally doesn’t, y’know.

The easiest way to understand this is to visualise the human body as a machine, one which has a general ‘tolerance range’ and a point somewhere within it which could be called ‘peak efficiency’. Ergo, it can have far too much of something as well as too little. Often, this over-consumption can be harmful – excess calories leads to fat, which if unchecked will lead to obesity and so on.

Biggest issue is that it seems that there doesn’t seem to be a scientific consensus on where this ‘sweet spot’ is (convenient, for the supplement industry!). The best reliable source I could find – Healthline – seems to guestimate it’s around 90mg per lb / 200mg per kilo of body weight; meaning a person of twelve stone (168lb / 76kg) should be consuming about 15 grams a day. Every day; not just on workout days; see it as akin to adding a touch of oil to a machine daily, not dumping a whole bottle on it every now and then. For like the oil, excess BCAAs will simply ‘drip onto the floor’, or in this case, simply get converted to energy (and possibly, then to fat if not immediately required). And this is stupid, as you’re paying for nothing – for there is no scientific evidence to show that ‘spot consumption’ of the stuff in any way improves performance.

The last question is the most critical; where do we get this seemingly magical stuff? That’s easy; you already are. For BCAAs are present in the vast majority of protein sources – both natural and artificial. While different protein sources have differing protein / BCAA ratios, there seems to be a decent guestimate ratio of 6:1 – that every six grams of protein provides one of BCAAs. Therefore, our twelve-stone example above will need to consume 90 grams of protein a day to get in the required 15 grams of BCAAs too. Speaking from experience, this could be met by a pint of milk, two eggs, a hundred grams of chicken, another hundred of lean beef and a half-tin of chickpeas. Not that difficult – and when you consider the possibilities of high-protein snacks and perhaps powders too, the message is clear;

You do not need to supplement your BCAAs if you are already getting ‘sufficient’ protein (though accept that consuming 75 – 115 grams of daily protein will be considered ‘excessive’ by most normal folks). To consume BCAAs on top of this is simply a waste of money.

Now, as with everything, there’s exceptions. Soya, for example appears to be rather BCAA-poor, which means those with restrictive diets may find getting in enough BCAAs an issue. There’s some evidence to show that they’re good for stimulating appetite; so it may help folks who are rather ‘off’ food in general. But these exceptions are the distinct minority. That for most, if you need more BCAAs, simply find a way to consume more ‘BCAA-rich’ protein, such as eggs, milk and their products.

That ultimately, the talk about BCAA supplements are simply another ‘overfitted’ niche product, being pushed for the purposes to commodify This Thing Of Ours even more than it already is. It’s been noted that the majority of instructors and nutritionists who do say more consumption is vital are the ones which unsurprisingly are connected – somehow – with supplement companies. Hmm, do you think one may be related to the other?

As everything on this blog, merely my own thoughts and opinions – though I do feel I’ve ‘done my homework’ on this subject. Part of my ‘Frugality’ series.

Review: Nocco Energy Drink

It could be said that this product isn’t within my usual remit for product reviews, but I don’t see why this shouldn’t be covered – for it is a rather ‘dirty open secret’ that many of us within This Thing Of Ours make liberal use of caffeine as our primary stimulant. Energy drinks, ‘pre-workout shots’, pills and good old coffee; it’s much more an argument about the method of delivery than anything else.

The product comes in a the tall-slim cans first seen with the likes of Red Bull back in the late ’90s, in a austere retro design which to my eyes looks like it’s from 1985. Which is interesting as it appears this product didn’t exist in ’85. Parsimoniousness is the name of the game here; it announces it contains BCAA’s but doesn’t explain what they are, for example. Does announce it contains 180mg of caffeine, though. That’s triple a classic Red Bull, or around 12% more than a Monster. I’m going to assume you’re familiar with energy drinks in general, for it’ll be much easier to describe this product with those as a counterpoint than without it.

For there’s not actually much to describe. It’s carbonated, but not much – no hiss when the can’s opened, for example. Doesn’t smell of much either; not that strange ‘reek’ that you often get. The taste wasn’t that strong either; rather akin to a slightly overly-watered squash. Nor does it taint your palette afterwards.

Consumption… well, caffeine is present and does the job you’d expect it to. However, it has other benefits too. Perhaps I’ve gotten too old and / or I’ve ruined my stomach lining – but I cannot consume energy drinks any more without feeling bloated and sick (and it’s not the caffeine, as the pills and coffee testify). But I can consume this product okay. This is purely anecdotal and might be simply my body being able to cope with one can after years of abstinence and a chocking-off of the ‘crap consumption’, but if you have this problem too perhaps this product is worth investigating.

As they brought it up, I’ll need to clear it; BCAA’s. I’ve done an explanatory post on this. Read, then judge the merits of their inclusion in this product yourself.

Would I buy this product again? No. But my ‘no’ is purely down to what I consider an extreme level of caffeine and I pack enough protein in to ensure I’m swimming in the BCAA’s as it is. If they had one with half the caffeine content, I’d partake now and then. But until then, I’ll simply stick with the isotonic and a pill, thanks. But naturally, you may not feel the same as me on this…

Facts:

Full Name: Nocco Energy Drink

RRP: £1.60 (330ml)

Available At: Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco.

Ultimate Owner: No Carbs Company AB (Sweden)

Date of Testing: 28^th November 2020

Version Tested: Red Berries

As everything on this blog, merely my own thoughts and opinions. I’ve not received anything for this review. Facts correct at date of testing. Part of my Product Reviews series.

Review: Bradley Wiggins Energy Gel

If you’ve had the bars, now try the gel! Part of the triad of products which don’t apparently exist.

Like other gelled products, it comes in those squishy plastic packets, with a tear-tab at the top. Almost nil blurb on what this product is or how to consume it; save a vague ‘Before/During Exercise’ on the front. As it might be a bit confusing to newbies to the purpose of this product, I’ll explain here; these sachets are intended to provide energy boosts during your workout/etc in a manner which does not require the consumption of loads of fluids (which can feel bloaty) or solids (which can feel heavy). Otherwise, it looks like the two bars in design etc.

I tear off the tab; comes off a little more difficult than others I’ve experienced so far. The gap on the top is a little thinner too, which means consumption take a little more time. The gel is fine in texture (that is, if you’re used to gels) but this one has an overly sweet, strong taste – this one as apple. Best way to describe it is being akin to cheap mini apple pies – you know, the filling of? Sweet, a touch sickly and very strongly apple? I don’t particularly like said taste, but I could imagine if they did, say a cherry, grape or pear flavour I’d rather like it.

I consumed a sachet of the stuff some ten minutes before I went for my daily run (with a fairly-empty stomach) – for with products like this, they can only be really judged on their results. First off, this does sit on the stomach a little bit; not a lot, but just enough for me to be aware that ‘I’d consumed something a bit too close to the run’.

But apart from that… it does work. Made near-record time today, and today’s ‘performance’ was distinctly average otherwise (chafing, tightness in calves etc). However, this leads to the dilemma; if you’re performance training, this is good, if losing weight, this is bad – for I’d need to extend my run by nine minutes to ‘break even’ calorie-wise. Anything else? Oh, this one is a maltodextrin – fructose blend, which is different to the ones I’m used to which are pure maltodextrin.

Would I buy this product again? No. That is, unless it’s dirt cheap. There’s energy gels on the market which sit easier on the stomach if nothing else.

(Note: If you know anything about the product, such as who commissioned it or where it is available, please leave a comment about it. Would be much appreciated.)

Facts:

Full Name: Bradley Wiggins Gel of Maltodextrin and Fructose

RRP: Unknown (50g)

Available At: Unknown

Ultimate Owner: Unknown

Date of Testing: 1^st July 2020

Version Tested: Apple.

As everything on this blog, merely my own thoughts and opinions. I’ve not received anything for this review. Facts correct at date of testing. Part of my Product Reviews series.

Review: SIS Isotonic Energy Gel

Another day, another Rubicon; this product is quite obviously not natural. What is it exactly; food, drink or somewhere in between? Who knows. Nearest I can think which compares to this is that ‘food in a tube’ which they have on the space station. Possibly that processed cheese in a tube as a distant second. Hmm… yummy.

This product comes in squishy plastic sachets; experience tells me that they’re pretty sturdy, not had one explode on me so far. ‘World’s first Isotonic Energy Gel’, the packet tells me – which while may be true, does not mean it’s good – after all, the first aeroplanes performed little skips and then crashed to the floor. The blurb apart from this is a little hazy; giving off the vibe of ‘if you need this product you’ll know all about it already’ which is a touch intimidating to newbies. I’ll talk about this in a moment.

Method of entry is a tear-tab at the top of the sachet; easy enough to do, though I do warn now that it’s possible for you not to do it right and thus require the use of a blade to hack off the tiny slither of sealed plastic stopping you getting to the delicious. Then you squeeze the product directly into your mouth.

First thing which strikes you is the texture; it’s akin to watery, partly-set jelly. Then there’s the taste; I got a six-sachet ‘variety box’ and I’ll say now none of the four flavours I had are nice. None of them are nasty either, admittedly. This one I’ve got now (Apple) tastes like those cheap drops you can get, but others have recalled watery, cheap squash or vaguely like washing-up liquid. Yummy indeed. Best which can be said here is that the taste is rather easy to ignore.

However, this product is not sold on taste merits and shouldn’t be judged on them. Like it’s isotonic drink brethren, this gel is designed to provide you with an assortment of trace elements needed for peak physical exertion and with a shot of quick energy – though unlike it’s liquid sibling, the gel won’t fill your stomach and give you the fluidy-sloshy-bloating.

And it achieves this; no doubt about it. I’ve tried several sachets while both performing exercise and physical work, and I got performance uprating of between five to ten percent, and didn’t require fluids either.

Yet this means we also need to remember the reasons for your exercising in the first place – just like isotonic drinks. If you’re say running to build up cardio, yes enjoy the sachet. If you’re doing it to lose weight, then avoid; for every sachet consumed means your run will need to be eight minutes longer simply to ‘break even’…

Facts:

Full Name: SIS Isotonic Energy Gel

RRP: £1.49 (60ml)

Available At: Holland & Barrett, Asda, Tesco.

Ultimate Owner: Science in Sport Plc.

Date of Testing: 15^th May 2020.

Version Tested: Apple

As everything on this blog, merely my own thoughts and opinions. I’ve not received anything for this review. Facts correct at date of testing. Part of my Product Reviews series.

Review: PhD VMX2 Pre-Workout Shot

And here we are, holding the little bottle in my hands. Another Rubicon; protein bars, vitamin pills and so on can be explained away (to others and self) as mere ‘improving fitness’… but not this. Too obviously artificial. Which a search engine hammered home by the autocomplete tacking on ‘bodybuilding’ when I was doing research on this product. But hey; I bought the damn thing, might as well as try it…

‘Powerful Pre-Workout’ the mainly white bottle tells me; along with the warning regarding high caffeine levels. A general absence of anything on the bottle to tempt sales is… slightly worrying. On one hand, it doesn’t draw attention to itself as something really artificial. But on the other hand, the lack of trying to draw attention in itself draws attention; like in the computer games where the cityscapes aren’t full of advertising hoardings or sitcoms where the people don’t spend all their time either watching TV or fucking about with their phones.

I pull off the protective wrapper, undo the bottle and peer inside; can see vaguely-yellow liquid. Smells like that Polish raspberry cordial that I use to make my isotonic drinks in the summer. For reasons I’ll explain in a bit, decide to consume the bottle in two, rather than one sitting. Gingerly, take a sip. First hit is, naturally raspberry. But then, when you think you’re safe – the aftertaste hits.

It is truly disgusting – the worst tested so far. This makes the damn Battleoats look ‘not that bad’ in comparison – and that tasted like sick. The taste is best described as the one you get when you’re vomiting on an empty stomach and all that’s coming up is bile and acid. Truly, a most foul of concoctions which I only managed to consume by immediately washing it down with water and then using mouthwash.

Yet… despite this, VMX2 appears rather popular. The reason for this is simple; it works. I’m not going to doubt this; it did for me. First off, it contains caffeine – the equivalent of two cups of strong coffee (which was why I broke it in half). Next, you’ve got the beta-alanine – an amino acid which there’s some scientific evidence showing it helps you exercise longer. And I felt it kick in through the little tingles in my fingertips. Then there’s the taurine and arginine (two more aminos) and ginseng; all three which there’s a a bit of evidence suggesting it might help improve your exercise ability. At very least, it hasn’t been conclusively disproved. Yet.

However, even if the shot tasted nice (or at least neutral) I wouldn’t buy this product again. The answer being simply that it’s way too overpriced for what it grants. Doing a fag-packet calculation similar to the manner I do for over-the-counter medicines, I can re-create the chemical effects of VMX2 for a minimum of 50% of the cost – more if you strip out the supplements you don’t feel are effective and/or use powder form rather than pill. Admittedly, this does offer the niche appeal that it’s simply one little bottle than carrying around various pills or mysterious powders – but that’s a small market indeed. And while I do… dabble in this a bit, I prefer to be in control of exactly what I take, when I take.

Plus, this takes away from my beloved coffee ration, which is a hanging offence in my book.

Facts:

Full Name: PhD VMX2 Pre-Workout Shot

RRP: £1.99 (60ml)

Available At: Holland & Barrett, http://www.dolphinfitness.co.uk.

Ultimate Owner: Science in Sport Plc.

Date of Testing: 29^th February 2020.

Version Tested: Raspberry Rush.

As everything on this blog, merely my own thoughts and opinions. I’ve not received anything for this review. Facts correct at date of testing. Part of my Product Reviews series.

Let’s Waste Money On: Vitamin Supplements?

Millions of people take vitamin supplements every day; in the UK alone, it’s a business which is worth around £450 million a year. And rising. There’s a hell of a lot of woo about them, too; a myriad of competing products with differing claims of effectiveness, origin and what it “helps”. Rather like with the over-the-counters painkillers. And like the painkillers, the vast majority of it is a load of crap too. And this post is a quick-and-dirty laypersons explanation to why.

Every human being needs vitamins (and minerals) in trace amounts for peak efficiency. For most people, this is perfectly achievable through diet alone. The emphasis here is most. For there’s a few categories who may struggle; those on restrictive diets such as vegans being the most obvious example. One other group I’ll cite here who I think would seriously benefit would be the poorest in our society; those who often are unable to afford a balanced, nutritious diet. The ironies of our civilisation – the first in history where it’s possible to be both obese and malnourished. Another group are people who may not get sufficient exposure to sunlight – which is why the British NHS recommends that all people in the UK take a vitamin D supplement during our dark, cold winters. Which is why I take a daily multivitamin during said season.

Though it’s not just for the Vitamin D; in the winter months, I do find it a bit of a struggle to consume enough fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. I can’t always afford it, I’m frankly a bit of a picky eater (if any reader of my food reviews will testify) and having produce shipped over from South Africa or forced up under glass plays merry hell on my carbon footprint. Nothing overly special, either; just a generic multivitamin from a discounters which sets me back less than a couple of pence a day.

In this case, it’s not a case of a “false economy” for the important thing is the quantity of the vitamins within each pill; that here, an £8 bottle can be chemically identical to a £1 one. That you’re paying the extra… for what, exactly? Your body doesn’t care if the vitamins were natural or artificial, the brand or anything. One argument, however I’d fully respect would be the one which says they trust the more expensive brand to actually contain what it’s supposed to (and to not contain others); but that bastion of consumer knowledge – Which? – did a test last year which showed some of the more expensive brands were short of their stated doses up to 40%.

One thing I’ll mention quick is that it appears that EU regulations towards supplements are stronger than American. However, the law also says the supplement can contain upto 50% more or 20% less than each vitamin stated on the blurb. This means – for example – if the Vitamin C gummy says “70mg”, it could contain anywhere between 56mg and 105mg.

Then there’s the issue with the doses themselves. You see, not only do we have an “Dietary Reference Intake” (DRI) which is the level we should have, but an “Upper Limit” which can cause problems if exceeded. I’m not joking here; people have died from this “megavitamin” shit (it’s also why eating bear liver is a no-no; lethal levels of vitamin A. Plus, the bear would object). For some, the “margin of error” between the DRI and UL appears to be pretty wide, but others aren’t so tolerant. This means you may be better off consuming a supplement which covers less than your DRI – fully expecting your diet to cover the rest.

However, one other thing has been confirmed by the review of the scientific studies back in 2018; vitamin supplements did not have any positive effects on human health with the exception of solving deficiencies.

Therefore, as long as you trust the manufacturer to put in what they say they do on the bottle and one of the ingredients threaten to push you anywhere near your UL, there’s basically no benefit for shelling out for the expensive pills. Well, except the manufacturer and shop, naturally…

As everything on this blog, merely my own thoughts and opinions. In this case, recommend you read up from reputable medical sites etc before doing the above. Part of my ‘Frugality’ series.