I used BCAA's pre workout previously when training fasted. I noticed two things, a little more energy for the workout, and then less DOMS(soreness) on subsequent days.

Not wanting to continue buying powders, I had two choices. Eat before, or eat after.

Eating before left me weaker, blood had to go to my stomach etc to help digest food, not going to work.

Eating after left me a little drained in the workout but by eating steak or eggs after working out I was getting the BCAAs afterwards.

Simple solution: Caffeine. A cup of green tea or coffee pre workout gave me the boost and endurance. Then the meat after gave me the BCAAs.

No more need for expensive powders!

At 21 years of age, sir, I would suggest eating clean food and working out hard. Your body will take care of the rest and tell you when to eat and how much. If you lift heavy things and eat when your body says to, you will grow and be lean. Enjoy being young and don't worry so much about IF and BCAAs. Spend your money on being young and having some fun.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/mrm/bcaag.html

This is what you want. I can't believe how pleasant it is to drink. No artificial sweeteners/colors.

http://www.vitaglo.com/213.html is a link to the NOW BCAA powder. at vitaglo.com

it is just BCAA powder, nothing else.

avoid all sweeteners!

I use bodybuilding.com I do Leangains style IF with BCAAs and have tried both Xtend which has flavor and artificial sweetners and have also tried DNA which is a pill form with no additives.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/magnum/dna.html

Vitamin Shoppe carries several brands - I prefer the powder so I can mix in what I like. Powder is bitter, so I add some stevia to take the edge off.

GNC has an unflavored one as well. I bought the grape flavored Vitamin Shoppe version (Modern BCAA brand) after it ran out. Big mistake. It doesn't mix well, and it has way too much artificial sweetener.

The unflavored stuff tastes pretty awful. The flavored stuff tastes only marginally better, but there's so much sweetener that you're left very dry mouthed for a couple hours afterwards. Not good when Leangains recommends a pre-workout dose.

I'm going back to GNC. For some reason it mixed into water much more easily than the Modern BCAA brand.

I have tried 3 types of BCAA's

The first was Vitacost.com's brand NSI - Tastes was neutral and not exciting. Could not get it to mix, at all! terrible.

The second was Purple Wraath - The first time I used it was fine. Second and Third time was horrible. It felt like I was on fire from the inside out. I believe it was the Niacin & Beta Alanine in it.

The third one was Xtend - Cheaper than the wraath, plus does not have the niacin, beta alanine. If I was to buy again, I would get Xtend. But, I'm bothered by the sugar substitue, so I'm not sure I will purchase again.

Hope that helps.

I think the NOW brand has no extra shit. Just the pure BCAA's.

I've been turning the same over in my head for a long time...

I think it's obvious that consuming any source or BCAA previous fasted training would prevent excessive muscle loss, but from an anthropological point of view: Where would our ancestors get that source of BCAA? Eating some meet of course... but then all the attributed benefits of the fasted training just disappear.

I would really like to hear other peoples opinion on this topic.

Anyway, as i've seen in many post, the generalized consensus always refers to any one of this:

Purple Wraath: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/clabs/purple.html

Xtend: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/sv/xtend.html

As far as I'm concerned, if I had to take this kind of supplements I think I would take this one: http://www.bullsportnutrition.com/anti-catabol.php

INGREDIENTS: BCAA’s complex (L-Leucine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine, L-Glutamine), natural flavors, citric acid.

Go to iherb.com and search for BCAA. Lots to choose from. Use coupon code IJO200 for a 5% discount on your purchase.

Try VitaCost.com; contrary to the earlier post, their private label BCAA powder (NSI) is an excellent product at a good price, and it has no added flavorings. I mix it with a glass of water or a little heavy cream and it works just fine.

Also, I have read through the LeanGains protocol, and I agree that supplementing with BCAAs prior to fasted workouts makes good sense. Post workout, once you've consumed protein, you are probably wasting your money if you take it.

Good luck!

Protein Factory is a good deal. I use this protein powder: http://proteinfactory.com/shop/product.php?productid=43&cat=0&page=1 which mixes easily, has 7 g BCAA, so to fit LG's protocol, a couple scoops works, and it's not torture to eat, which matters to me. But is it Paleo? Dunno.

Honestly, I used to use Whey, not I use BCAAs called Amino Max. It's cost effective, but artificial. Why not do what I do on occasion, and drink liquid egg whites instead?

Thank you, Visit my website at: http://loyalq.blogspot.com/ Elizabeth Moore

Beverly International. Comes from free range grass fed no antibiotic sources. Purity can be an iisue with bcaas. I believe they were tested at 105%. I do leangains. Fasted training and am at 7% BF. Feel like an animal fasted and using pre and post wo.

I think, you should try with and without bcaa fasted training for longer period, because it is stated that fasted preserves muscles and increase insulin sensitivity. And even bcaa ingested martin states as still fasting, I don't think so it is because bcaa is easaly converted to glucose. I tried with and with out it, I felt better without it. If body doesn't have food just this synthetic "shit" , than it will use to rebuild its body not only muscle, but other tissues with this incomplete protein, lacking vitamins and minerals food. Rather than using its stored vitamins, damaged cells for rebuild and leave healthy body. Moreover 16 hours is not truly fasting, but exercising on empty stomach could put you in more real fasting state and increase growth hormone to burn fat. Still after couple hours you won't get catabolic to lose muscle. And food will become more anabolic when you will ingest it. If you are natural bodybuilder, calories and macro nutrients count at the end of the day, not so much time, just for very big guys small details matter. Think also about ancestors they would wait for some animal fasted, than hunt it down (exercise) than bring home (forcex. cave) and cook it and eat it. so from hunting and coming home still fasted. And there women would have brought fruits and tubers, plus cooked lean meats. That's my opinion :) If you can't increase weight with bcaa during lifts, and you down gain muscle than try bcaa, martin always says to build lean muscle it is slow process, so with or without it will be slow. It is called lean!!! gains after all., lean muscle gain is always slow. Again and again it is just my opinion ;) Sorry about my English language, I know it is rubbish and I have total respect to Martin :)

This site says that the whites from 2 hard boiled eggs will give you 8-10 grams of high quality proteins, including BCAAs:

http://healthcorrelator.blogspot.com/2011/12/protein-powders-before-fasted-weight.html

I'm using Optimum Nutrition BCAA powder, unflavored variety from bodybuilding.com.

Right now I'm mixing 1tsp (5.75g) in water pre workout. I am also taking the same post workout + an additional 5g of powdered l-glutamine.