BCAA or EAA?

[Wanja]

So i am planning to try BCAA as recommended from several people especially as i heard it may help rebalance my neurotransmitters as i have insane neurological symptoms.

I got recommended BCAAs but wouldnt it make sense to try EAAs? Is there a specific reason to it? It only has more aminoacids which is probably better?

 

[nerd]

It's basically only leucine that provides multiple mechanisms to alleviate the functional symptoms. Instead of EAAs, you could simply eat nuts, couldn't you?

 

[Wishful]

It only has more aminoacids which is probably better?

No, unfortunately more is not necessarily better. ME can make us have problems from nutrients that are supposed to be good for us (non-ME people). I was sensitive to tryptophan (haven't tested it recently) and I'm presently sensitive to proline (non-essential), so adding those in a supplement would make me feel worse, possibly hiding a benefit from one of the other AAs.

Instead of EAAs, you could simply eat nuts, couldn't you?

... unless Wanja has a problem with one of the other kinds of molecules in nuts.

If you want a cheap source of amino acids, gelatin is composed of most AAs (no TRP or cystine though). https://tools.myfooddata.com/protein-calculator/169599/wt2/1 A box of Jello is a cheap way to test whether AAs will make you feel noticeably better or worse.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

So i am planning to try BCAA as recommended from several people especially as i heard it may help rebalance my neurotransmitters as i have insane neurological symptoms.

I'm restarting up the BCAAs experiment. suspended fall 2019, after I got gastroperesis and decided to cease extra liquids.

today, is day 1 and I got one tsp (about 2.5 g) of BCAAs dissolved in some hot/warm water.

The bitter smell of bitter water...its not THAT bad but the smell parks in my entire mucosal system and never left all day. I gave up the idea of a second dose at 3 pm.

but gosh- I'm feeling more alert and less tinnitis- today and I'm encouraged to keep at it.

I'll try again tomorrow.

I did feel back in 2019, that the BCAAs were helping me. So I want to pay more careful attention to this experiment, this time.

 

[Alvin2]

Different modes of action.

BCAAs are supposed to provide aminos the body can use for fuel instead of carbohydrates.

EAAs are aminos your body needs to run itself, nutrients you need from food. There are other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, omega3/6 etc but the essential proteins are the EAAs.

Frankly try both. Oh and you can get some BCAAs that taste less crappy, but you will have to experiment and with a bit of luck (and cost) you can find a more palatable one.

In my case a protein powder with the immune factors seems to be the only one of these things that does much for me. The effect is small but useful.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Frankly try both. Oh and you can get some BCAAs that taste less crappy, but you will have to experiment and with a bit of luck (and cost) you can find a more palatable one.

Day 2- I drank my 2.5 g BCAAs and while I did not enjoy the bitter glass of warm water, I got it down. And the smell did not take over my insides, it seems! Wow. Progress.

I eat quite a bit of protein so I figure I'm probably getting enough- carbs I don' t seem to run on well at all.

 

[Wishful]

Oh and you can get some BCAAs that taste less crappy,

The BCAAs I got from Canadian Protein tasted almost pleasant (almost fruity). I bought that several years ago, so I'm not sure whether the present product is the same.

BCAAs are supposed to provide aminos the body can use for fuel instead of carbohydrates.

That is misleading. BCAAs are important for a lot of other functions, such as protein building. They are definitely not just a fuel.

 

[Alvin2]

That is misleading. BCAAs are important for a lot of other functions, such as protein building. They are definitely not just a fuel.

No they are not just a fuel but they are used for muscle energy and are marketed to body builders and iirc they are the only aminos the body can use for fuel.

 

[Pyrrhus]

No they are not just a fuel but they are used for muscle energy and are marketed to body builders and iirc they are the only aminos the body can use for fuel.

They aren't the only amino acids used for fuel, but they are certainly the most prominent ones used as fuel by both muscles and the nervous system, especially during inflammation or stress.

 

[Alvin2]

They aren't the only amino acids used for fuel

Which other ones can also be converted to energy?

 

[Pyrrhus]

Which other ones can also be converted to energy?

Most of them can, in theory, be used as fuel.

But only a few are routinely used as fuel outside of ketogenesis/starvation:

• BCAA's are routinely used as fuel during muscle contraction, as in exercise.
• Glutamine is routinely used as fuel by intestinal cells and immune cells.

Here's the whole enchilada:

 

[Wishful]

BCAAs are the ones with marketing momentum from the bodybuilding/fitness industry. I wouldn't be surprised if someone started marketing one of the others using some misapplied study results, and Monster Energy drinks will someday have labels of "Now with Asparagine!!!!!", and people will shell out for it.