Bob Dopolina 

Good question.

Since it is absorbed quite quickly I assumed that it is intended for use during the event for performance and after an event for recovery.

I will talk to the manufacturer today and get an exact answer.

Bob Dopolina 

Order received.

Please remember to try it on those days where you are doing intensity (for performance) or over a series of days when you are doing big volume (for recovery).

Used under regular riding condition my personal feeling is that the effects are too subtle to notice and not a fair test of the product.

bdcheung

by "off season" I mean "cross season".

I'll likely be putting it in my final pre-race bottle.

voltman

Is this any different than buying BCAA off the shelf?

JoelS

I still haven't tried it. I'm not a heavy intensity rider. Got a good climbing century in 2 weeks. I'll try a packet of it then.

Bob Dopolina 

Another good question.

This is right at the edge of my knowledge so here is what I know. I will try to find out more.

There are a few different BCAAs. I know with proteins in general only proteins from the same group can cross the blood brain barrier at one time.

To specifically target AAA Trytophane my guess is that the specific composition of the BCAA is important.

So no, I believe that this product is different than a blend of BCAA that you can buy off the shelf that are generally used as anti-catabolics.

Bob Dopolina 

I just had a quick chat with the manufacturer. They said that it can be consumed at any time. For pre-ride use they said 1 hour prior to start is best.

Bob Dopolina 

I asked this question during my brief chat and was told that AminoStrong 8000 uses free form BCAA which is the smallest molecule and the most quickly and easily absorbed form.

Other forms of BCAA are made up of longer chains of proteins and are slower to absorb and not as suitable for this application.

I will meet with them again tonight (other business) and was told they will supply my with more complete information then.

Bob Dopolina 

I met with the sales/marketing guy last night (co-owner of the company) and he gave me more information but it really isn't nearly as in-depth as I'd like.

I will try to meet with the other owner (the chemist) and have him explain to me as much as he can about the specifics of this product.

This may take a while.

These are good questions and I will probably add some of this information to my website for those who are interested.

voltman

Thanks! I wasn't trying to steal your thunder, but was just generally curious.

Bob Dopolina 

No problem. It is a legitimate question.

slim_77

Hey bob, any word from the owner/chemist? No rush, I'm not racing for 4.5 months.

Bob Dopolina 

We sat down and I got a chance to ask some questions. What I was told was that this free form of BCAA is structured for the most rapid absorption possible and to maximize the effects I've described in other posts.

I got the feeling that the chemist didn't really want to give me super specific information in order to protect the work he had done. In the end he just restated what I'd already been told at various times.

My conclusion is that there are probably other BCAA products out there that will produce similar results and others that will not because the protein molecules are structured to meet different demands. The trick would be in being able to determine which was which.

At this point I couldn't.

slim_77

Thanks Bob! I guess the guy was being crafty about it: yes other products can do this, but I won't tell you what to look for other than that mine does exactly what I say it does--so you need look no further. here it is.

smart guy.

Bob Dopolina 

I wouldn't say crafty, I think he was just protecting his product.

He gave me some information (see previous posts) but I was asking VERY specific questions about how the proteins were structured and how these structures created the effects they do.

He basically answered my questions but stopped short of telling me how to make the product he was selling. In his shoes I'd probably do the same thing.

Racer Ex 

Bob,

Very appreciative of your willingness to go the "extra mile" on the product research. Speaks well.

txvintage

Figuring the moecular weight is pretty straight forward given the access to the equipmnet. I can do that, but I'm on the wrong end of chemistry to figure protien strands.

I picked the wrong road in lfe. The stuff I make causes central nervous system damage, liver, kidney, and brain damage, and sometime infertility.

Yep, should have gone organic, lol.

Bob Dopolina 

I just found out that AminoStrong will begin developing a 'power gel' that we will test for them at a 2 day road race at the end of April. Scarrrrrryy stuff, eh kids?

FYI - It is that time of year again and I have fresh inventory of the BCAA 8000 AminoStrong pkts in stock. In fact I will offer the first 5 BF'ers to contact me FREE sample packs (2 pkts), just cover the shipping ($3.00 shipping).

El Diablo Rojo

I'm on it now and my issue of having a mini-bonk in races has now disappeared.

Hida Yanra

@Bdop: in case you haven't looked, I sent you a PM recently

Enthalpic

How many mg BCAA/gel?

GU gels have had 450mg BCAA in them for a long time, so your provider should make sure they contain at least that amount if they are going to use BCAA as a selling point.

Nate552

I tried the BCAA at a TT recently and liked it enough to order some more. I'll be using it this weekend at a stage race.

procrit

How many grams of bcaas come in each packet?

markieta

INGREDIENTS (per 15g serving)
Calories 42.5 kcal
Protein 8.5g
BCAA 8000mg
Fat 0
Saturated Fat 0
Trans Fat 0
Carbohydrates 2.8g
Sodium 40mg
Vitamin C 500mg
Taurine 1000mg
Calcium 65mg
Potasium 40mg

Bob Dopolina 

It's not just the amount of BCAA that matter but the composition of the BCAA that really separates one from another.

If you're interested scroll back in the thread (it's pretty short) and I covered this earlier. I have no way of confirming this as fact but am taking, at face value, what I am being told by the company and the chemist who designed the product in the first place.