Ainmo Store — Amino acid and protein nutrition: the 9 | ainmostore.com
The working BCAA dose is 5-10 g per serving at a 2:1:1 ratio - enough for 2.5-5 g of leucine, the amount that triggers muscle protein synthesis.
BCAA stands for the three branched-chain amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. Standard blends mix them at a 2:1:1 ratio, so leucine makes up half of any scoop.
Leucine is the active ingredient for muscle building: it triggers muscle protein synthesis at a practical threshold of 2-3 g per serving. Below that line a serving does little; at or above it, the switch is on.
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Dosing is therefore simple arithmetic. A 5 g scoop of a 2:1:1 blend delivers about 2.5 g of leucine - just over the threshold - while a 10 g scoop delivers about 5 g.
Timing follows training: the common post-workout window is 30-60 minutes after a session. But the daily protein total of 1.6-2.0 g/kg for strength athletes matters more than the exact minute of any serving.
BCAA tops up leucine; it does not replace meals. The essential amino acids guide lists the full nine the body needs from food, and the protein-per-meal guide sets the 0.4 g/kg per-meal target those meals should hit.
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