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What is the big deal with BCAAs anyway? You may have heard a thing or two about BCAA supplements from your gym buddy, but you might not know why they matter or how to include them in your training and nutrition program. BCAA supplements aren’t all hype. If you are trying to build muscle, improve performance, target-burn fat, or speed up recovery – BCAA supplements may give you an edge.
Below you will find a suite of information covering all the ways BCAAs function, our ranking for the top 10 BCAA supplements, additional ingredients to look out for, and why a certain BCAA product might be for you.
What are BCAAs?
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are those most closely associated with muscle protein synthesis, the process by which protein is produced to repair and retain muscle. There are 20 amino acids that the human body needs to survive, 11 of which can be manufactured by the body, which are called the nonessential. However, the body can’t make the other nine, they have to come from our diet or supplements, and they are called the essential amino acids.
The nine essential amino acids are: valine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, threonine, phenylalanine, histidine, tryptophan, and lysine. Out of the 9 essential amino acids, only 3 are classified as a branched-chain (BCAA): leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
What are the benefits of BCAAs?
BCAAs are often used by athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts to help them achieve their performance and body composition goals. Evidence suggests that BCAAs may help to retain muscle and improve workout performance, particularly if you’re exercising on an empty stomach or if you haven’t eaten much protein lately. By preventing the serum decline in BCAAs, they may also help to reduce fatigue during workouts.
What are BCAA Supplements?
BCAA supplements are simply BCAAs that are normally found in food sources synthesized into an easy-to-consume supplemental form. Generally, BCAA supplements come in three forms, BCAA tablets, BCCA capsules, or BCAA powder either flavored or unflavored.
It’s important to remember that all BCAA supplements are different and that some may contain different amounts of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) than others. So the effects you see may be slightly different from product to product.
Best BCAA Supplements
In this list, we used various ranking factors, we’ve taken the BCAAs, the price, the extra components, and the taste into account when ranking the BCAA Supplements based on your goals.
10 – MusclePharm BCAA
MusclePharm BCAA Best for: Bodybuilders wanting a natural BCAA powder and post-workout recovery drink.
Musclepharm’s Natural BCAA comes with 6g of BCAAs per serving at a ratio of 3:1:2 of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. While MusclePharm’s original Essential BCAA and Natural BCAA, do have the same ingredients, the latter sets itself apart by being all-natural.
Musclepharm’s Natural BCAA is cheaper than most BCAAs. You can grab a 255-gram tub that provides 30 servings for $24.18, so that’s 80 cents per serving.
Musclepharm has an excellent reputation and has become a popular name in the world of workout supplements. The numerous new products from the company include many devoted to giving you the energy and help you require.
Why Buy MusclePharm BCAA:
Who Shouldn’t Buy MusclePharm BCAA:
MusclePharm BCAA Review: “Overall, MusclePharm produces very economical and straight-forward BCAA supplements. MusclePharm BCAA is a great product worth recommending for everyone.”
9 – Performix ISO BCAA
Performix ISO BCAA Best for: Athletes wanting an easy-to-take most bang for your buck BCAA supplement.
Performix ISO BCAA powered by a matrix of essential and branched-chain amino acids, and citrulline malate to improve endurance, build strength, and help your muscles begin the recovery process. Performix ISO BCAA is also powered by a blend of electrolytes to ensure your body remains hydrated during your workout.
Performix ISO BCAA is decently priced compared to other BCAA supplements on the market. You get 30 servings for around ~$20, which is $0.67 per serving.
Performix has been a leader in active nutrition and pioneer in developing best in class, high performing supplements since 2014. Performix is known for innovating products with unique, efficacious delivery systems and technology that allow for better workouts.
Why Buy Performix ISO BCAA:
Who Shouldn’t Buy Performix ISO BCAA:
Performix ISO BCAA Review: “In conclusion, This BCAA product by Performix is a strong Matrix formula with both BCAAs and EAAs added in. It isn’t heavy so you don’t get an upset stomach when lifting or running. Great flavor, smooth, not chalky, mixes with anything you want.”
8 – INTRASURGE BCAA
INTRASURGE BCAA Best for: Gym-goers limiting their protein intake.
Intrasurge BCAA supplement brought to you by Jacked Factory, a supplement company well known for its high-quality products, well-chosen ingredients, and superior customer service. Intrasurge BCAA can be used intra, pre, or post-workout with hard-hitting doses of proven 2:1:1 branched-chain amino acids, citrulline malate, all-natural caffeine, and l-tyrosine for energy, endurance, strength, and performance.
Intrasurge BCAA supplement is definitely worth the price and consideration because of clinically dosed ingredients. Coming in at a price point of $25.99 for 20 servings it is within the competitive pricing of $1.29/serving.
Intrasurge BCAA comes in a range of different flavors, including Blue Raspberry and Fruit Punch, and it is available to buy online from many online retailers including amazon.com.
Why Buy INTRASURGE BCAA:
Who Shouldn’t Buy INTRASURGE BCAA:
INTRASURGE BCAA Review: “Overall, Intrasurge BCAA tastes amazing, offers a lot of small benefits that can help you get an extra 5% out of your training session, and is easily absorbed into your system. Also, we would like to see them increase their servings from 20 to 30.”
7 – Genius BCAA Powder
Genius BCAA Best for: People who want to utilize a vegan-friendly BCAA supplement.
The Genius BCAA supplement contains 5 grams of pure bcaas in the most researched and proven 2:1:1 ratio of 2.5 grams Leucine, 1.25 grams Isoleucine, and 1.25 grams Valine per serving. In addition to these BCAAs, Genius also includes L-glutamine, Taurine, L-Citrulline malate, Citi choline, Rhodiola, and caffeine for faster muscle recovery, better long-term memory, and sustained focus and energy.
Just like the Genius Pre Workout, the Genius BCAA does not contain:
- Unnecessary fillers
- Artificial sweeteners
- Proprietary blends
- Artificial flavors
- Dyes
Genius BCAA isn’t as affordable as other amazon supplement brands, however, it does smartly utilize vegan-friendly fermented BCAAs. The Genius BCAA supplement is available to buy from numerous online retailers. At the time of writing, the 21 servings tub cost $34.99 at amazon.com which comes down to $1,67 per serving.
Why Buy Genius BCAA:
Who Shouldn’t Buy Genius BCAA:
Genius BCAA Review: “In conclusion, This is a good BCAA supplement that has a lot of extras added. We think that Genius BCAA does what it aims to do. It is a high-quality, vegan-friendly, natural BCAA that can be used by anyone looking for a boost in the gym.”
6 – Evlution LeanBCAA
Evlution LeanBCAA Best for: Bodybuilders wanting a quality formula for building muscle, burning fat, and increasing endurance.
All-in-one formula to build muscle and burn fat plus boost endurance and recovery with 5 grams of pure bcaas in the most researched and proven 2:1:1 ratio of 2.5 grams Leucine, 1.25 grams Isoleucine, and 1.25 grams Valine per serving. Evlution LeanBCAA Also supplies 500mg of CLA and 500mg of L-Carnitine L-Tartrate per serving to support weight loss and help convert fat for use as fuel.
EVL Nutrition has done a good job supplying the bodybuilding industry with great-tasting, affordable BCAA supplements.
Evlution LeanBCAA is available in blue razz, watermelon, and fruit punch flavors. Coming in at a price point of $22.99 for 30 servings it is within the competitive pricing of $0.77/serving.
Why Buy Evlution LeanBCAA:
Who Shouldn’t Buy Evlution LeanBCAA:
Evlution LeanBCAA Review: “Overall, Evlution LeanBCAA has reliable ingredients and notable fat burners in it. This is a quality BCAA product to help you maximize your performance. While it’s not perfect (it has several fillers), it’s still solid.”
5 – Cellucor Alpha BCAA
Cellucor Alpha BCAA Best for: Athletes that want to prevent muscle breakdown and improve performance.
Cellucor tailored this new version of Alpha Amino that includes 5 grams of BCAAs with a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Then there are 3.75 grams of extra 11 essential amino acids: l-glutamine, taurine, l-alanine, l-citrulline, l-arginine, l-lysine HCI, l-phenylalanine, l-threonine, l-methionine, l-tyrosine, and histidine. There’s no information about how much of each amino acid is included. They also included a very important ingredient in Betaine for strength and endurance improvement.
Each serving of Cellucor Alpha BCAA also contains about 200mg of electrolytes, about 70mg each of phosphorus and potassium, and smaller amounts of magnesium and sodium.
Cellucor Alpha BCAA comes in 5 amazing flavors and the formula is so well balanced that it will deliver results.
Why Buy Cellucor Alpha BCAA:
Who Shouldn’t Buy Cellucor Alpha BCAA:
Cellucor Alpha BCAA Review: “Overall, Cellucor Alpha BCAA is delicious and mixes easily in a shaker cup with water. It’s a solid BCAA supplement, tastes great and runs you approximately 0.83/serving with zero side effects, and did I mention ZERO sugar!”
4 – JYM BCAAs
JYM BCAAs Best for: Hardcore bodybuilders who want the best formula for muscle recovery after high-intensity training.
JYM BCAAs provide 3 grams of l-leucine, 1.5 grams of l-isoleucine, and 1.5 grams of l-valine (2:1:1 ratio of Branch Chain Amino Acids) per serving.
JYM BCAAs is definitely worth the price and consideration because of clinically dosed ingredients. Coming in at a price point of $24.99 for 40 servings it is within the competitive pricing of $0.62/serving.
JYM Supplement Science products deliver high-quality ingredients with complete transparency. No proprietary blends, no abbreviated formulas, no concentrated servings.
Why Buy JYM BCAAs:
Who Shouldn’t Buy JYM BCAAs:
JYM BCAAs Review: “We would recommend JYM BCAAs for most athletes, bodybuilders, and weightlifting enthusiasts. Decent taste by itself and mixes well. However, due to the potency of the flavor, we recommend using more water.”
3 – Kaged Muscle BCAA
Kaged Muscle BCAA Best for: Gym-goers seeking re-fuel the body through workouts to push harder, longer when training.
Kaged Muscle BCAA doesn’t use any animal products or artificial coloring or flavoring in their BCAA formula. This intra-workout focused BCAA supplement has 5 grams of branched-chain amino acids per serving with 11 grams of ingredients overall.
What makes In-Kaged BCAA that formula is its focus and blood flow formula that helps deliver nutrients, triggering hard, dense muscle pumps that last well beyond your last set.
The Kaged Muscle BCAA supplement is available to buy from numerous online retailers. At the time of writing, the 20 servings tub cost $27.99 at amazon.com which comes down to $1,40 per scoop.
Why Buy Kaged Muscle BCAA:
Who Shouldn’t Buy Kaged Muscle BCAA:
Kaged Muscle BCAA Review: “Overall, Kaged Muscle picked ingredients with a good reputation. The combination of fermented BCAAs and additional ingredients make this one of the best BCAAs on the market.”
2 – XTEND Sport BCAA
XTEND Sport BCAA Best for: Bodybuilders and athletes who need to perform at high-levels.
XTEND has been perfecting recovery supplements since 2004. This pick is a great all-rounder if you want an effective supplement that contains what it claims and doesn’t have a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles. XTEND Sport BCAA contains 7 grams of anabolic BCAAs in the proper 2:1:1 ratio.
This inexpensive BCAA powder is packed with helpful extras — like electrolytes that help you to stay hydrated and support recovery.
The BCAAs support muscle recovery, repair, and growth, and the electrolyte & performance hydration blend help fuel overall hydration. XTEND Sport BCAA comes in various flavors like – Blue Raspberry Ice and Strawberry Kiwi Splash.
Why Buy XTEND Sport BCAA:
Who Shouldn’t Buy XTEND Sport BCAA:
XTEND Sport BCAA Review: “Overall, XTEND Sport BCAA is a very solid BCAA product. It checks all the right markers: helps with performance, tastes good, hydrates. But this isn’t a make or break product that’s going to be the difference between reaching your goals and not reaching them.”
1 – BSN Amino X BCAA
BSN Amino X BCAA Best for: Athletes seeking the best absorption of amino acids, BCAAs, EAAs for muscle endurance and recovery without exception.
At 14.5 grams the serving of Amino X BCAA is enormous. Compared to the vast majority of supplements, 10 grams of amino acids is almost double what others offer. If you look at the product, it’s intended to be used as a recovery supplement. Suggesting that you should take it post-workout.
BSN Amino X BCAA is extremely cheap if you’re looking at the cost per gram of BCAAs. You can grab 30 servings for $25, which is 83 cents a serving.
BSN Amino X BCAA comes in 9 great – tasting flavors: Fruit Punch, Blue Raz, Grape, Green Apple, Watermelon, Strawberry Dragonfruit, Strawberry Orange, Tropical Pineapple, and Unflavored.
Read more info about BSN Amino X BCAA
Why Buy BSN Amino X BCAA:
Who Shouldn’t Buy BSN Amino X BCAA:
BSN Amino X BCAA Review: “Overall, BSN Amino X BCAA is an inexpensive supplement. If you are looking at it for daily use in between meals to increase your amino acid intake it is a good supplement, flavors are easy to drink without getting sick of them.”
Well, there you have it, the Top 10 BCAA supplements you can find online! We looked at the price, taste, additional ingredients, and effectiveness of every one of these great supplements.
Now that you know more about those BCAAs, it’s time to choose the supplement that best suits your needs and budget. We firmly believe that any BCAA supplement on this list would be a great choice.