BCAA is an abbreviation for Branched Chain Amino Acid. There are three main BCAAs, these include:
- L-leucine
- L-isoleucine
- L-valine
Branched-chain refers to the chemical structure of BCAAs, which are found in protein-rich foods such as eggs, meat, fish, nuts and dairy products. They are also a popular dietary supplement sold primarily in powder or pill form.
What makes this branched structure so unique is that BCAAs bypass liver metabolism and are instead broken down directly in muscle tissue. This delivers a powerful source of fuel directly to the muscle itself.
An effective way of consuming BCAAs is via a nutritional supplement powder. However, many BCAA powder sources tend to come from the keratin found in human hair, animal fur, pigskin and duck feathers so you will need to do your homework if this does not appeal to you. Furthermore, these sources are often treated with harsh chemicals in order to extract BCAAs from its keratin. This is why many people tend to choose BCAAs products that are vegan friendly.
Additionally, Branched Chain Amino Acids are well-known for their extremely bitter and acidic taste. Therefore, many powders attempt to mask this taste with excess sugar. Even manufacturers who avoid the addition of sugar may use artificial sweeteners and flavorings, which are also shown to be unhealthy. For people who are serious about building muscle, consuming only natural ingredients is critical.
The Benefits of BCAAs
The clinically researched formula for delivering the maximum benefits of BCAAs is a specific ratio of 2:1:1 of L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine, respectively. This is because of the individual and group benefits they deliver.
- Increases muscle. Many powders the mistake of only including L-leucine in order to stimulate protein synthesis, but clinical studies show this is a mistake. Thorough testing revealed the combination of BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio with L-leucine having double the amount of the other two amino acids, is more powerful for building muscle than of L-leucine alone.
- Amplifies energy and reduces fatigue. During exercise, tryptophan (an amino acid) is absorbed by the brain and converted into serotonin. Upon high levels of serotonin, the brain receives the message that the muscles are fatigued, leading to decreased energy and endurance. L-valine takes tryptophan’s place by crossing the blood-barrier instead of tryptophan. With less tryptophan entering the brain, your stamina is increased for longer and stronger workout sessions.
- Supports muscle recovery. L-isoleucine regulates blood sugar by increasing glucose uptake for its usage by muscles during exercise. By supplying a significant amount of glucose to the muscles, this also assists in the recovery and repair of muscle tissue.
Unfortunately, your diet may not be delivering enough BCAAs to significantly build muscle and make any real significant difference. This can be exacerbated as a person ages and bone density decreases. As a result, many individuals are opting more and more for natural health supplements to get real results. However, there are many BCAA powders out there that don’t actually work. That is until now!
Given the right formula, from a quality manufacturer that has based their product upon scientific research and clinical data, there are BCAA powders out there that will do exactly what they say they will with many people experiencing incredible results from top-quality powders to support muscle development. Our research has shown that given the correct dosage and potency of specific key ingredients – you can achieve the results that you want.
There are several key elements which make a highly effective, top-quality BCAA powder. These are – all three main branched chain amino acids into the formula which are L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine, served in the correct ratio of 2:1:1, the addition of amino acids such as L-glutamine to enhance muscle development and L-citrulline for a boost of nitric oxide production, plus, a natural blend of electrolytes to replenish those that are lost through strenuous exercise. These elements have been endorsed by many scientists, medical researchers, doctors, and nutritionists to ensure optimum results. These natural ingredients are shining a light and leading the way, where so many others have fallen when it comes to supporting muscle development and growth.
Key points to consider when choosing a BCAA powder
Of course, you will be dubious, so were we. Many manufacturers of health care supplements make grand promises of renewed health, only to find out a month later, that there is no real change and you are left with an empty bottle, empty purse, and empty promises. Don’t dismay – there are some that really do work – you just need to find a genuine product.
As soon as a new product hits the market, dozens of manufacturers appear, almost overnight, to try to jump on board. As a result, consumers need to be on the lookout for many products that are watered down and quite frankly ineffective, promising results that are totally unrealistic and undeliverable.
When choosing a BCAA powder, you should look for a company with a strong reputation, that sells a wide range of nutritional natural dietary health supplements. An effective powder will be formulated using all 3 types of BCAAs ( L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine), derived from vegan sources, served in an effective 10gram daily dose, offered in a 2:1:1 ratio that has been proven effective in clinical trials, additional amino acids to boost nitric oxide production, as well as a natural electrolyte blend to replenish critical lost electrolytes from exercise.
If you come across a company selling BCAA powder using strong marketing terms or slogans, or are endorsed by famous celebrities, you should stay clear. If the company and product formula don’t speak for themselves, then nothing else should.
Should you decide that a natural BCAA powder is for you, and you would like to try a top-quality product, check out our reviews for a number of BCAA products that are currently available on the market. We examined numerous products for their ingredients, consumer feedback, business reputation and much more to help you discover which powders are the real deal! You no longer need to search Google for your answers, no more guesswork, we have done all the hard work for you.
What makes a BCAA powder effective?
The secret is simply in the formula! Using the correct dosage and potency of clinically-proven key ingredients will help achieve results like nothing else. Key ingredients are the inclusion of all three BCAAs (L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine), derived from vegan sources, in a 2:1:1 ratio that has been proven effective in clinical trials, additional amino acids such as L-glutamine and L-citrulline to boost nitric oxide production as well as a natural electrolyte blend to achieve the best possible results for bulking and building muscle.
Our recommended choice stands above and beyond the competition, we think you will agree. The company’s excellent reputation, high-quality product, external independent monitoring, and testing, coupled with an incredible money-back guarantee policy, makes this a formula that you are going to want to take a closer look at.
BCAA Powder Report
APPROVED
Rating: Excellent
✓ Effectiveness
✓ Potency
✓ Money Back Guarantee
✓ Value
✓ Consumer Feedback
✓ Company Reputation
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Approved Science BCAA Powder
If you are looking to get better results out of your workouts, then Approved Science BCAA Powder is something that deserves your undivided attention. Of all the BCAA powders currently available on the market, this is the one that deserves a closer look and very likely, the one that will change your life!
It contains the highest quality, clinically-proven ingredients for building muscle mass and increasing energy and endurance as well as preventing muscle wasting and aiding muscle recovery. This was the only product we found that contains a whopping 10-gram scoop containing a 2:1:1 ratio of the BCAAs – L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine, additional amino acids L-glutamine and L-citrulline for an added Nitric Oxide boost and a natural electrolyte blend of coconut water powder to replenish lost electrolytes. This formula also contains BioPerine® which is a patented black pepper extract to improve nutrient absorption. All of the beneficial ingredients come in a non-GMO, vegan-friendly powder to ensure a safe and humane source of BCAAs. It does not contain any additives, preservatives, sugar, soy or dyes and is safe to use with no long-term side effects.
Quality: Approved Science BCAA Powder contains high-grade, natural, clinically-verified ingredients that are GMP certified.
Reputation: Their reputation is top quality. This manufacturer has several third-party monitoring services, including buySAFE, Norton, and Trustee, as well as an A+ rating from the quality monitoring company QualityTrusted.
Money Back Guarantee: Every item sold, is supported by a 60-Day 100% Money Back Guarantee. Such guarantees from manufacturers show strong confidence in their products’ ability to deliver results. Great news for consumers.
What’s more, they are well known in the industry and an established company that provides great customer support service, secure and easy checkout as well as prompt, efficient delivery.
Their commitment to the health industry and consumer is excellent, providing further qualification of efficacy by producing their products in an FDA registered laboratory.
If you are looking for a product that ticks all the boxes for an effective BCAA powder, from an established reputable company with an excellent money-back guarantee, this is the supplement for you.
It would be good to note that, due to high demand, Approved Science BCAA Powder is often sold out. To avoid having to back order, don’t hesitate to make that purchase when you see it in stock.
See the full review
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Rating: Good
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Designs for Health BCAA Powder
Designs for Health is a manufacturer that has been producing supplements since 1989. Their BCAA powder is composed of BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio of L-leucine to L-isoleucine and L-valine. It also includes an additional amino acid, L-glutamine. This product aims to build muscle and support the immune system. It is gluten-free, sugar-free and made of non-GMO ingredients. It is flavored with a natural orange flavor from citric acid and sweetened with the natural herb stevia. Where this powder differs from our editor’s choice is with a lower dosage as well as fewer ingredients. This powder contains only 5 grams of BCAAs and only 2 grams of L-glutamine. It also does not contain any additional amino acids, like L-citrulline, to boost nitric oxide production. Additionally, there is no ingredient to replenish the electrolytes that are depleted after intense training workouts. Furthermore, while this powder is vegetarian, it is not vegan. BCAA powders are notorious for having been sourced from dodgy ingredients and therefore it is always the safest and most transparent option to look for vegan-friendly BCAA powders. Overall though, we like this manufacturer and feel that they formulated a decent option.
When reviewing this product, we were pleased to see a price tag that suggests quality – not cheap, but definitely affordable. It isn’t the cheapest we found but cheap doesn’t always mean quality so when it comes to good quality supplements, most of the time, you get what you pay for. We appreciated the fact they have a 2:1:1 ratio of BCAAs and that they included quality ingredients. Unfortunately, we felt that they were simply lacking a high enough dosage and some key ingredients that are backed by scientific research. Additionally, this powder did not have many positive reviews that we were able to find.
We appreciated the fact that this supplement offers a full month’s supply but it does not come with a scoop for measuring the powder. Without a standard scoop, inaccurate measuring can occur which may result in a failure for the powder to last throughout the month. We were also discouraged to see that this manufacturer has an automatic billing program option as it can be very difficult for customers to disentangle themselves from that commitment. Furthermore, we did not see any kind of guarantee associated with this product. We did note a return policy however, it is only valid for only 30 days after purchase. Customers should be aware of this before they purchase this product.
Click here to read the full review
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Rating: OK
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Nutricost BCAA Powder
Nutricost is a manufacturer that produces a full range of nutritional supplements. Their BCAA powder consists of 6 grams of pure BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio of L-leucine to L-isoleucine and L-valine. It comes in a variety of flavors including grape, green apple, pineapple, unflavored and watermelon, and comes with its own scoop. The manufacturer advises consumers to take this powder both before and after workouts. The label states that this powder contains non-GMO and gluten-free ingredients. It is made in a CMP compliant, FDA registered facility, it is third party tested and offers a money-back guarantee if customers are not 100% satisfied.
We liked the fact that this product contains the clinically-proven ratio of 2:1:1 to develop muscles, increase energy and aid muscle recovery, however, the total dose of BCAAs is only 6 grams. This is not the maximum amount we have seen. There are also no additional amino acids, such as L-citrulline, which is known to boost nitric oxide production in the muscle fibers. Furthermore, there are no electrolytes found in this product. During intense exercise, water and electrolytes are lost via sweating, therefore many BCAA powders will add an electrolyte blend to replenish them.
Our final point of contention is regarding the BCAA source as well as the unnecessary ingredients included here. BCAAs are often derived from human hair, animal fur, pigskin and duck feathers. These items contain keratin, that contains BCAAs, but the extraction of the BCAAs requires harsh chemical processes. Because of this, many companies chose to use vegan BCAA sources instead. We were disappointed to see that wasn’t the case here. Additionally, there is sucrose as well as artificial flavorings found in this powder. While they are not dangerous, they are unnecessary and are usually avoided by serious bodybuilders.
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