If you want to get the biggest bang for your workout in the gym, keep on reading this article. If you are interested in building muscle fast and to make it last sustainably – keep on reading this article.
Every bodybuilder should be taking a BCAA (Branch Chained Amino Acids) supplement. It’s one of the building blocks of building muscles. If you aren’t taking BCAA supplementation, you are certainly missing out.
The Top BCAA Supplements In The Market
This article will be dissected into two parts: the best BCAA supplements out there and then we’ll talk about how BCAA actually works on the human body. This will provide you a better understanding of what you are putting inside your body. Good knowledge to have.
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BulkSupplements Pure BCAA 2:1:1
This is a pretty good supplement that you can take. The ingredients that it has are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These three substances combined together form a chain reaction to build more muscle.
There’s no other excess substances in there. There’s no filler substances. The only thing that this product has are those three substances listed above. And, those are the only things that matter. It’s pretty much a no bullshit supplement. And, that’s why it sells so well on the internet. Because it’s nice and clean – and it works.
Third party groups have tested this stuff. Only 4% of the product contains substances other than the three listed above. That’s extremely small. Other supplements are full of fillers. It can be upwards to 60%+. That means 96% of the supplement has those three essential ingredients.
BECAUSE there’s nothing else besides those raw ingredients – this product is extremely potent. It’s a perfect choice for the bodybuilder that’s seeking results. There’s nothing else to say about it. You are consuming the building blocks that are needed to create muscle. There’s nothing else you are taking. A perfect choice for the ambitious bodybuilder.
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BCAA Powder from Bodybuilding.com
Bodybuilding.com is a well-known brand for bodybuilders. It’s reputed to provide all sorts of knowledge to aspiring bodybuilders. The information is vast and extremely useful for all different types of people out there, with their different goals and needs.
A well-known and best-selling product that Bodybuilding.com offers, is the BCAA powder. Only 2% of the product contains substances other than leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
60% of the supplement is leucine and the rest are divided between isoleucine and valine. That’s a high density of ingredients. You might be wondering… what’s the 2% for then? The other ingredients assist in making a liquid based protein shake. In other words, when you are mixing this stuff with water and other ingredients – it’ll be easier to make it into a liquid form. That’s the sole purpose of the other ingredients that are present. It’s so irrelevant that you don’t even need to know what they are.
If you are allergic to soy, do not take this product. You will have a terrible allergic reaction and it won’t be pleasant for anyone. Keep that in mind. This is a great supplement if you hate the stuff on the bottom. Ever drink something and then you drink the nasty stuff at the bottom? Yeah, that stuff sucks. This BCAA powder will not have that yucky stuff on the bottom. It’s a big bonus.
This is a great product who want a bigger bang for the buck.
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MyProtein BCAA
If you need something stronger and pure, this is the perfect supplement for you. There’s only three ingredients: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
No filler content. Just those three substances. 95%+ of the supplement contains just those three ingredients. It’s super pure and there is one of the best supplements out there on the market.
There’s too much valine in this supplement, though. If you look at the label, you’ll see that there’s too much valine in this product. If that’s an issue for you, then perhaps this product isn’t really for you. The amount of isoleucine is not really at an ideal amount. The upside though, is that’s it’s an extremely simple and effective product. There’s only valine, isoleucine, and leucine. If you like purity – this is great for you.
The downside of a pure BCAA supplement is that it’ll taste bad. This brand has different variations of this product. There’s different flavors that you could obtain if that’s something that you are interested in.
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MusclePharm Powder
This product contains a 3:1:2 ratio of the same ingredients listed above. It’s pure and simple. The amount of product that’s inside the supplement is extremely accurate. You are getting what you are paying for, if you buy this product. It’s a no bullshit product.
There is soy lecithin in this product. This makes the supplement easier to mix with water. A common complaint among many bodybuilders is the nasty stuff on the bottom. The soy helps to make sure that your supplement is liquefied. That is the power of the MusclePharm Powder.
If you’re allergic to soy products, then stay clear from this supplement. It’s not for you.
You have a wide variety of flavors and even coloring. This is a plus point. There’s sweet, sour, and so forth. You can make it look blue or red. It’s all up to you at the end. This is great for bodybuilders who want tasty stuff in their supplement. There’s a lot of bodybuilders like that out there. MusclePharm has you covered in this department. All you have to do is check out the different options and see what’s best for you.
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Bodytech BCAA
This product is pretty much the same as the others. However, there’s about 93-95% of product content. So, keep that in mind. It has the same ingredients listed above. It’s a no bullshit product and you are getting what you paid for. This is just another valuable supplement that you can add to your list.
The only downside to this product that it’s too precise. What’s listed on the bottle is what you are going to get. That’s why it costs a little more when you buy this supplement.
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Sheer Strength Labs BCAA
What makes this product unique is that it isn’t in powder form. You can consume these in the form of capsules.
The supplement has a 2:1:1 ratio of the three ingredients listed above. There really isn’t any filler substance other than gelatin. An additional substance that can be found in this substance is magnesium. These substances allow the three substances, to be stuck together and chained. The magnesium actually keeps the capsule in capsule form. It keeps the solid form and allows you to consume the substance in capsule form.
Scientists have conducted research on this product. The research has concluded that 97% of this substance, has the three important ingredients to build muscle. It’s quite pure and rich of the branch chained amino acids.
The only downside is that the testing has shown, that the product has too much valine and leucine. It’s not really a big deal in the long run, but there really isn’t a perfect balance of these substances. Your results won’t be as affected as much, but it isn’t exactly a 1:1:1 ratio. If that’s fine with you, then great. This product is an ideal choice for you.
If you are a vegan, this product isn’t for you. It’s too expensive for vegans and contains animal products. This is not something that you want. You can look elsewhere for that.
The biggest benefit to capsules is storage. Powder based supplements get rotten easily. That’s a big problem for people who don’t use their supplements right away. You don’t want to open the bottle and find fungus in it. That will make you feel bad and there’s also the downside of losing money in the process.
Because the product is so pure, it’s more expensive than other products. If you are the type of person to care about budget, then this isn’t the most affordable solution for you. Look somewhere else. This is great for the person who cares about purity and wants something simple. Not for vegans and budget conscious people.
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Dymatize Nutrition BCAA Complex 5050
This is pretty much the same as the other. It’s probably getting too repetitive by this point. This is a very simple product. The product contains valine, leucine, and isoleucine. The only other product that it contains is silicon dioxide. The silicon is to make sure that the acids are chained together and aren’t separated.
The ratios are relatively safe – 2:1:1. This is extremely safe to use and will provide you results for your body. Many bodybuilders have reported fantastic results with the use of this product. It’s no wonder why this amazing product is on this list. It works.
However, there are a couple of downsides to this product. Lab testing has shown that, 92% of the supplement contains BCAA. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The other products mentioned in this list have a much higher concentration of the three ingredients. Anywhere ranging from, 95-97%.
If you care about purity, then perhaps this supplement isn’t for you. You can get a bigger bang for your buck elsewhere. Lab testing has also shown that there’s too much leucine in this supplement.
This really isn’t an issue if you take scoops of this stuff. If you don’t care about the precision of how much you take, then this shouldn’t be a problem for you. People who care about purity and wanting an ideal balance of the BCAAs should stay away from this product.
People who don’t care as much can use this supplement.
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Muscle Momentum BCAA Force
Get ready for a very strange supplement. This is in capsule form and has a weird ratio of 6:2:5. Majority of this supplement is leucine, following valine and then isoleucine. People who want an ideal balance of the three holy ingredients should probably stay away from this supplement. There’s simply too much leucine. That’s not necessarily a bad or good thing. It really depends on the bodybuilder who is taking the supplement and how much he wants to get out of it. One might work for one bodybuilder, might not work for the other.
On average, capsule based products will be more expensive compared to powder based products. If you care about budget, then this supplement really isn’t for you.
The capsule contains gelatin. Vegans and vegetarians might want to stay away from this product, if that’s something that you care about. People who cannot consume animal products for religious reasons might want to stay away as well.
You can’t get the best of both worlds. If you purchase a powder based supplement, you will be able to measure the amount you are taking with precision. The tradeoff is that powder based supplements will go bad more easily. The flipside is that it’s cheaper and easy to measure. If purity is something that you care about, then you will be happy with this supplement. The product has a 98% purity level. Only 2% of the supplement has filler ingredients and the rest of the product has the three magic ingredients to building muscle.
When choosing between capsule vs powder, it all depends on what you are prioritizing. Do you prioritize convenient consumption or do you care about precision? There’s no right answer. It all depends on what you want. Capsules are rigid. They aren’t as flexible compared to powder based supplements. You might need an exact amount of substance in order to power through your workout. That isn’t possible with the use of capsule. You get what you get in capsule form. You can’t adjust. That could be a problem for some people.
The downside with powder based forms is that mold can develop quite easily if not properly stored or not consumed within a reasonable amount of time. You can also taste the powder when you are consuming the product.
Capsules get rid of all these downsides, however the only downside with capsules are the price and the lack of precision. If you need precision and cheap, then capsules aren’t the ideal product for you. If you are the opposite, then powder based products aren’t exactly for you either.
Just know what you want and you will be fine at the end of the day.
The Science Behind BCAAs – Should Use Them?
Most articles will tell you what the best products are in any given industry, but will not discuss the dynamics and science behind the industry. This is ridiculous. It’s critical for people to understand how their products work. Luckily, you will be able to understand the science behind BCAAs and determine whether this is something that you should add to your workouts.
Branch Chained Amino Acids are how your muscles are built in the first place. They are the foundation for the creation of muscles. Everything starts from these amino acids. Remember what you learned from science class? Amino acids are the building blocks of life. BCAAs are a type of amino acids that result in the formation and creation of muscles.
Should I take BCAAs? Benefits To Taking a BCAA supplement?
Scientists have done a lot of research on how BCAAs can affect your body. There was excellent research done by two scientists by the name of Eva Blomstrand at a Swedish University. The paper discusses the ideal way to take BCAAs to get the most out of your workout.
The research concluded that you should consume a BCAA supplement after you have completed either cardiovascular exercise or lifting weights. You increase the probability of building muscle, after you take a BCAA supplement. All of the hormones and pathways that is connected to the formation of muscle, are activated and start working to do so.
The scientific research paper discusses how an injection of BCAAS to the biceps, after a bicep workout flashed signals to the brain to create muscle. There’s a strong correlation to building muscle after you do a workout, and consuming BCAA. You will generate more muscle on average, if you consume BCAAs after a workout. Therefore, the ideal consumption for a BCAA is right after you do the workout.
Another thing, the paper found was that taking a BCAA after a workout, can reduce how sore you feel the next day. The implications behind this discovery is big. Traditionally, people usually take steroids to reduce how sore they are after doing a workout. The use of a BCAA, reduces the recovery time needed for bodybuilders. This reduces the probability of overworking yourself and allows you to do lift more weights in a shorter period of time.
Japanese scientists have concluded that this effect is real, even when adjusted for placebos. Bodybuilders on average feel less sore, after consuming a BCAA supplement. You will be able to lift more weights in less time. This is amazing because steroids are more dangerous than BCAAs.
It is still unclear, on what specific process within the BCAAs result in the reduction of the soreness. More research needs to be more done on this matter. There are a variety of theories out there, but at the moment that’s not really important to you. Regardless, this effect has been determined to be real and is another reason why you should add BCAAs to your workout routine.
Current scientific research has concluded that the ideal ratio for a BCAA supplement should be 2:1:1. It should contain leucine, isoleucine, and valine respectively. However, the research is still incomplete. No studies have been done on comparing a 3:2:1 ratio to a 1:2:3 ratio, or any other sorts of combinations. More research needs to be done on this matter, with regards to the ideal balance of the magic ingredients. As of now, you should stick to a 2:1:1 ratio, until more research comes to the world.
You can feel free to experiment with other ratios. It’s safe to go with 2:1:1, as there’s lot of good research confirming that people have obtained results through this ratio. However, your body might be different. It’s recommended that you play around and see what works the best for you. What we do know, is that if you take too much of one ingredient over the other – you won’t get the best results for your body.
Are there any side effects to Branch Chained Amino Acids?
BCAAs can be found naturally in a variety of foods. They can be found in meat, eggs, and fish. Since, these are commonly consumed foods – there really isn’t any serious side effects to having more BCAAs in your body. \
However, scientists have found one potential serious side effect that can result to the overuse/frequent use of BCAAs. There is a weak link between developing Lou Gehrig’s disease and through the use of frequent BCAAs. There is a weak occurrence among athletes who use BCAA supplements to get a boost, with them obtaining Lou Gehrig’s disease.
The evidence is weak at the moment, so don’t be alarmed. The scientists who have done research on this matter have theorized that head injuries, the consumption of steroids, and other injuries – contribute to the development of Lou Gehrig’s disease. More research needs to be done on the matter, but as long you don’t use BCAAs too much – you should be fine. Don’t be scared. That’s pretty much the only noticeable side effect associated with BCAAs. It’s relatively safe to consume.
The Top BCAA Supplements Summary
BCAAs are extremely powerful if you know what you are doing. It can provide double or even triple the results if you weren’t using this. If you combined this with other high boosting substances such as steroids or insulin, you can get a powerful compounding effect with regard to your results. The benefits of BCAAs are clear. You reduce the amount of soreness that you experience and you will be able to generate more muscle quicker.
