Guide to The Best Amino Acid & BCAA Supplements in Australia 2018

Skip straight to the Best Amino Acid Supplements

If you’re into bodybuilding or prefer a general healthy way of living, chances are you’ve heard that amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Amino acids are further categorized into Essential and Non-essential amino acids. The body can make non-essential amino acids by itself, but essential amino acids can only be acquired through a rich and diverse diet. These essential amino acids are responsible for kick-starting the muscle rebuilding process and maintaining the muscle tissue in the body as well.

AMINO ACIDS TO LOOK OUT FOR

Top-tier amino acid supplements will contain any or all of the following types of amino acids:

ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS:

Histidine

Histidine is essential (both figuratively and literally) for making red and white blood cells, which help in delivering oxygen all throughout the body through the bloodstream and fight off diseases, respectively. As a matter of fact, this amino acid is crucial in the repair and growth of the muscle tissue as well.    

Lysine

Lysine is a major player in regulating the levels of nitrogen and calcium in the body. In fact, Lysine is absolutely essential for the production of three main compounds: hormones, antibodies, and collagen.

Methionine

Methionine helps with digestion and also breaks down fat as well. Methionine is a key compound in producing high-quality creatine and is abundant in foods such as onions, fish, lentils, and other.

Phenylalanine

This amino acid is shown to treat depression, reduce pain, and keep a general feeling of well-being and happiness in life.

Threonine

Without Threonine, there would be no collagen or elastin production in the body. Main natural sources include dairy, meat, and eggs.

Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps to regulate sleep, mood, energy, and more.

Branched Chain Amino Acids (Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine)

BCAAs are comprised of three amino acids: Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. They are the most revered amino acids in lieu of a better and more efficient workout. For instance, Leucine greatly improves muscle protein synthesis and promotes healthy and natural muscle growth. On the other hand, Isoleucine and Valine are responsible for greatly improving how muscles work in regards to efficacy and the proper distribution of energy during a workout. In fact, these two amino acids play a major role in reducing the percentage of fat in the body – therefore keeping it lean and efficient.

Furthermore, making poor diet choices (especially while working out) can lead to an unwanted muscle breakdown. This happens because of the well-known fact that the leaner your body becomes – the greater the chance of it breaking down muscles instead of fat to satisfy your energy needs on a daily basis. Supplementing with BCAAs can reverse this process and lead to a better, leaner, and ultimately a healthier you.

NON-ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS:

Acetyl L-Carnitine

This amino acid is called ALCAR as well. ALCAR is a key compound for utilising a healthy lifestyle, including natural weight loss, better performance, and more energy on a daily basis. In fact, Acetyl L-Carnitine has been shown to help with regulating the metabolism and detoxifying the body (thanks to its anti-oxidant properties) as well.

L-Glutamine

L-Glutamine is an excellent solution for treating sore muscles, exercise-induced exhaustion, and over-training as well. Other L-Glutamine benefits include keeping your blood sugar levels in check, increasing muscle protein synthesis, improving the immune functions in the body, aiding in muscle recovery, and more. In fact, without adequate L-Glutamine levels, the body can lose the ability to perform at peak levels.

Bottom line, L-Glutamine is a very efficient amino acid that helps to power the body’s basic and advanced performance needs -- without the hassle of losing precious muscle mass in the process of doing so.

Beta Alanine

Beta Alanine is categorized as a non-essential amino acid which can both occur naturally and be produced by the human body. Foods that are rich in Beta Alanine include fish, pork, soybeans, and more. Here is what Beta Alanine does in short:

• Enhances endurance
• Improves athletic performance
• Increases the workout intensity threshold
• Boosts muscular anaerobic endurance
• Improves muscular aerobic endurance
• Increases the capacity of exercise
• Increases muscle mass

Supplementing with high-quality Beta Alanine is also shown to increase muscle carnosine levels, which in turn significantly boosts your energy, strength, and the amount of lean muscle mass in your body as well.

D-Aspartic Acid

According to a study published in the Journal of Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, subjects who received 3.12 grams of D-Aspartic Acid (DAA) showed increased testosterone levels in as little as 12 days into the study. When the participants stopped taking D-Aspartic Acid, their T-levels dropped back to 10% as opposed to the previous whopping 40% increase.

But that’s just part of the story. In fact, trainers who are of older age tend to experience a sudden drop in their DAA levels due to their bodies becoming more inefficient and sluggish. This is especially true for individuals who make poor diet choices and do not include enough Amino Acids into their diets. A proper D-Aspartic Acid supplementation can change this in a heartbeat.

Arginine

Arginine helps with many processes in the body, including healing the wounds, helping the kidneys to remove waste products quickly and efficiently, keeping the body’s immune function in check, dilating and relaxing the arteries, and more.

Cysteine

Cysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that represents a very important part of proper protein and enzyme functioning in the body. In fact, this very powerful essential amino acid is an important antioxidant as well.

Glutamic Acid

Besides being a neurotransmitter, Glutamic acid plays an important role in amino acid degradation through a process called transamination. In addition to this valuable property, Glutamic acid plays a crucial role in the body’s ability to dispose of waste.

Glycine

Glycine is a very important amino acid that has many benefits for the human body, including:

• Helps to build lean muscle mass
• Prevents sarcopenia (mild form of muscle atrophy, loss, or muscle deterioration)
• Boosts mental performance and focus
• Plays a major role in preventing seizures and strokes
• Protects the joints
• Improves the motion range of extremities
• Battles against allergic reactions or autoimmune diseases
• Helps in the production of red blood cells
• Fights off anxiety and stress effects
• Helps with controlling the symptoms of schizophrenia, seizures, and other mental disorders

And if that wasn’t enough, Glycine lowers the chances of getting affected by type 2 diabetes as well.

Proline

Proline has numerous benefits for the human body, some of which are closely linked to collagen formation, the prevention of arteriosclerosis, and skin maintenance – among many others.

Arteriosclerosis is defined as the hardening of the arteries. People affected by this condition have higher chances of getting heart disease than the general populace. Arteriosclerosis happens when the arteries that transport oxygen and other nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body get clogged by fat. This puts a toll on the arteries because they can’t expand and contract as they normally would, which restricts the blood flow and makes the heart pump even faster and harder. This is where Proline comes into play. This non-essential amino acid plays an important role in getting rid of the buildup of fat – which decreases the blockages around the heart and the other vessels. Therefore, by decreasing the pressure by removing the accumulated fat on the artery walls, Proline decreases the risk of becoming affected by heart disease as well.

Another area where Proline excels is making sure that collagen formation goes as smoothly as possible. Collagen is a flexible tissue that stands between your bones and holds them together – just like superglue. What’s more is that this gel-like substance reduces friction and acts as a shock absorber while healing the cartilage as well. As a matter of fact, Proline helps the body by breaking down protein for later use in the cells. And when paired with Lysine, these two amino acids act as precursors to hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline. Hydroxyproline serves a major role in building collagen, ligaments, tendons, and heart muscle. In addition to this, collagen contains approximately 15% of Proline, making Proline supplementation absolutely crucial for treating chronic back pain, osteoarthritis, and soft tissue sprains.

Finally, Proline maintains and nurtures your skin. The skin is the largest organ in the body and represents the first line of defense against viruses and bacteria. When your skin is young, it’s also thicker and more elastic, thus enabling you to do body movements as you see fit. However, as we get older, the skin tends to become crude and thinner, and it also gradually drops down the amount of collagen as well. Add to this sun exposure, free radical damage, and other external factors, and we can see how the skin slowly degrades over time. Proline supplementation increases the production of collagen in the body and may revert, and in some cases prevent the symptoms of old skin.

Serine

Since all of the amino acids are tightly linked between each other, Serine is not an exemption of this rule. The body makes this amino acid by utilising the two amino acids Glycine and Threonine. Serine is important because of several reasons: it’s involved in the processes that burn both glucose and fat in the body. This compound also helps to make the four DNA bases A-G-C-T, and is a significant factor in a process called the methylation of DNA. This process involves methyl groups and whether or not they’ll stick to genes and turn them on or off. For instance, Methylation of the genes for type 1 diabetes can determine if an individual will be affected by this condition during the course of their lifetime.

Additionally, Serine is utilised to make creatine, a compound that interacts with water to pump up the muscles in the body. In fact, Serine is a major component of the immunoglobulins and antibodies that are responsible for fighting off infections and other ailments. Finally, Serine is an ethanolamine, choline, phospholipids, and sarcosine component that’s involved in the signal transmission in the nervous system as well.   

Tyrosine

This is one of the most important amino acid, part because it participates in the synthesis of structural proteins – or the production of neurotransmitters to be exact. In fact, Tyrosine is absolutely vital in the proper functioning of the hormones epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine, as stated by the University of Maryland Medical Center. In addition to these benefits, Tyrosine may also help those who experience sleep deprivation to achieve better, deeper, and longer-lasting quality REM sleep as well.

Asparagine

This amino acid is one of the most abundant amino acids involved in the nitrogen transportation in the body. As a matter of fact, Asparagine is a crucial component of certain proteins in regards to neural development, signaling, and transmission of nerve endings.

Additionally, this amino acid is known to be involved in the metabolic processes that control the nerves, cells, and the brain tissue as well. To add, Asparagine has an ability to convert one amino acid into another in the liver – processes known as amination and transamination. Even more, Asparagine maintains a healthy balance in the central nervous system, making you feel neither overly calm, nor anxious – but just about right.

Finally, Asparagine is a major factor in regulating the amounts of ammonia in the body. The neutral amide group in the structure of Asparagine, and bear with us as we get scientific, doesn’t transfer any special properties as soon as this amino acid comes into contact with a protein held together by two peptide bonds. Both the amino acids Asparagine and Glutamine are built upon high energy ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and can return this energy in a heartbeat once they revert back to Aspartic Acid and Glutamic Acid respectively. Both of these amino acids need Vitamin B6 and other enzymes in order to form. And the Asparagine in plants is built out of a combination between Aspartic Acid and ammonia, which means that Asparagine is a major force in balancing the excess ammonia in the body. 

Selenocysteine

Selenocysteine is produced by Cysteine in a process that replaces the sulfur in Cysteine with Selenium. The body utilises Selenocysteine to produce Selenium, in a way that may prevent mercury toxicity. This is why people who tend to have low levels of Selenium are more prone to losing lean muscle mass, aging prematurely, getting affected by poor function of the liver, and even suffering from heart disease. Some of the Selenocysteine benefits include:

Serves as a potent antioxidant due to its higher reduction potential and lower pKa levels

It’s highly reactive because it does not interact directly with the other proteins in the body

• Fortifies and protects the immune system
• Acts as a stop signal to prevent unwanted changes in the RNA loop
• And more   

Pyrrolysine

This is currently the last amino acid to be discovered by scientists, but its importance is not to be discarded so easily. Pyrrolysine is shown to be a key player in the generation of energy in the chemical process of archaebacteria. In fact, without this amino acid, this process could hardly work.  

AMINO ACIDS STRUCTURE

Scientifically speaking, the hundreds amino acids that make up proteins are attached to themselves thanks to peptide bonds. These peptide bonds form long chains wherein each bond is an individual amino acid.

Secondly, a single amino acid contains both an amino group and a carboxylic group. In fact, amino acids that have an amino group which bonds directly to the alpha-carbon are called alpha amino acids.

As we go even deeper, and bear with us for a minute here, each alpha amino acid is made of:

A carbon atom called alpha carbon or Ca

A carboxylic acid or COOH that is bonded to the Ca

An amino group or NH2

A hydrogen atom

A unique R group

Additionally, there are L and D amino acids. These two are mirror images of each other, but are also non-superimposable as well. This means that when they’re put one over the other – they don’t achieve a perfect overlap. Pairs of L and D amino acids are called enantiomers.

Finally, only L types of amino acids end up building proteins. As most of us know, proteins are the catalysts for near every biochemical process that goes on inside the body. In fact, DNA, RNA, and proteins is what constitutes the genetic imprint of all living organisms on Earth. This is where high-quality branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplements come into play.  



WHAT DO AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS DO FOR YOU? (AMINO ACIDS BENEFITS)

First off, most amino acid formulas predominantly use BCAAs, or branched-chain amino acids. This is important because of three main reasons, which we’ll jump into right now.

BCAAs help users to:

• Build Muscle
• Burn Fat
• Improve Athletic Performance

Sounds simple, right? Well, there’s more to it than that.

BCAAs Build Muscle

According to a study by Rene Koopman and colleagues, Leucine supplementation after a workout changes body protein balance from negative to positive – consequently leading to an anabolic (muscle-building) environment in the body. Furthermore, supplementing with BCAAs has been shown to have better effects in regards to increasing lean muscle mass and strength as opposed to sipping on sports drinks overloaded in carbs. And not only that, but BCAAs can help to reduce the percentage of fat in your body as well. The research that confirmed this thesis can be found in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Additionally, there’s even more evidence to support the positive claims on BCAAs in relation to building muscle. As we said above, Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine lead to triggering an anabolic response in the body when these amino acids are taken in supplement form. They also reduce muscle breakdown as well. In fact, a study from Sweden subjected the participants to 6.8 grams of BCAAs, after which they performed leg presses and were then tested against a group that didn’t take BCAAs at all. The results showed that those participants who took Branched-chain amino acids exhibited greater indications of better anabolism – while also showcasing reduced catabolism markers as well.

Finally, another study has shown that Leucine supplementation can have even greater benefits beyond the standard process in regards to the muscle protein synthesis pathways. The study examines if L-Leucine, creatine monohydrate, or HMB (β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate) are able to prevent the atrophic effects of Myostatin on differentiated C2C12 myotubes, and can be found here.

BCAAs Burn Fat

During the past several years, there have been piles of scientific research that end up support the hypotheses that BCAAs burn fat in a healthy way. One study, for example, used professional wrestlers on calorie-restricted diets to test how BCAAs affect these highly trained individuals. The conclusion showed that those who took BCAAs lost more visceral adipose tissue as opposed to the subjects that did not. During the study, the wrestlers who took branched-chain amino acids stayed at their peak performance levels despite a deficit in calorie intake.

Secondly, another study found that when you add L-Leucine to diets that are high in fat, the percentage of gained fat mass becomes greatly reduced. The scientists attribute this to L-Leucine’s ability to interact with a certain protein responsible for increasing the mitochondrial ability. As a matter of fact, that study also showed that L-Leucine improves glucose regulation and cholesterol metabolism as well.   

BCAAs Improve Athletic Performance

Finally, research has shown that besides helping with muscle growth and fat loss – BCAAs can also improve athletic performance as well. A study done by Thomas B. Walker, Erica Anderson and colleagues at the Air Force Research Laboratory showed that Leucine-fortified protein was more effective in increasing lean muscle and strength as opposed to protein that wasn’t enriched with this amino acid. In fact, yet another study done by a scientific team in Japan (Keitaro Matsumoto and colleagues) confirmed that supplementing with BCAAs before a workout greatly increased an athlete's’ endurance. This occurred after prolonged usage of BCAAs, leading to a conclusion in favor of the body needing time to adapt to BCAAs in order to reap the full benefits of these three amino acids.

Additionally, a study on the effects of supplementation with BCAAs and L-Glutamine on blood fatigue factors in athletes showed promising results as well. In fact, the study was done to understand these athlete’s performance abilities at maximum intensity. Five younger athletes were divided into three groups: the first group received a placebo supplementation (PS), the second group was subjected to L-glutamine (GS), while the third group got BCAA supplementation. The athletes were then told to row at maximum intensity using an indoor rowing machine, after which their blood samples were collected on three occasions, as follows:

• At rest
• After finishing the exercise
• 30 minutes after recovery

The scientists then analyzed several blood fatigue factors, including lactate, ammonia, creatine kinase, blood cytokines, and phosphorus. The results showed that the BCAA and L-glutamine group had higher phosphorus levels at the end of the exercise relative to the control group. What’s more, these groups had lower blood cytokines as well.

THE BEST AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS OF 2018

The following lineup includes our carefully chosen selection of the best amino acid supplements. As most of you are well-aware, our Second To None Nutrition team performs all the necessary research and leaves no room for error – meaning these amino acid formulas are thoroughly tested, carefully researched, and compared to each other for the ultimate 2018 amino acid supplements list.

1. ANABOL NUTRITION ANABOLIC ARMOUR

Landing at number one is Anabol Nutrition Anabolic Armour – a very potent post-workout supplement powder that contains a clinically approved dosage of BCAAs as well. This product is excellent for promoting muscle growth, replenishing your muscle glycogen, and cut the workout recovery time by a significant margin. In fact, Anabolic Armour is built upon a scientifically researched formula that combines two critical macronutrients:

• Fast absorbing protein
• Fast absorbing carbohydrates

These compounds are scientifically proven to be one of the major factors in regards to recovery rates after long and hard training sessions at the gym. What’s more, Anabolic Armour by Anabol Nutrition fights off body inflammation and makes sure you’re up and ready for another quality workout in no time.

Anabolic Armour Ingredients

As we stated, this product contains both fast absorbing protein isolate and Hydrolyzed Whey Isolate that makes it the go-to formula for hundreds of thousands of professional athletes all around the world. What makes this blend special however is the inclusion of branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs (Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine), which are known to have countless of benefits for both professional trainers and weekend gym-goers as well.

Additionally, when you combine BCAAs with fast-acting carbs, this formula will reinvigorate your body through replenishing your depleted glycogen levels – making you train longer and harder. This is absolutely crucial because the main driving force behind muscle movement is none other than glycogen itself. Indirectly, fast-acting carbs will also prevent unwanted body mass loss as well.

To conclude, Anabolic Armour takes the first spot because of its quality, and the fact that it can be used almost any time during a given day.    

Buy Anabol Nutrition Anabolic Armour

2. OPTIMUM NUTRITION ESSENTIAL AMINO ENERGY

Taking our second spot is Optimum Nutrition’s best-seller Essential Amino Energy. Despite containing a healthy dose of carefully picked amino acids, this blend is fortified with powerful stimulants to keep you up and running for extended periods of time. Essential Amino Energy’s main ingredients include the all-mighty BCAAs to stimulate muscle growth and prevent loss of lean muscle mass, Arginine to make sure nitric oxide levels are taken care of, and Beta Alanine to offset muscle fatigue during, and especially after a prolonged time at the gym.

Optimum Nutrition Essential Amino Energy Ingredients

 

This product essentially contains two subcategories of ingredients:

• Amino Blend
• Energy Blend

The AMINO BLEND contains the following amino acids:

• Micronized Taurine
• Micronized L-Glutamine
• Micronized L-Arginine
• Micronized L-Leucine
• CarnoSyn Beta Alanine
• Micronized Citrulline
• Micronized Isoleucine
• Micronized L-Valine
• Micronized L-Tyrosine
• Micronized L-Histidine
• Micronized L-Lysine
• Micronized L-Phenylalanine
• Micronized L-Threonine
• Micronized L-Methionine

As we’ve seen above, all of these amino acids work in conjunction with each other to give you the ultimate combination of power, endurance, and strength. As a matter of fact, this formula is specially engineered to be used as both a pre-workout and an intra-workout blend as well.

The ENERGY BLEND contains the following ingredients:

• Caffeine (from Green Tea)
• Green Tea Extract (Camellia Sinensis, leaf, standardised for EGCG)
• Green Coffee Extract

This combination equals exactly 160 mg of caffeine per one scoop, which is more than enough to give you that extra boost for nailing your workout plan the first time.

Bottom line, this perfect mix of carefully picked amino acids and high-energy stimulants is what earned Optimum Nutrition Essential Amino Acids its second place.

Buy Optimum Nutrition Essential Amino energy

3. INTERNATIONAL PROTEIN AMINO RECOVERY

Standing strong as our number three pick is International Protein Amino Recovery. This product can be used as both an intra and a post-workout supplement as well. These are the main benefits of including Amino Recovery into your nutritional plan:

• Fast recovery
• Significant immune system boost
• Major decrease in muscle soreness after a workout

In addition to these benefits, Amino Recovery by IP has been engineered to kick-start muscle protein synthesis as well. To add, this powerful amino acid formula contains a balanced mix of essential and non-essential amino acids that work in unison to bring out the best out of your physical prowess. And it tastes awesomely good.

International Protein Amino Recovery Ingredients

As stated, this product is enriched with the following amino acids:

Essential:

• BCAAs (Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine)
• Lysine
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine
• Threonine
• Tryptophan
• Valine
• Non-essential:
• Histidine
• Arginine
• Alanine
• Aspartic Acid
• Glutamine
• Glutamic Acid
• Glycine
• Proline
• Serine
• Tyrosine

And how exactly does Amino Recovery helps users?

It’s simple. This product is tailored in accordance with the latest scientific studies that showcase and, most importantly – confirm the effectiveness of amino acids on building lean muscle mass. When you spend quality time on training, you’re in actuality tearing your muscles – a process which can lead to soreness and inflammation the day after. The team behind International Protein Amino Recovery invented a formula that would build your muscles and prevent muscle loss after a strenuous exercise all at the same time. This is why Amino Recovery by IP ends up being our number three pick overall.   

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4. AXIS LABS AMINO XTR

Axis Labs Amino XTR takes the fourth place on our lineup. This highly potent and extremely powerful product is made in accordance with a 4:1:1 BCAA formula that offers the following major benefits:

• Improves post-workout recovery rates
• Offers a significant anabolic boost
• Gives energy and endurance for prolonged workout sessions

What’s more, Amino XTR by Axis Labs is built with the addition of L-Glutamine into the mix, a compound which plays a vital role in preventing muscle tears and offers natural gains to users as well.

Axis Labs Amino XTR Ingredients

This product contains the following core ingredients:

• Carbohydrates – 2 grams per serve
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) – 10 mg

Amino Acid Complex:

4:1:1 BCAA Complex – 6,000 mg per serve

BCAAs:

• L-Leucine – 4,000 mg per serve
• L-Isoleucine – 1,000 mg per serve
• L-Valine – 1,000 mg per serve
• L-Glutamine – 2,500 mg per serve

Despite the usual BCAA formulation, Amino XTR contains a healthy dose of Vitamin B6 as well. This compound is part of the B-complex family and is a major factor in processing fat and protein in the body as well. In addition to these properties, B6 is also known to promote healthy hair, liver, eyes, and most importantly – a healthy skin.

Finally, Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine is one of the main compounds that helps in treating conditions such as depression, Parkinson’s disease, seizures, or coronary heart disease. The combination of BCAAs + Vitamin B6 has ultimately lead Axis Labs Amino XTR to become the fourth spot on our list.   

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5. SCIVATION XTEND

Scivation Xtend is a 2:1:1 BCAA formula made for the ultimate gym enthusiast. Besides the all-powerful BCAAs (Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine), this blend also contains L-Glutamine, Citrulline Malate (1:1 ratio), and additional electrolytes as well to enable extensive training sessions without a drop in the levels of power and strength. In fact, Xtend is specially tailored in accordance with the latest scientific findings that showcase the amount of power Leucine has over building muscles.

A study by Lynch CJ showed that BCAAs (especially L-Leucine) play a vital role in the mTOR signaling pathway and the regulation of amino acids therein, which ultimately leads to extensive and all-natural muscle growth. This research was specifically done on the amino acid regulation of mTOR in adipocytes (fat cells, or cells that comprise most of the adipose tissue). The conclusion from this study stemmed towards Leucine being the main regulatory mechanism behind adipocytes and their role in body metabolism. More research is needed, but all results (even from different studies) are very promising for L-Leucine, the mTOR pathway, and consequently muscle growth.

Scivation Xtend Ingredients

This product contains the following major ingredients:

• 2:1:1 BCAAs
• Citrulline Malate
• L-Glutamine
• Electrolytes

BCAAs are the major factor that promotes muscle growth, endurance, and strength (thanks to the interaction with the mTOR pathway as seen above). Secondly, Citrulline Malate is shown to reduce fatigue during exercise because it acts as an intramuscular buffer that takes care of excess ammonia and lactic acid. Lactic acid and ammonia are the two major concerns for all professional trainers who push their minds and bodies to the ultimate limit.

These two compounds can also cause a major drop in our pH levels – thus making it difficult to keep up at your initial working pace. Citrulline Malate prevents this sudden pH level drop and also helps with the reduction of post-workout fatigue as well.

Thirdly, L-Glutamine is a major player in preserving, building, and maintaining your lean muscle tissue.

And finally, the electrolytes featured in Scivation Xtend are important mainly because they keep your body hydrated and well-prepared for the whole duration of the training session at hand.

Buy Scivation XTEND

6. RARI AMINO MEND

Rari Amino Mend provides everything a trainer would want from a BCAA supplement, but is also fortified with additional ingredients to promote better hydration after a strenuous workout. In addition, Rari Amino Mend is gluten free, GMO-free, and is suitable for vegans as well.

In terms of effectiveness, Amino Mend has been one of the top picks among users from all over the world. What’s more, this product tastes delicious and has an awesome texture to add in your daily nutritional wants and needs. To this extent, some users have recommended to dilute the powder with extra water in order to lighten the sweet taste.

Rari Amino Mend Ingredients

Amino Mend core ingredients are:

• 2:1:1 BCAAs
• L-Glutamine
• Taurine
• Coconut Water
• Potassium
• Sodium Chloride
• Vitamins B6, B12, C

The only thing that’s keeping Rari Amino Mend on the sixth spot is the fact that it’s priced slightly above average in relation to other competitive products.

7. SHEER BCAA

Sheer BCAA is a quality amino acid formula that does the job well. This product contains slightly lower amounts of BCAAs that may be better fitting for athletes with lower body weights overall. Other than that, Sheer BCAA is effective, potent, and an excellent bang for the buck.

Sheer BCAA Ingredients

This product features:

• L-Leucine – 1050 mg per three capsules
• L-Isoleucine – 450 mg per three capsules
• L-Valine – 450 mg per three capsules

Sheer BCAA takes the seventh spot in our lineup because it is not vegan-friendly and takes some light planning in order to incorporate this product into your nutritional plan.

8. CELLUCOR ALPHA AMINO – GEN 4

This product is formulated with a 3:1:1 BCAA ratio for the ultimate anti-catabolic (to prevent muscle loss) effect. Cellucor Alpha Amino Gen 4 is made to function as the body’s main source of energy when all other energy reserves are depleted (such as pushing yourself to the limit at the gym). To add, Alpha Amino may work best when taken in conjunction with your daily workout routine, since this is the best time for this product to really show it’s true potential of preventing muscle catabolism dead in its tracks.

Cellucor Alpha Amino Ingredients

Alpha Amino core ingredients are:

• 3:1:1 ratio of BCAAs
• Hydromax Blend (Sodium + Potassium)
• Alpha-Amino Complex (L-Glutamine, Citrulline, L-Arginine, and more)

Bottom line, Cellucor Alpha Amino is a little bit on the expensive side, and this is why this amino acid supplement earns the eight spot on our list.

9. BSN AMINO X

BSN Amino X is a stimulant-free BCAA blend made to support natural muscle growth, help with endurance, and ultimately raise your training to the next level. In fact, this advanced branched-chain amino acid formula will also provide you with increased focus, more energy, and quicker recovery after a prolonged training session as well.

BSN Amino X Ingredients

This product contains the following major ingredients:

• Vitamin D
• Sodium
• Anabolic Amino Acid Interfusion
• Micronized BCAA Blend (L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine), L-Alanine, Micronized Taurine, Micronized L-Citrulline
• Efforsorb Endura Composite
• And more

Overall, BSN Amino X is a good pick, but the lack of flavours keeps this BCAA formula from reaching higher on our list.

10. EVLUTION NUTRITION BCAA ENERGY

BCAA Energy by Evlution Nutrition is a solid pick for both professional athletes and gym enthusiasts alike. This product comes with the standard 2:1:1 BCAA ratio that most trainers are familiar with. In fact, this BCAA ratio has been proven as the most effective formula for the largest amount of trainers across the globe.

Evlution Nutrition BCAA Energy Ingredients

Main ingredients are:

• 2:1:1 BCAAS
• Taurine
• L-Alanine
• Caffeine
• Vitamins and other compounds

In conclusion, BCAA energy by Evlution Nutrition is an excellent choice for those who want to start shaping their fitness levels as soon as possible.