Sports Nutrition The 5 Best BCAAs of 2021, According to a Dietitian Support muscle recovery with these top supplements By Eliza Savage, MS, RD, CDN instagram Eliza Savage, MS, RD is a senior editor at Verywell Fit, a registered dietitian, and a published author. Learn about our editorial process Eliza Savage, MS, RD, CDN Fact checked by Fact checked by Emily Swaim on July 30, 2020 linkedin Emily is a fact checker, editor, and writer who has expertise in psychology, health and lifestyle content. Learn about our editorial process Emily Swaim Updated on March 08, 2021 Print Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Verywell / Chloe Jeong Our Top Picks Best Powder: Thorne Research Amino Complex at Amazon The delicious berry-flavored powder is sweetened with stevia and uses no artificial flavors. Best Hypoallergenic: Pure Encapsulations BCAA Powder at Amazon Free of wheat, gluten, egg, peanuts, soy, dairy, shellfish, artificial colors and sweeteners. Best Unflavored: Muscle Feast BCAA Powder 4:1:1 Ratio at Amazon Muscle Feast adheres to strict standards and is third-party tested by Labdoor. Best Flavored: Vital Proteins Recovery BCCA Powder at Amazon Great post-workout recovery drink sweetened only with monk fruit. Best Plant-Based: Nutiva Hemp Protein Powder at Amazon Contains 0.5 grams isoleucine, 0.8 grams leucine, and 0.7 grams valine per 3-tablespoon serving. In This Article Expand Our Picks What to Look for What Experts Say Why Trust Verywell Fit? How We Select Supplements When you perform intense workouts, it’s important to rest, recover, and fuel your body with the right nutrients, especially protein. While you can meet most—if not all—of your dietary needs through proper nutrition, some athletes choose to supplement with branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs. BCAAs represent three essential amino acids: valine, leucine, and isoleucine. These essential amino acids are commonly found in protein-rich food such as meat, dairy, and legumes, but they are also bundled together in capsule or powder form and sold as a dietary supplement. There's little evidence to support the claim that BCAAs improve endurance performance; however, research shows BCAAs may help build muscle size and support recovery when used with a resistance training program. In fact, the International Society of Sports Nutrition supports the use of branched-chain amino acids as a means to meet the increased protein needs of athletes but recommends choosing whole food options as the primary protein source. Here, the best BCAA supplements: Best Powder: Thorne Research Amino Complex View On Amazon View On IHerb If you're looking for a high-quality, great-tasting BCAA powder, Thorne's Amino Complex is a fantastic choice. The delicious berry-flavored powder is sweetened with stevia and uses no artificial flavors. Each scoop contains eleven amino acids, including all nine essential amino acids (which includes the three BCAAs) as well as cysteine and tyrosine. These two amino acids are known as conditionally essential amino acids, which are needed in higher quantities during times of physical stress, such as exercise recovery. The powder is free of gluten, dairy, and soy. The product is NSF Certified for Sport, meaning that it is tested to be sure it is free of banned substances and compliant with label claims. Thorne recommends mixing one scoop with at least six ounces of water. The 7 Best Whey Protein Powders of 2021, According to a Dietitian Best Hypoallergenic: Pure Encapsulations BCAA Powder View On Amazon If you have allergies, it can be hard to find a quality supplement that is 100 percent free of your specific allergens. Pure Encapsulations is devoted to formulating products using the purest ingredients to deliver top-quality, hypoallergenic products. Their BCAA Powder is no exception. The BCAA powder is free of wheat, gluten, egg, peanuts, soy, dairy, shellfish, magnesium stearate, hydrogenated fat, and artificial colors and sweeteners. One scoop of the 2:1:1 (leucine:isoleucine:valine) ratio powder provides 1,500 milligrams of leucine and 750 milligrams each of isoleucine and valine. Pure Encapsulations recommends mixing one scoop of the non-GMO powder with 10 ounces of water or juice once daily. Good to Know BCAA supplements come in different ratios of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Leucine is generally in higher ratios, such as with the common 2:1:1 (leucine: isoleucine: valine) ratio, as it is thought to be especially good at supporting skeletal muscle synthesis. The 7 Best Sports Drinks of 2021, According to a Dietitian Best Unflavored: Muscle Feast BCAA Powder 4:1:1 Ratio View On Amazon Many BCAAs come in super strong fruity flavors that don't appeal to all taste buds. Additionally, some supplements use artificial flavors and sweeteners which may be detrimental to your health. Choosing an unflavored variety, like the Muscle Feast BCAA Powder, is a good choice to reap the benefits of BCAAs without unnecessary flavors and ingredients. Muscle Feast's Unflavored BCAA Powder comes in a 4:1:1 ratio and is keto-friendly, vegan, and sugar-free. The supplement contains only BCAAs and sunflower lecithin for mixability. Specifically, one scoop contains 3630 milligrams of leucine and 907 milligrams of isoleucine and valine. Muscle Feasts recommends mixing one scoop with 12 ounces of water or your favorite beverage. If you're concerned about manufacturing, Muscle Feast adheres to strict standards and is third-party tested by Labdoor. The gluten-free, soy-free powder is made in an FDA-registered facility. Best Flavored: Vital Proteins Recovery BCCA Powder View On Amazon It's hard to find a flavored BCAA supplement that tastes great and doesn't use questionable sweeteners. Vital Proteins combine 20 grams of their well-known collagen powder with 8 grams of essential amino acids and 5 grams of BCAAs to create a great post-workout recovery drink that's sweetened only with monk fruit. This plant-based sweetener is GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA and is less sweet than other sugar alternatives on the market. The gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free powder comes in five flavors, including guava lime, lemon grape, passionfruit, watermelon berry, and yuzu clementine. Each two-scoop serving contains 100 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates, and 18 grams of protein. The delicious blend features many electrolytes and vitamins, including 50 percent of your daily value of vitamin C and vitamin B6. Natural electrolytes from coconut water powder help to rehydrate, while taurine and glutamine support muscle recovery. Best Plant-Based: Nutiva Hemp Seed Protein Powder View On Amazon View On Gnc.com Many BCAA supplements contain milk or other non-vegan-friendly ingredients such as bovine gelatin in the capsules. If you're looking for a more natural, plant-based product, try Nutiva Hemp Seed Protein Powder. The USDA Organic, Cold-Pressed, Raw Protein Powder contains 15 grams of protein per 3-tablespoon serving, containing 0.5 grams isoleucine, 0.8 grams leucine, and 0.7 grams valine. The vegan, non-GMO product tastes great and is easy to blend into your favorite smoothie. While this product may contain lower amounts of BCAAs than other supplements on this list, hemp is a high-quality superfood that has additional benefits such as dietary fiber, magnesium, and iron. Final Verdict For an excellent BCAA, try Thorne Research's Amino Complex (view at Amazon). What to Look for in a BCAA Consistency and flavor: Nothing says yuck like a powder supplement that won’t mix. When shopping for a BCAA powder, look for a product that mixes well in water. You should also consider the flavor. You can find BCAA powder unflavored or in flavors like fruit punch, grape, and lemon-lime. Depending on your taste buds, you may want to take the safe route and opt for unflavored. Other ingredients: In addition to valine, leucine, and isoleucine, several BCAA products include extra ingredients. Be on the lookout for artificial flavors, sweeteners, fillers, and artificial coloring. One way to avoid some of these ingredients is to choose an unflavored product. Also, pay attention to other dietary supplements they may include, such as caffeine. If you only want BCAA, make sure there are no other supplements listed on the label. Pills vs. Powder: BCAAs come in a powder and capsule. BCAA powder seems to be the top choice, especially since companies can pack more BCAAs into each serving. However, some people prefer swallowing a pill. Just know that you may have to take quite a few pills to equal the same amount of BCAAs found in powder. Dosage: Always speak with your physician or health care provider prior to adding any dietary supplement, including BCAAs, to your routine. According to the National Institute of Health, supplementing with up to 20 grams per day of BCAAs for up to six weeks should be safe. Quality: To ensure that you're choosing a high-quality product, look for a supplement that has been third-party tested. Companies like Labdoor or ConsumerLab perform reviews. Some products are NSF Certified for Sport or tested by similar anti-doping companies. What Experts Say “70 percent of the amino acid pool that makes up muscle tissue is BCAAs. One of the BCAAs, leucine, is the key amino acid that drives the muscle protein synthesis (MPS) pathway, which means better recovery and a greater anabolic response from exercise.”—Shawn Wells, MPH, LDN, RD, CISSN, FISSN Why Trust Verywell Fit? A personal note on my recommendations written above. As a dietitian, I am not always comfortable recommending supplements. After spending time reviewing the most current clinical research and looking at multiple products, however, I came up with a list of products that I would recommend to someone looking to add branched-chain amino acids into their routine. I aligned with best clinical practices and recommendations set forth by Sports Nutrition experts and the International Society of Sports Nutrition and reviewed test results from Labdoor. I am careful to recommend supplements, and I believe the BCAA supplements in the round-up are made by trusted brands that are devoted to product purity and are composed of high-quality ingredients. —Eliza Savage, MS, RD, CDN How We Select Supplements Our team works hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements; you can read more about our dietary supplement methodology here. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Wolfe RR. Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:30. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0184-9 Vandusseldorp TA, Escobar KA, Johnson KE, et al. Effect of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation on Recovery Following Acute Eccentric Exercise. Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1389. doi:10.3390/nu10101389 Campbell B, Kreider RB, Ziegenfuss T, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007;4:8. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-8 Wu G. Functional amino acids in nutrition and health. Amino Acids. 2013;45(3):407-411. doi:10.1007/s00726-013-1500-6 Kerksick CM, Wilborn CD, Roberts MD, et al. ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15(1):38. doi:10.1186/s12970-018-0242-y National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated October 17, 2019.