Support Your Training and Recovery Regimen with the Best BCAA for Men (2024)

Branched-chain amino acids were once primarily used by bodybuilders and powerlifters, but they’ve recently skyrocketed in popularity as more people have discovered their purported benefits, including improved muscle recovery and enhanced performance. 

As a result, many companies claim to produce the best BCAA for men, but a closer look at their nutrition labels show they’re nothing but a glorified flavored drink mix. That’s why we’ve asked nutritionist, registered dietitian, and supplements expert Bob Iafelice to weigh in on which ones actually provide bang for your buck. He and our team of certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and athletes tested each product on this list to evaluate factors such as:

• Formula: Does it contain clinically-backed ingredients and dosages?
• Effects: Did our testers experience positive or negative effects?
• Price Per Serving: Does the cost match the value of the product?

Ultimately, we’re just like you—people who are obsessed with fitness and want to find the best supplements to help fuel our training and keep us on top of our game. We used our in-depth testing to produce this list of the best BCAAs for men and ensure that if we recommend it, we would take it ourselves.

RELATED: Best Protein Powders for Men  

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.

Best BCAA for Men 

• Best BCAA for Men Overall: Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine 
• Best Protein Powder with BCAA for Men: Legion Whey+
• Best BCAA for Muscle Building: Huge Supplements Huge BCAA
• Best BCAA Pills for Men: Pure Encapsulations BCAA Capsules
• Best Budget BCAA for Men: Xtend Original BCAA Powder
• Best Vegan BCAA Supplement for Men: Naked BCAAs

Best BCAA for Men Overall: Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine

Good for: Someone looking to support their recovery and immune system

Best Overall

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine

GGR Score: 4.25

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Product Highlights

• Available in 5 flavors, BCAA Glutamine supports post-workout recovery and a reduction of muscle breakdwon
• No artificial colors, sweeteners, or coloring
• Sweetened with Stevia
• Each serving has 5 active ingredients designed to promote protein synthesis, reduce muscle fatigue, improve post-workout muscle growth, and enhance performance
• Ingredients include vitamin C, fermented vegan BCAA 2:1:1 (L-leucine, L-valine, and L-isoleucine), and glutamine

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Transparent ingredient list
• 5 flavor options
• Uses fermented vegan BCAAs
• Gluten-free and non-GMO
• No artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives
• 60-day money-back assurance

Cons

• Expensive
• Contains Stevia, which can cause digestive issues
• Taste is not appreciated by all

Bottom Line

If Stevia does not cause you any stomach issues, Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine is a well-formulated supplement worth considering.

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine has all the ingredients you’d expect in a high-quality BCAA supplement, with the added benefit of l-glutamine—which in addition to being the most abundant amino acid in the body, has also been linked to several health benefits, according to Bob Iafelice, R.D..

Nicole Davis, GGR senior editor and certified nutrition coach, tried the Strawberry Lemonade flavor, which wasn’t her favorite, scoring it just a 3.5 out of 5. “It seems like I’m in the minority though, based on customer reviews,” she adds. “The powder dissolves well, which is appreciated in my book.”

“While I often recommend glutamine for immune and gut health, some evidence suggests that glutamine may help expedite muscle recovery after exercise,” Bob says. Let’s talk about the immune and gut health benefits first. 

Studies¹ have shown that glutamine is essential to cell growth and can enhance immune cells’ ability to protect the body against infection and inflammation. The problem is our cells are depleted of glutamine when fighting an infection, which is why glutamine supplementation can be beneficial for immuno-compromised individuals.  

A 2021 study² also found that glutamine could help support gut health and could even be used when treating people with depression (remember that gut health could affect our brain and mood). 

Transparent Labs also packs its BCAA supplement with 4 grams of leucine, which as Iafelice points out is more than the research-backed 2.5-gram dose recommended to support muscle protein synthesis. 

For more, check out our in-depth Transparent Labs BCAA review.

Best Protein Powder with BCAA for Men: Legion Whey+

Good for: Those who want a whey protein powder that’s chock full of BCAAs 

Protein with BCAA

Legion Whey+

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• Sourced from small dairy farms in Ireland
• Over 5 g of BCAAs per serving
• Non-GMO and animal welfare approved
• Third-party tested for banned substances

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Low in carbs and fat
• Natural ingredients
• Money-back guarantee
• Made with ethically-sourced milk
• Lots of flavor options

Cons

• Comparably high cost per serving
• May be clumpy when mixed
• Some flavors have mixed reviews

Bottom Line

Legion Whey+ is a clean, sustainable protein powder that also is macro-friendly and a great option for anyone looking for a clean protein supplement.

Like all of the best protein powders, Legion Whey+ has all of your EAAs and BCAAs (every complete protein will have these) in a good-tasting and all-natural protein powder. 

Each scoop comes with 5.6 grams of BCAAs, 22 to 24 grams of protein (it varies by flavor), and a moderate amount of carbs and fat. It also has a Labdoor Tested for Purity certification to show that it’s been checked for heavy metals, banned substances, and THC (the psychoactive compound found in marijuana). 

Another reason we love it is because of the Truly Grass-Fed certification, which tells us the cows that produced the dairy spend most of their time outdoors and eat grass instead of wheat and artificial fillers. 

I tasted the Cinnamon Cereal flavor, and it tastes like the milk that’s left at the bottom of a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I give it a solid 4.5 out of 5 for taste. It mixed easily with milk or water, though I highly recommend using milk.

Studies have shown that grass-fed cows produce milk that contains anti-inflammatory antioxidants³ and has a better omega-3/omega-6 ratio⁴ than conventional milk. 

Legion Whey+ is on the expensive side, at $1.99 per scoop, and comes in 15 different flavors. 

Check out our full Legion Whey+ review.

Best BCAA for Muscle Building: Huge Supplements Huge BCAA

Good for: Men who are looking for a high-quality BCAA supplement 

Best for Muscle Building

Huge BCAA

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• One scoop contains 15 grams of amino acids including an impressive 8 g of BCAAs
• Can be taken before, during, or after a workout and is easily stacked with your favorite pre or post-workout supplement
• Made in a GMP facility
• Available in 4 flavors 
• Formulated to improve protein synthesis, and support muscle recovery and muscle growth for better overall performance
• Key ingredients include calcium, potassium, sodium, BCAAs (L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine), L-glutamine, coconut water powder, L-lysine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan, L-phenylalanine, L-histidine HCL, and L-methionine

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Tastes good
• High levels of quality BCAAs
• Mixes well
• Can be stacked with other drinks

Cons

• Not so much a negative, but since this product does taste good, many consumers would appreciate a greater variety of flavors
• Expensive at $1.59 per serving
• Sweetened with sucralose

Bottom Line

As one of the better-tasting BCAA supplement powders on the market, Huge BCAA may be a good choice if you place a premium on taste and quality ingredients.

Huge BCAA by Huge Supplements lives up to its name by including a larger-than-average dose of branched-chain amino acids and the other six essential amino acids (EAAs) needed to create a complete protein (EAAs are the ones our body can’t create on their own and must be obtained through diet). 

As Bob Iafelice, R.D., notes, a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids is needed to maximize muscle protein synthesis and muscle gains. “With all the essentials that include a herculean 8-gram dose of BCAAs, Huge BCAA certainly fits the bill as a potent muscle-builder,” he adds. 

Another reason we like Huge BCAA is that it includes coconut water powder, a source of electrolytes that can help support hydration during intense exercise. There are also generous amounts of potassium and sodium, two other electrolyte sources that need to be replenished after sweating. 

Your muscles will lose some potassium during exercise, but you lose even more sodium, which if not replenished could result in muscle spasms, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic⁵. 

There are four available flavors, but we should note that they’re sweetened with sucralose (this might not matter to some people but it has been known to cause digestive issues). 

Nicole Davis, GGR’s senior editor, went with Kiwi Blueberry flavor and rated it a 4.5 out of 5. “I didn’t find it overly sweet, plus I like its unique flavor profile—I definitely got the kiwi taste. The powder also dissolves well and doesn’t feel gritty in your mouth.”

Best BCAA Pills for Men: Pure Encapsulations BCAA Capsules

Good for: Anyone who wants to take BCAA pills instead of a powder

Best BCAA Pills

Pure Encapsulations BCAA Capsules

GGR Score: 3.5

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Product Highlights

• Provides 600 milligrams of free-form BCAAs per capsule
• Vegetarian ingredients and hypoallergenic
• Intended to promote lean muscle mass, performance, and recovery
• To get maximum benefits, it is recommended to take 2 to 4 capsules a day in between meals
• Key ingredients: L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No need to worry about taste
• Convenient
• Affordable
• Portable
• Made with high-quality vegetarian ingredients

Cons

• Not as potent as powder
• Need to take more than one capsule to reap the benefits

Bottom Line

Pure Encapsulation BCAA Capsules are a good way to add BCAAs into your routine if you prefer capsules over powder form.

Don’t want to bother with scoops or mixing a powder into your shaker bottle? Pure Encapsulations BCAA Capsules have all the muscle-building and post-workout recovery benefits of a BCAA supplement, but in capsule form, which Iafelice says could be beneficial. 

Capsules are more easily absorbed and generally contain fewer additives, Iafelice notes. “While multiple capsules are still needed to supply enough BCAAs for muscle protein synthesis and recovery, Pure’s BCAAs furnish a comparatively large amount of amino acids per capsule, lessening the number of capsules required,” he adds. 

Still, a two-capsule serving only gets you 1.2 grams of BCAAs, so you’ll have to down eight of them (four servings) to get the recommended 5-gram dose. 

Customer reviews state these pills are easy to take, and some people have noticed quick results after taking them. We didn’t find any quick results, though we did find these easy to swallow.

Best Budget BCAA for Men: Xtend Original BCAA Powder

Good for: Anyone who’s on a budget but still wants one of the best BCAA powders 

Best Budget BCAA

XTEND Original BCAA Powder

GGR Score: 3.75

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Product Highlights

• 7 grams of BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio
• Helps muscle recovery and growth
• May improve overall performance 
• Contains zero sugar, calories, or carbs
• Added electrolytes for improved hydration and recovery
• Third-party tested
• Free from banned substances
• 8 flavors
• 30- or 90-day supply

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 8 unique flavors
• 7 grams of BCAAs per serving
• Does not have a bitter taste
• Electrolyte blend for hydration
• Third-party tested and certified

Cons

• Contains sucralose/artificial sweetener
• Contains food dyes

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a boost of electrolytes and some high-quality BCAAs, Xtend may be a good choice for you. It contains artificial sweeteners, which do a great job at masking any bitter taste but may be a dealbreaker for some. Key ingredients include L-Leucine, L-Glutamine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine, electrolyte blend, and citrulline malate.

At just 63 cents per serving, Xtend Original BCAA Powder is an affordable and efficient BCAA supplement that contains 3.5 grams of the branched-chain amino acid leucine, which helps regulate cellular functions such as muscle protein synthesis⁷ (or the process of producing new muscle proteins) and muscle tissue repair. 

“What’s more, Xtend BCAA Powder contains citrulline malate, a combination of the amino acid citrulline and the alkalinizing compound malic acid (found naturally in many fruits),” Iafelice says. “Citrulline malate has been demonstrated in several studies⁸ to enhance exercise performance, possibly via blood vessel dilation.”

Talk about a high-value supplement. 

If that’s not enough, Xtend also contains several electrolytes to help support proper hydration during workouts. 

You have 12 flavor options to choose from, so if you really wanted to, you could try a different flavor every month. 

Kate Meier, GGR head of content, is a big fan of the Watermelon Explosion flavor. ““I don’t like super sweet things, but if I mix this with enough water—12 to 16 ounces—it’s perfect,” she says, rating it a 5 out of 5 for taste.

Best Vegan BCAA Supplement for Men: Naked Nutrition BCAAs

Good for: Men living a plant-based lifestyle 

Best Vegan BCAA

Naked Nutrition BCAAs

GGR Score: 4.25

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Product Highlights

• Free from any artificial additives 
• Formulated with pharmaceutical-grade BCAAs
• Quickly dissolves and absorbed 
• Vegan, soy-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO
• Incredible price point at $0.35 a serving
• Key ingredients are just pure BCAAs with a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine, and valine

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Only ingredients are pure BCAAs
• Vegan
• Serving size is just one teaspoon
• 100 servings per container
• Affordable

Cons

• Smells bad
• Taste is bitter

Bottom Line

Naked Nutrition BCAAs are the highest-grade amino acids and free from any additives but the taste leaves much to be desired.

Naked Nutrition BCAAs are branched-chain amino acids in their purest form and are a high-quality training supplement that should be on just about everyone’s radar (regardless if you’re plant-based or not). 

Iafelice is a fan, calling Naked BCAAs a clean vegan product that’s free of additives. As a bonus, it’s sourced from non-GMO carb sources and provides 2.5 grams of leucine, the research-backed dose for muscle protein synthesis, muscle gains, and muscle recovery. 

Naked BCAAs are unflavored, but Nicole Davis, GGR senior editor, and some customer reviewers noted there was a bitter taste to it when mixed with water. It did, however, mix easily with water. 

It’s also only 35 cents per serving and you get 100 servings per container. 

Other BCAAs for Men We Researched

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of BCAA supplements on the market, and so it’d be impossible to discuss the pros and cons of every single one. Here are two, however, that we came across during our research that we wanted to highlight. 

• BPI Sports Best BCAA: BPI will have you believe the inclusion of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) can help speed up your metabolism and support weight loss, but a meta-analysis of 18 studies⁹ on CLA found it only resulted in “modest” fat loss (about a tenth of a pound per week). 
• Optimum Nutrition BCAA 1000: Optimum Nutrition is a great budget-friendly supplement manufacturer, but that usually means their products are less effective than more expensive brands, such as their BCAA capsules only containing 1 gram of BCAAs per serving.

RELATED: Best BCAA for women

How We Picked and Tested the Best BCAA for Men

We wrote down every BCAA supplement on little pieces of paper, put them in a hat, and then picked out seven at random…we’re joking, obviously. In truth, we put hours of research into looking at the most popular supplements and then narrowed down our list by looking at the following factors: 

• Formulation: Did the product contain a research-backed amount of BCAAs per serving and have the proper ratio of l-leucine to isoleucine to l-valine? 
• Form: Powder or capsules? We looked for both to give you options.
• Serving size: In addition to giving you 30 servings per container (enough to last a month), we wanted to see how many scoops or capsules you needed to get the 5-gram dose recommended by most researchers.
• Taste/Flavors: Did the flavored options taste good, and did unflavored supplements actually have no taste? 
• Solubility: Did the powders easily dissolve in water? 
• Cost: Is the container affordable, and what’s the per-serving cost? 
• Third-party testing: We wanted to see if the products had been tested by Informed Sport, NSF, or Banned Substance Control Group (BSCG) for banned or harmful substances.

What are BCAAs?

Branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, are a type of amino acid called an essential amino acid, meaning they must be obtained through diet because our body can’t produce enough of them on its own (amino acids created in sufficient quantities by our body are called non-essential amino acids). 

There are three BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

Benefits of BCAAs—Do They Work? 

Here’s the truth: BCAA supplements have some benefits for resistance-trained individuals, but not nearly as much as the manufacturers and marketers would want you to think. Here, we’ll mythbust some of the purported benefits of BCAA supplements and let you know which ones they’re actually useful for. 

Muscle-Building

Truth: BCAAs are needed to stimulate muscle protein synthesis along with the other amino acids needed to create a complete protein (a protein molecule containing all the EAAs), so a BCAA supplement alone won’t do much to support muscle growth or lean muscle mass unless the other 6 EAAs are included, according to Iafelice and this August 2019 review¹⁰. 

If your main goal is building muscle, we recommend a protein powder. 

Improved Performance 

Truth: BCAAs can actually help you perform better in the gym, though with the caveat that it’s only for people who engage in intense workouts—so people who lift weights for more than an hour, endurance athletes, and professional athletes. 

BCCAs ability to support these type of athletes is supported by recent studies showing that they increase exercise capacity and endurance, Iafelice says. 

Post-Exercise Recovery

Truth: This is probably the best reason for taking BCAA supplements, according to Iafelice. There have been systematic reviews¹¹ of clinical trials showing that BCAAs reduce the markers of muscle damage and support reduced delay-onset muscle soreness (commonly known as DOMS) after rigorous resistance or endurance training. 

Studies¹⁰ have also shown that branched-chain amino acid supplementation can help prevent excess muscle breakdown and muscle fatigue.

How Much BCAAs Should I Take? 

You’ll want to look for two things: the BCAA ratio and the total amount of BCAAs in a supplement. The ratio should be 2:1:1 (leucine-isoleucine-valine) per kilogram of bodyweight, so for a 150-pound person that’d be 2.7 grams of leucine and 1.4 grams each of isoleucine and valine. 

A 5-gram scoop or capsule serving will give you the proper dosage, though people who weigh more might want to look for a product with a bigger serving (or you can double scoop). 

Buying Guide: What to Look for in BCAAs

There are many factors to keep in mind when considering which BCAA supplement is best for you. 

Side Effects

A 2012 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition¹² found men would have to ingest 35 grams of leucine per day to experience any side effects, meaning it’s unlikely that you’ll experience any issues when taking BCAA supplements. 

Iafelice adds that BCAA concentrations in the blood aren’t necessarily connected with BCAA supplementation. If you do experience any side effects after taking BCAAs, discontinue use and talk to your doctor or a nutritionist. 

FAQs About Best BCAAs for Men 

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

References

1. Philip Newsholme, Why Is L-Glutamine Metabolism Important to Cells of the Immune System in Health, Postinjury, Surgery or Infection?, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 131, Issue 9, September 2001, Pages 2515S–2522S, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/131.9.2515S
2. Deters, B. J., & Saleem, M. (2021). The role of glutamine in supporting gut health and neuropsychiatric factors. In Food Science and Human Wellness (Vol. 10, Issue 2, pp. 149–154). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2021.02.003
3. van Vliet, S., Provenza, F. D., & Kronberg, S. L. (2021). Health-Promoting Phytonutrients Are Higher in Grass-Fed Meat and Milk. In Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems (Vol. 4). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.555426
4. Benbrook, C. M., Davis, D. R., Heins, B. J., Latif, M. A., Leifert, C., Peterman, L., Butler, G., Faergeman, O., Abel-Caines, S., & Baranski, M. (2018). Enhancing the fatty acid profile of milk through forage-based rations, with nutrition modeling of diet outcomes. In Food Science & Nutrition (Vol. 6, Issue 3, pp. 681–700). Wiley. 
5. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, May 17). Hyponatremia. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 3, 2023
6. Clausen T. Na+-K+ pump regulation and skeletal muscle contractility. Physiol Rev. 2003 Oct;83(4):1269-324. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00011.2003. PMID: 14506306.
7. Zaromskyte G, Prokopidis K, Ioannidis T, Tipton KD and Witard OC (2021) Evaluating the Leucine Trigger Hypothesis to Explain the Post-prandial Regulation of Muscle Protein Synthesis in Young and Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Front. Nutr. 8:685165. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.685165
8. Gonzalez, Adam M.1; Trexler, Eric T.2. Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Exercise Performance in Humans: A Review of the Current Literature. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 34(5):p 1480-1495, May 2020. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003426 
9. Whigham LD, Watras AC, Schoeller DA. Efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid for reducing fat mass: a meta-analysis in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May;85(5):1203-11. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1203. PMID: 17490954.
10. Santos CS, Nascimento FEL. Isolated branched-chain amino acid intake and muscle protein synthesis in humans: a biochemical review. Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2019 Sep 5;17(3):eRB4898. doi: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2019RB4898. PMID: 31508659; PMCID: PMC6718193.
11. Khemtong C, Kuo CH, Chen CY, Jaime SJ, Condello G. Does Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Supplementation Attenuate Muscle Damage Markers and Soreness after Resistance Exercise in Trained Males? A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2021 May 31;13(6):1880. doi: 10.3390/nu13061880. PMID: 34072718; PMCID: PMC8230327.
12. Elango R, Chapman K, Rafii M, Ball RO, Pencharz PB. Determination of the tolerable upper intake level of leucine in acute dietary studies in young men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Oct;96(4):759-67. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.024471. Epub 2012 Sep 5. PMID: 22952178.

Anthony O'Reilly, CPT, CNC

Anthony O'Reilly is a NASM-certified nutrition coach and personal trainer whose work has been featured in Muscle & Fitness and BarBend, and previously was an award-winning reporter and photographer for newspapers on Long Island and Queens, NY. After spending most of his life overweight, he dropped 80 pounds and took control of his health and fitness. Outside of work, he still enjoys Little Debbie cakes but offsets them with rigorous hikes and workouts. He's an avid Manchester United supporter, through thick and thin.

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