XTEND Original BCAA Blue Raspberry Ice | Branched Chain Amino Acids Supplement | 7g BCAAs + Muscle Supplements | Electrolytes for Recovery | Amino Energy Post-Workout | 30 Servings

Product Information

In our search for the best BCAA supplement, we were pretty fond of Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine. So, how does XTEND BCAA powder compare? of sugar-free branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) in a clinically studied 2:1:1 ratio including Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine per serving Cummings NE, Williams EM, Kasza I, Konon EN, Schaid MD, Schmidt BA, etal. (February 2018). "Restoration of metabolic health by decreased consumption of branched-chain amino acids". The Journal of Physiology. 596 (4): 623–645. doi: 10.1113/JP275075. PMC 5813603. PMID 29266268. You can also take Perfect 10 Amino to support performance, recovery, and muscle retention on your diet of choice--even if you're following IF or keto. Finally, there’s the citrulline malate. This is an amino acid that’s linked to improved circulation and is sometimes included in workout supplements to promote endurance. The thing is, almost every study that has shown it may improve workouts involved doses of at least six grams. Xtend only provides one gram per serving, so it doesn’t seem that likely that the citrulline malate will significantly improve endurance or power.

The real benefits come from the other ingredients. The BCAAs themselves are linked to improving muscle protein synthesis, reducing muscle soreness and boosting endurance. The wide variety of electrolytes may help to prevent dehydration and keep your muscles and nerves functioning properly, although it’s important to remember a liter of sweat has about 900 milligrams of sodium, over ten times the amount found in a scoop of Xtend. So the electrolytes will help, just remember to keep on eating. But it’s still pretty pleasant and certainly more enjoyable than Scivation’s Blue Raspberry flavor, which is overwhelmingly sweet. A word of caution: simply dilute your BCAAs in at least a cup and a half of water to avoid the extreme sweetness that a lot of people complain about. Solon-Biet SM, Cogger VC, Pulpitel T, Wahl D, Clark X, Bagley E, etal. (May 2019). "Branched chain amino acids impact health and lifespan indirectly via amino acid balance and appetite control". Nature Metabolism. 1 (5): 532–545. doi: 10.1038/s42255-019-0059-2. PMC 6814438. PMID 31656947. Not only does it have a good ratio of BCAAs, it also contains other amino acids. This makes it great for people who do marathon workouts, or who need a slower-acting source of fuel for their muscles.The field of BCAA metabolism has been advanced with the use of large, multi‐omics data analyses and metabolic tracing experiments that can determine the tissue‐specific use of AAs. The new model proposed by Neinast et al. is certainly a more comprehensive assessment of whole‐body BCAA catabolism (Neinast et al., 2019); however, there are still a few outstanding questions. Although this updated model seems to agree with previous literature, it only accounts for approximately 50% of whole‐body BCAA disposal; for example, one major metabolic organ not evaluated was the gut, home to intestinal microbiota that can produce BCAAs and other essential amino acids (Lynch & Pedersen, 2016; Pedersen et al., 2016; Ridaura et al., 2013). Furthermore, there are discrepancies in the literature regarding the expression and modification of BCAA catabolic enzymes, and how this relates to tissue‐specific BCAA oxidation. It will be interesting to see how models of BCAA catabolism evolve, especially as delineation of sexual dimorphisms is prioritized in research. Dietary supplements are a personal choice based on workout demands and wellness goals. However, based on our XTEND BCAA review, we think the supplement can benefit many athletes. XTEND BCAA powder can help promote muscle recovery to maximize training potential and get you closer to your fitness goals. I don’t care about taste, but every flavor taste pretty good – especially blue raspberry and watermelon Note: Due to the instability of glutamine in water, glutamine has been substituted with Taurine to support mental performance and cardiovascular health.

Well, if this study, published in the International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, is anything to go by then the answer is a resounding yes. The study found that BCAA supplementation reduced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) following exercise, so if you want to be able to use your arms after doing pull-ups or you want to avoid being consigned to a chair for days after doing legs then consider BCAAs. Yu D, Richardson NE, Green CL, Spicer AB, Murphy ME, Flores V, etal. (May 2021). "The adverse metabolic effects of branched-chain amino acids are mediated by isoleucine and valine". Cell Metabolism. 33 (5): 905–922.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2021.03.025. PMC 8102360. PMID 33887198.BCAAs are also found to reduce the increase in serum levels of ammonia that occurs during exercise. This is done by increasing the amount of ammonia used in glutamine synthesis, preventing an over-accumulation of ammonia in the blood. [28] Increased levels of ammonia in the brain result in lower levels of GABA and glutamate, causing an increase in central fatigue. Increased levels of ammonia in the muscle tissue also increase phosphofructokinase activity (PFK), leading to an increase in lactic acid, a major contributor to muscle fatigue. [31] Some people don’t like that Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy contains 10 calories and 2 grams of carbs per serving. But, honestly, if you are working out hard enough, you shouldn’t be worried about this low amount of calories and carbs.