Best Amino Acid Supplement For Muscle Growth – The Top 3!

Do you need the best amino acid supplement for muscle growth?

Don’t feel like reading?  Here is the list!

Thorne Research Amino Complex

Evlution Nutrition Ultra-Premium BCAA5000

Optimum Nutrition Instantized BCAA Capsules

If you are like most people, you have heard that amino acids are important for muscle growth.  But you may have no idea of what amino acids are or how to find a supplement that works.

Best Amino Acid Supplement For Muscle Growth

On the other hand, most of us know that protein is king when it comes to building muscle, especially whey protein.  This leads to an important revelation:

Proteins are made from amino acids.

Looking for the building blocks of life?  Amino acids are the answer.

There are 20 different amino acids of which 9 are essential.  In other words, they cannot be made in the body and can only be acquired through diet.

Athletes (and I use that term loosely when describing myself) need to be concerned primarily with a group of 3 essential amino acids: isoleucine, leucine, and valine called Branched-Chain Amino Acids or BCAAs.

Some benefits of amino acid supplements include:

  • Increased muscle growth.
  • Prevent muscle wasting.
  • Prevent muscle soreness.
  • Reduce fatigue from exercise.

As you can imagine, these benefits tend to encourage people to buy supplements.

But as with every health product, some tend to be better than others.

But how do you know which BCAA supplement you should use?

Let’s look at a few things to consider.

Things To Consider When Choosing A Good BCAA Supplement

man making a decision

Flavor and Consistency –  When it comes to powder, taste can definitely be a factor.  You may enjoy grape, orange, or fruit punch flavored powder.  On the other hand, you may prefer unflavored (this is me!).  Consider your taste preferences before making a choice.

How many times have you tried a powder supplement that clumps and doesn’t mix with liquid?  Make sure you find one that mixes well, or you will be chewing your drink instead of drinking it.

crazybulk pic

Check the Ingredients – What you are looking for is Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine.  Check carefully for artificial sweeteners, flavors, coloring etc.  You may also find other dietary supplements added for potency.  Ensure there is nothing in your supplement that you don’t want.

Powder or Pills – You can find BCAAs in powder form or pills.  The biggest seller is powder as it contains more BCAAs per serving.  If you prefer pills however, understand that you may have to take several to equal a powder drink.

Now that you know what to look for, let me give you a hand choosing the best amino acid supplement for muscle growth.

Read more men only articles.

 #1  Thorne Research Amino Complex

Number one on the list is Thorne Research Amino Complex. thorne amino complex berry flavored

Thorne Amino Complex contains the essential amino acids that you need including the 3 BCAAs.  It comes in a powder form and is flavored including berry and lemon flavors  (Berry is unquestionably my favorite).

The sweetness comes from all-natural Stevia and the color from vegetable and fruit juice.

One reason why this is number one on the list is because Thorne is so well thought of as a supplement manufacturer by health care professionals and fitness experts.

Thorne received a rating of A from the Therapeutic Goods Association, a supplement regulatory agency in Australia which sets stringent requirements for the manufacturing of supplements.

Thorne has also partnered with a host of U.S. National Teams as well as working in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic.

In simpler terms, this company is legit!

The product itself is NSF Certified for Sport.  This means it is certified to be free of all substances banned by the major athletic associations.  Nothing dangerous or illegal here.

When I was lifting weights, I would take a serving while training and another about 7 in the evening.  It flat out works…

Thorne Research Amino Complex is highly recommended for athletes who are strength building.  Grab yours today!

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#2  Evlution Nutrition BCAA5000

Despite the ridiculous choice for a company name (what were they thinking?), Evlution Nutrition has some very good products, the best of which is arguably BCAA5000. BCAA5000 Container

This is another flavored powder that contains the essential BCAAs and helps tremendously with recovery and gains when working out.

There are several flavors to choose from including grape, watermelon, lime,  acai berry, cherry, pineapple and peach lemonade. Surprisingly, there is also an unflavored option if you are a picky drinker.

Most importantly, this powder mixes well without clumping and makes for a great drink for athletes.

This product keeps the sweetness by adding sucralose which is not my favorite as I prefer Stevia.  But it does sweeten the drink considerably.

BCAA5000 provides performance enhancement by providing 5 grams of pure BCAAs in a ratio of 2.5 grams Leucine, 1.25 grams Isoleucine, and 1.25 grams Valine.

Although there has been research that shows this is the most effective ratio, I am a simple man and can only attests to the fact that many people swear by BCAA5000’s results.

By the way, that is the only research I believe in; the kind where I look at actual physical results.

There are no stimulants, fillers, or additives in this product.

This is a good one.

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#3  Optimum Nutrition Instantized BCAA Capsules

But maybe you aren’t a powder person and would prefer pills?Optimum Nutrition 1000 BCAA Capsules

Well, there is a great option for you also!

Optimum Nutrition Instantized BCAA Capsules are a pretty simple product.  Serving size is two capsules which contains only 1 gram of the branch chain amino acids including 500 mg’s of Leucine, 250 of Isoleucine, and 250 of Valine.

If you notice from our previous product, this is also a 2:1:1 ratio  (So the research is consistent).

There are advantages to using pills instead of powder, the most important of which is that pills are much more portable.  You can be on a plane or at work and pop a few pills with no preparation, mess, or cleanup.

The problem in my eyes is that you really need a serving of BCAAs in the 7–8-gram range.  That is swallowing a lot of pills, especially if you are supplementing 2-3 times a day as most people do.

Any yet, this is a great product that includes no artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors etc.  It is produced with athletic improvement in mind.

Without a doubt the best advantage of Optimum Nutrition Instantized BCAA Capsules is the price.  When you figure price by gram of BCAAs, this is a much cheaper option than powder.

And remember, there are no unpleasant flavors or colors, just a lot of pills to swallow.

If you prefer pills to powder?  This is the option for you.

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The Final Word

And there you have it.  The top 3 choices for Best Amino Acid Supplement For Muscle Growth.  You really can’t go wrong with any of these 3 choices.

If you are intent on building muscle and recovering from workouts quicker, you need to invest in an amino acid supplement.

Good luck!

Check out the top 3 steroid alternatives that work!

 

Citations:

  1. Tinsley, G. (2017, July 16). The 6 Best Supplements To Gain Muscle. The 6 Best Supplements to Gain Muscle. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/supplements-for-muscle-gain.
  2. Editors, M. (2021, June 15). 11 Best Supplements To Gain Muscle Mass | Men’s Journal. Men’s Journal. https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/11-best-supplements-building-muscle-mass/.
Joel Dreher MS EdS
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