Diet

BCAA powder

introduction

BCAA is an abbreviation for the English term Branch-Chain Amino Acids. These are the protein molecules ( lat. amino acids) Valine, leucine and isoleucine. These are linked in a long chain and form a branched network of many molecules.

Amino acids can be divided into essential and non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids have to be taken in through food as the body cannot produce them itself. The essential amino acids include valine, leucine and isoleucine. For this reason it should be consumed through food.
The BCAA powder is one of several ways to absorb BCAAs. In addition, the powder form of the BCAAs is easy to store and is available almost everywhere.
In general, it can be said of the BCAAs that they play an important role in muscle metabolism and are therefore particularly interesting for athletes.

Find out more about the topic here BCAAs.

What kind of manufacturers are there?

The body can produce non-essential amino acids itself. However, essential amino acids, such as BCAAs, must be ingested through the diet. Foods that contain a lot of BCAAs are wheat, soy milk, corn, oats, millet, chicken, beef, tuna, wild salmon and many more.

Athletes who want to take BCAAs as a powder can choose between the following manufacturers:

ESN offers BCAA powder in the form of ESN Nitro BCAA Powder
Weider® sells its powder as Weider® Premium BCAA Powder
MyProtein® offers its own brand BCAA
Olimp® BCAA Mega Caps 1100
Scitec Nutrition® sells BCAA 6400 powder
Nu3 offers its BCAA powder
Ultra Tec BCAA powder

These manufacturers are considered to be the largest and most famous manufacturers. Of course there are other manufacturers who offer BCAA powder. The variants mentioned are the most common on the market and can therefore be bought without any problems.
Questions about small differences in the compositions should be answered satisfactorily by the vendors and employees of the manufacturers.

Are there any products that have been tested?

When the fitness "hype" started, the market was flooded with nutritional supplements and many of these products had not yet been tested.
For example, allergic reactions from contamination were quite common. For this reason, more and more BCAA powder products were tested. These tests are now taking place annually because every manufacturer wants to declare their product “the best”.
This is a positive development for athletes, as the products tested are safe and do not involve any health risks.

These tests are carried out on different platforms and divided into different categories. Above all, the price-performance ratio and the composition are evaluated.
In a test in 2017, Scitec BCAAs, ESN Nitro BCAA Powder and Olimp BCAA Powder were examined and the following result was shown: ESN BCAA Powder is the best tested product among BCAA powders at a medium price. ESN Nitro BCAA Powder is only one point behind and has a lower price in second place. The Olimp BCAA Powder is the most expensive and unfortunately has the worst rating of the products tested.

Find out more about the topic here: Side effects of BCAAs.

Where should you buy BCAA?

BCAAs are now available for sale almost everywhere.
Some supermarket chains have already included food supplements in their range. In addition to bars and shakes, some shops also sell BCAA powder. However, these are mostly own brands and not very well-known products.

The Internet offers a variety of BCAA powders. However, the mass can mean that you quickly lose track of things. In addition, there are always "black sheep" on the Internet that have not been tested. We strongly advise against these products, as side effects cannot be completely ruled out. Buying online is not recommended, especially for inexperienced athletes. Experienced athletes and competitive athletes who know which manufacturers to trust are increasingly buying their BCAAs on the Internet.

Another option is to visit a specialist shop for dietary supplements. In many cities there are now shops that have everything to do with fitness and strength training.
The employees are familiar with the products and can advise you optimally. This way you can be sure that the BCAA powder is used sensibly for personal goals.
Athletes who want to be on the safe side should go to a specialist dealer and get advice on site.

Read more on the subject here: Dosage and Use of BCAAs.