Best BCAA Supplement For Male Bodybuilders

Accelerate your muscle gains and decrease muscle breakdown with an all-natural BCAA supplement.

The staples of bodybuilding supplementation have remained largely the same over the last decade: creatine, protein, N.O. boosters.

However, something that really distinguishes the amateurs from the pros: Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs).

Essential amino acids are micronutrients that the body uses to build protein, which is then used to build muscle tissue.

Branched-chain amino acids are comprised of three essential amino acids ( leucine, isoleucine, and valine) that are particularly beneficial to the development, repair, and growth of muscles. They are the answer to seeing big gains: build muscle, aid weight loss, and experience BCAA energy.

Supplementing with the best BCAA supplement, either Intra -workout or post-workout, can boost performance, long-term anabolic growth, and muscle protein synthesis, leading to fat loss.

Unlike standard protein powders, BCAAs are quickly digested and absorbed into the muscle tissue, providing fast-acting performance benefits and long-term benefits.

A BCAA supplement has the power to boost:

• Intra-workout strength and endurance
• Muscle growth and muscle recovery
• Aid fat loss and body composition
• Protection against muscle breakdown
• Insulin-activated amino uptake
• Immune defenses against pathogens
• Muscle protein synthesis

The Best BCAA Supplements for Bodybuilding

If you are considering the best BCAA supplementation, you need to make sure you are consuming a quality product. Our recommendation is the National Bodybuilding. Co. Pro Contest BCAA supplement. National Bodybuilding Co. is a trusted brand that bases its naturally sourced ingredients on proven research. They optimize dosages to ensure the best possible results.

National Bodybuilding Co. has done its due diligence when it comes to research. The formula is precisely dosed at 4000mg with a balance of key amino acids L-Leucine, L-Valine, and L-Isoleucine. It also contains L-Glutamine and vitamin B6 to further aid recovery. With 4 grams of BCAAs per serving, you are sure to benefit from the best BCAAs.

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See where National Bodybuilding Co. falls on our list of the Best BCAA Supplements!

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Why Choose National Bodybuilding Co. For BCAA Supplementation

If you are looking for the best BCAA supplements to aid protein synthesis and muscle growth, you must look for an optimal ratio of three BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. National Bodybuilding Co. Pro Contest BCAA powder contains these three essential amino acids in an optimal balance at a 2;1:1 ratio, with additional ingredients to give you a boost. Their BCAA supplement has been designed to:

• Optimize muscle growth and repair.
• Stop muscle soreness and breakdown.
• Promotion of brain chemicals to fight fatigue and improve endurance.

Pro. Contest BCAA also does not contain any hidden ingredients or artificial flavors. The compounds are clear and transparent, with no unnecessary extra ingredients. This means that you can experience all BCAA supplements’ benefits from naturally sourced ingredients without any nasty side effects.

The Ingredients

Everything is based on research, National Bodyboduilding co. Formulated their branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) on clinical studies, ensuring their product’s safety and effectiveness.

BCAAs 4 grams per serving (2:1:1 Ratio)

The most important ingredients in the best BCAA supplements are the branch chain amino acids themselves. There are three BCAAs that are of particular importance to both bodybuilders and athletes. They are Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. National Bodybuilding Co. Pro Contest provides 4 grams of these three BCAAs per serving.

BCAA powder will boost your muscles’ endurance whilst working out and enhance muscle hydrotherapy in-between. Making branched-chain amino acids essential to any bodybuilder’s daily stack. (1)

This BCAA powder developed by National Bodybuilding Co. has been clinically researched and provides branched amino acids in the 2:1:1 ratio. This ensures that you can benefit from the full range of benefits.

Some cheaper products provide poor ratios, such as the 5:1:1 ratio, making the branched-chain amino acids harder to absorb. As a result, they will have little effect.

Vitamin B6 (2.5mg)

B vitamins have some incredible benefits when it comes to building muscle mass. Vitamin B6 promotes the production of red blood cells, boosting the number of nutrients and oxygen carried to the muscle tissue. It also has the ability to enhance nitric oxide, which is beneficial for endurance and performance.

It is common for people to be deficient in this nutrient, especially bodybuilders, which can be detrimental to your bodybuilding journey. Supplementing with a clinical dose of 2.5mg of vitamin B6 daily could have a massive impact. (2)

L-Glutamine (1,000mg)

L-Glutamine is a semi-essential amino acid, which means that your body can make it on its own. However, when you train hard, you deplete your reserves, which can hinder your performance and recovery. Adding glutamine to your supplement stack can aid muscle repair, regulate inflammation, and help your immune system and gut functions. [3,4]

How to Take BCAA Supplements

You should take BCAAs around 30 minutes before your workout. You should notice that you can lift extra reps and have a surge of BCAA energy, allowing you to push your workout to the next level.

When you take a BCAA supplement, you will also notice quicker muscle recovery, which will allow you to keep coming back to the gym.

Benefits of BCAAs

National Bodybuilding Co’s BCAA powder is so popular because it works. At 4 grams of BCAAs per serving, you will maximize lean muscle mass by improving post-workout recovery and accelerating anabolic growth. The benefits of BCAAs include:

Increase of Protein Synthesis and Muscle Mass

One of the main reasons people supplement with a BCAA powder is to increase lean muscle mass.

The BCAA supplementation of leucine stimulates muscle protein synthesis, which is the process of building muscle. (5). Protein synthesis will maximize muscle growth and fat loss.

In one particular study, people who drank a BCAA supplement drink after their workout saw a 22% increase in protein synthesis. (6)

Supplements Decrease Muscle Soreness

Research shows that when you take BCAAs, you can curb some of the post-workout soreness.

After working out, delayed onset muscle soreness develops 12 to 24 hours after exercise and can last up to 72 hours, caused by the tearing of your muscles during your workout.

BCAA supplements decrease muscle damage, which therefore prevents pains and soreness.

Several studies have shown how essential amino acids can decrease the breakdown of proteins during exercise as well as levels of creatine kinase, which is an indicator of muscle damage (7,8)

By speeding up recovery time, a BCAA supplement can allow you to work out faster and harder, further helping muscle growth.

Reduce Exercise Fatigue

BCAA supplements reduce muscle soreness, which can also lessen intra-workout fatigue.

Your muscles use BCAAs while you exercise, and so your body’s reserves drop. When blood levels of BCAAs decline, levels of the essential amino acid tryptophan increase (9).

Tryptophan is converted to serotonin, which contributes to fatigue during exercise. (10)

Prevent Muscle Breakdown

BCAA supplements can prevent muscle wasting and breakdown. Muscle breakdown and muscle protein synthesis are a continuous process that determines the amount of protein in muscle. (11)

Muscle wasting occurs when the breakdown of protein exceeds muscle protein synthesis. It can occur with chronic infections and cancers but is also a natural aspect of aging. By replacing BCAAs, you can slow its progression. (12)

When you take BCAA supplements, you prevent muscle breakdown, and therefore, maximize muscle growth.

The Best BCAA Supplements

Due to its clinically dosed branched-chain amino acids, additional Vitamin B6, and L-glutamine, we crown National Bodybuilding Pro Contest BCAA as the best BCAA supplement available right now. With essential amino acids from natural sources, it has been designed to improve muscle protein synthesis, muscle growth, and reduce muscle soreness.

National Bodybuilding Pro Contest BCAA is an essential addition to your stack that will take your performance to the next level.

References

1. AbuMoh’d MF, Matalqah L, Al-Abdulla Z. Effects of Oral Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Intake on Muscular and Central Fatigue During an Incremental Exercise. J Hum Kinet. 2020 Mar 31;72:69-78. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2019-0099. PMID: 32269649; PMCID: PMC7126259.
2. Bender DA. Vitamin B6 requirements and recommendations. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1989 May;43(5):289-309. PMID: 2661220.
3. Coqueiro AY, Rogero MM, Tirapegui J. Glutamine as an Anti-Fatigue Amino Acid in Sports Nutrition. Nutrients. 2019 Apr 17;11(4):863. doi: 10.3390/nu11040863. PMID: 30999561; PMCID: PMC6520936.
4. Legault Z, Bagnall N, Kimmerly DS. The Influence of Oral L-Glutamine Supplementation on Muscle Strength Recovery and Soreness Following Unilateral Knee Extension Eccentric Exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2015 Oct;25(5):417-26. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0209. Epub 2015 Mar 26. PMID: 25811544.
5. Norton LE, Layman DK. Leucine regulates translation initiation of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle after exercise. J Nutr. 2006 Feb;136(2):533S-537S. doi: 10.1093/jn/136.2.533S. PMID: 16424142.
6. Jackman SR, Witard OC, Philp A, Wallis GA, Baar K, Tipton KD. Branched-Chain Amino Acid Ingestion Stimulates Muscle Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis following Resistance Exercise in Humans. Front Physiol. 2017 Jun 7;8:390. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00390. PMID: 28638350; PMCID: PMC5461297.
7. Howatson G, Hoad M, Goodall S, Tallent J, Bell PG, French DN. Exercise-induced muscle damage is reduced in resistance-trained males by branched chain amino acids: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012 Jul 12;9:20. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-9-20. PMID: 22569039; PMCID: PMC3395580.
8. Coombes JS, McNaughton LR. Effects of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on serum creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase after prolonged exercise. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2000 Sep;40(3):240-6. PMID: 11125767.
9. Shimomura Y, Murakami T, Nakai N, Nagasaki M, Harris RA. Exercise promotes BCAA catabolism: effects of BCAA supplementation on skeletal muscle during exercise. J Nutr. 2004 Jun;134(6 Suppl):1583S-1587S. doi: 10.1093/jn/134.6.1583S. PMID: 15173434.
10. Meeusen R, Watson P, Hasegawa H, Roelands B, Piacentini MF. Central fatigue: the serotonin hypothesis and beyond. Sports Med. 2006;36(10):881-909. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200636100-00006. PMID: 17004850.
11. Tipton KD, Hamilton DL, Gallagher IJ. Assessing the Role of Muscle Protein Breakdown in Response to Nutrition and Exercise in Humans. Sports Med. 2018 Mar;48(Suppl 1):53-64. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0845-5. PMID: 29368185; PMCID: PMC5790854.
12. Eley HL, Russell ST, Tisdale MJ. Effect of branched-chain amino acids on muscle atrophy in cancer cachexia. Biochem J. 2007 Oct 1;407(1):113-20. doi: 10.1042/BJ20070651. PMID: 17623010; PMCID: PMC2267397.