This site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. Read Our Disclosures
BPI Sports Best BCAA is a branched-chain amino acid supplement, designed with the optimal 2:1:1 ratio of L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, and L-Valine that’s proven so effective for building and maintaining muscle mass.
But the Best BCAA powder also contains a unique proprietary blend of fat loss ingredients, known as their CLA Matrix. So is it really possible for a BCAA supplement to support an increase in muscle mass at the same time as lowering body fat levels?
In this review we’ll take a closer look at each ingredient, explaining the health benefits and dosage recommendations for a range of activity levels and body types. We’ve also included comparisons between other leading supplement brands, such as MuscleTech and Optimum Nutrition, to guarantee you only buy the most effective BCAA supplement for your fitness goals, at the best price.
So, with over 1,500 highly rated reviews on Amazon, what is it that makes the BPI Sports Best BCAA Powder so special?
BPI Sports Best BCAA Ingredients
L-Leucine (2.5g)
Leucine is one of 9 essential amino acids, and one of three branched chain amino acids, the human body needs to consume to maintain a good overall health. The specific role of leucine in the body includes regulating blood sugar levels, and contributing to the growth and repair of muscle and bone tissue. Leucine deficiency is rare, because it is naturally found in many foods.
The nutritional requirement of leucine varies according to your age, bodyweight, and gender.
For adults aged 19 years and older, the minimum recommendation is 49 mg/kg bodyweight per day, compared to 32 mg/kg/d for valine, and 23 mg/kg/d for isoleucine. A complete list of daily intake levels for amino acids can be found in our BCAA supplement guide.
This means that one serving of BPI Sports Best BCAA is enough for a person weighing 51 kg., or 112 lbs., not considering the leucine consumed in foods.
Consuming too much leucine could result in vitamin B6 deficiencies, so it is important to control your intake and even supplement with vitamin B6 if you are at risk of overconsumption.
L-Isoleucine (1.25g)
Isoleucine is another essential branched chain amino acid, found in foods such as, meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, and nuts. Isoleucine is in charge of assisting in wound healing, detoxifying nitrogenous waste, supporting the immune system, and supporting hormone secretion.
A deficiency in Isoleucine is marked my muscle tremors. The daily requirement of leucine is 23 mg per kilogram of bodyweight, meaning that one serving of BCI Sports Best BCAA is enough for a person weighing 54 kg, or 120 lbs., not counting, of course, the amount consumed throughout the day in foods mentioned above.
L-Valine (1.25g)
The most important function of valine in the body is that it promotes muscle tissue growth and repair. It is naturally found in significant quantities in soy, cheese, fish, meats and vegetables.
Our bodies need a minimum of 32 mg/kg/d of valine. This means one serving of BCI Sports Best BCAA is enough for 39 kg. or 86 lbs, without considering the valine content of food and drinks consumed throughout the day.
CLA Matrix (1 g)
CLA stands for conjugated linoleic acid, which refers to a group of isomers of linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is an essential (meaning the body cannot make it) Omega-6 amino acid.
Initial research suggests that supplementation with CLA may help to reduce abdominal fat, especially in obese patients. More research needs to be carried out with regards to the safety of taking CLA in large doses.
BPI Sports Best BCAA – Product Summary
- 2.5 g Leucine, 1.25 g Isoleucine, 1.25 g Valine
- 1 g CLA Matrix; Safflower Oil, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, CLA
- 250 mg Agmatine
- Cutting edge BCAA performance formula
- Amino acid supplement designed to promote muscle building and strength
- Lowers body fat levels and assists with muscle repair/recovery
- Improve Athletic Performance & Endurance
- Reduce Soreness Post-Workout
- The unique, proprietary bonding process combines BCAAs – Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine
What are the health benefits?
The studied health benefits of taking BCAA and CLA, both included in Best BCAA Powder, include:
- 1. Prevents muscle breakdown during exercise when consumed. This is because BCAA oxidation (breakdown) occurs during exercise. According to studies, “BCAA supplementation before and after exercise has beneficial effects for decreasing exercise0induced muscle damage and promoting muscle-protein synthesis,” meaning that BCAAs are potentially useful for serious athletes.
- 2. Reduces soreness after workouts. Because your muscles are less likely to experience protein breakdown (catabolism), you will likely feel less sore in the 24 hours following your workout.
- 3. Reduces belly fat
- 4. Reduces symptoms of mania. Mania is a mental illness that is characterized by periods of extreme excitement and overactivity, combined with euphoria and delusions. A study examined the effects of BCAAs on twenty-five patients, some of whom took a BCAA drink, and others who took a placebo. Those who took the BCAA drink reduced the symptoms of mania.
- 5. Improves brain function. Studies have focused on patients with liver disease, and while there are some conflicting results, results suggest that taking BCAAs can improve the brain function of those affected with liver disease-induced reduction in brain function.
When is the best time to take it?
If you are taking Best BCAA for building muscle mass, the best time to take it is before and after exercise. This will help prevent muscle breakdown, and promote muscle build-up as you carry out your strength training.
There is no need to take two servings – you can take half a serving before you exercise and another half after you complete your training.
Best BCAA vs. Scivation Xtend BCAAs
Scivation Xtend also delivers BCAAs in slightly different amounts. This contains more of each BCAA compared to Best BCAA powder, and also adds another amino acid, in the form of glutamine.
Glutamine is usually used as a medical treatment for people who have illnesses that could cause muscle wasting. For this reason, this supplement has included glutamine as another way to prevent muscle wasting or repair muscle after intense exercise.
Scivation Xtend does not have CLA, so it is not aimed at reducing abdominal fat. But the higher amounts of BCAAs in Xtend have made it a popular choice for anyone performing heavy resistance workouts, or extended periods of endurance training.
Price is another big difference between the two supplements. BPI Sports delivers a total of 5 g BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio for around $0.73 per serving. Scivation Xtend delivers 7 g of BCAAs plus 2.5 g of glutamine for closer to $0.65 per serving. That’s in addition to 1000 mg of citrulline malate, and 1170 mg of an Electrolyte Blend.
What flavors and sizes are available?
BPI Sports Best BCAA powder is sold in two different sized tubs; 300 grams (30 serving), and 600 grams (60 servings). At the time of writing this review, the best value for money actually came from the smaller tub on Amazon.
You also have a choice of 12 flavors:
- Apple Pear
- Arctic Ice
- Blue Raspberry
- Cherry Lime
- Fruit Punch
- Grape
- Green Fusion
- Passion Fruit
- Peach Cobbler
- Rainbow Ice
- Sour Candy
- Watermelon Ice
Who are BPI Sports?
BPI Sports has built up an extensive supplement line that now includes products for strength gain, weight loss, and improved endurance. Some of their current bestsellers include their Best BCAA powder, 1.M.R. Vortex pre-workout, and B4 Thermogenic fat burner, each of which has hundreds of highly rated reviews on Amazon.
In addition to their own extensive research, formulation, and trials, BPI Sports uses 3rd party auditing and testing tools to guarantee the highest quality supplements. This includes their ingredients, manufacturing processes, and final products.
Every BPI Sports supplement carries the ChromaDex Quality Verified Seal. This seal means supply chain facilities are cGMP compliant, products are tested for potential contaminates, and ongoing monitoring is in place to maintain the high standards.
Review Overview
Overall Review Rating
4 / 5
Best BCAA certainly isn’t as expensive as AMRAP’s BCAA powder, but it’s still above average. Fortunately their dose and ratio (5 g at 2:1:1) is easy to compare, as it’s the same for AMRAP, Dymatize Nutrition Complex 5050, Evlution BCAA Lean Energy, and Gaspari AminoLast, to name a few.
You usually can pick up 100 g of Agmatine for under $17 from Nutricost, which works out about $0.04 per serving, so this isn’t what’s pushed the price up. In comparison, CLA is much more expensive, and 1 g can set you back between $0.07 (Bulk Supplements) and $0.19 (MuscleTech Platinum CLA).
Even taking the top-end price into account, at the time of writing this review you would still be paying $0.49 just for the BCAAs. This is around the same price as Dymatize Nutrition BCAA Complex 5050 (pure BCAA supplement), but more expensive than Kaged Muscle BCAA, Nutricost BCAA, and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard.
In summary, BPI Sports Best BCAA is one of only a few BCAA supplements to include CLA. This can be hugely beneficial if you’re tying to lose weight or body fat, but most studies typically see results with over 3 g per day, so you’ll still need another source of CLA.
If you’re already getting CLA from your protein powder, this could be a good way to top-up. But if you’re looking for pure BCAAs, there are cheaper options available (Nutricost, Kaged Muscle, NOW Foods, all of which have the same 2.5 g: 1.25 g: 1.25 g per serving).
USA Home Gym gives in-depth insights into gym equipment, supplements, and fitness training methods. The motivation behind USA Home Gym is to provide you with information that goes beyond what you can find in any user manual, customer review, or other online review sites.
We go to great lengths to ensure that our reviews are completely comprehensive, usually covering everything from the design features to the warranty coverage and exercise options. This is all to help guide you towards the home gym equipment that’s best suited to your goals and budget, whilst also being the highest quality option in your chosen price range.
