Best BCAA for Women to Build Lean, Tone, Muscle Mass
BCAA for women contains essential amino acids that stimulate a healthy metabolism and muscle recovery after workout. See our top picks here.
BCAA has been used for years to promote muscle growth by bodybuilders and pro athletes alike. By 1990, health professionals had started to realize the many benefits that these supplements hold for non-athletes as well.
BCAA supplements are great benefits for women who are struggling to lose weight. Whether you’re looking to reach your fitness goals or just feel sluggish, these supplements can give your body a boost. These supplements help you get fit and toned fast. They'll reduce your body fat, build lean muscle mass and leave you energized post-workout.
I hope this guide will help women find their best BCAAs. Our top choices in BCAAs supplements for women were evaluated on quality, cost, safety, and customer reviews. Make sure you know all the criteria that go into which product you should choose. But if you don't have the time to read through all of them, our top picks are below this guide!
We select our editorial content from independent sources. However, if you buy something through our affiliate link, we may earn a small commission from it.
AminoLean Pre Workout Powder is a clean caffeine source designed for athletes to help them achieve their fitness goals. With clean, sustainable energy and mental focus, it can be used as a pre-workout or post-workout to help maintain alertness.
AminoLean contains 5g of total branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), essential amino acids (EAA), and CLA, L- carnitine. AminoLean is a natural and healthy solution to weight loss, providing an increase in energy, endurance, and performance without the effects of stimulants.
This product, like most BCAAs, is a post-workout and intra-workout supplement supporting:
- Boost energy with natural caffeine
- Pre-workout powder or coffee replacement
- Enhanced mental focus and alertness
- Improve workout performance
- Build lean muscle and complete amino profile
- Promote natural weight management with green tea, L-carnitine, and CLA
Whether you're looking to add an extra boost to your intense workouts or enhance your workout performance, the XTEND post-workout drink mix contains 7 grams of BCAAs with a 2:1:1 optimal ratio in a delicious, sugar-free, branched-chain amino acid formula.
This supplement supports:
- 7 grams of 2:1:1 ratio BCAAs
- Sugar-free BCAAs support muscle recovery and growth
- Improve recovery and hydration
- Additional ingredients and electrolytes boost in hydration and support recovery.
- 12 variety of delicious flavors
Want to give your muscles the perfect amino blend to aid with muscle recovery? Optimum Nutrition BCAA has designed a perfectly blended mix of amino acids for you. Our Amino Blend also comes with an energy boost from green tea and/or green coffee extract to help you get through strenuous workouts.
It provides the following benefits:
- Boost energy with 100 milligrams of caffeine from green tea and/or green coffee extracts
- Mental focus with essential amino energy and keto friendly
EVL Nutrition enhanced hydration powder formula with taurine that helps you feel energized with green tea extract. With a variety of flavors, this product stands above the competition in taste.
This stimulant-free supplement is perfect for those wanting to increase their strength and endurance while also supporting recovery. It delivers 5 grams of pure BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio that is essential for supporting muscle repair, growth, and development.
With a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, valine, and isoleucine, Evlution Nutrition provides the following benefits:
- Boost muscle recovery after tough workouts
- Lean muscle growth and endurance
- Rehydrating BCAA powder
- Post workout recovery drink with natural caffeine
Best BCAA Supplement for Women FAQs
Here are some of the popular questions people asked about BCAA supplements for women.
What time of day is best to take the BCAA supplement?
The best time to take a BCAA supplement is before or after your workout. It can also be taken during the day to help with muscle recovery.
What’s the best BCAA brand to lose weight?
BCAAs are the ultimate solution for achieving your fitness goals. These complete protein formulas contain the right amount of your three primary amino acids - leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are made without artificial ingredients and artificial flavors and other additives. They are backed by third-party testing and scientific research.
What is the daily recommended BCAA for women?
Research shows that the recommended daily intake is 3-5 grams of BCAAs for women. But the optimal daily dose varies depending on your weight and activity levels. You can get protein through dietary sources by eating 3-4 oz servings of meats, poultry, and seafood.
Is BCAA good for females?
Branched-chain amino acid supplement can help you lose weight quickly and effectively due to its Leucine content. It can also suppress your appetite, increase your metabolic rate, and speed up the fat burn. You'll reach your goal weight sooner than ever before.
Will BCAAs help me lose weight?
If you're looking to lose weight, BCAA supplements may help your body break down fat more effectively. Some studies show that BCAA supplementation may help with weight loss.
For example, wrestlers on a diet that restricts calories and protein, but also includes BCAA supplements lost an average of 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) more than their counterparts without the supplements. One of the reasons why BCAA supplements are popular is that some women say that it has helped them lose body fat while taking the powder supplement.
Should I take BCAAs or creatine?
BCAAs or creatine can be beneficial depending on your fitness goals. If you focus on endurance, BCAAs offer essential nutrients that are needed for muscle recovery. If power-based, creatine will help with gaining strength which is perfect for powering through intense workouts.
How long does it take to see results from BCAA?
It can take about 10 days to see the optimal results from protein breakdown and absorption. Be sure to split your dosage - half before exercise, half afterward. This is so that the necessary amount of BCAAs are available for muscle building and repair at all times.
Can BCAA reduce belly fat?
Did you know BCAA can help burn belly fat? Beyond building muscles and improving your athletic performance, branched-chain amino acid supplement, which are vital proteins, are incredibly important for burning that excess belly fat.
Does BCAA work without exercise?
BCAA is a powder supplement that promises to help with muscle recovery. However, they do not work without physical activity. According to studies, the supplement does not increase muscle protein synthesis or decrease muscle protein breakdown in the absence of exercise.
Is there a difference between amino acid and BCAAs?
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They are essential for the human body and can be found in every cell.
BCAA stands for branched-chain amino acids which are 3 of the 9 amino acids that can be found in protein. They are leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
How We Chose the Best BCAA for Women
We value the quality of the ingredients that go into our supplements and health products. This is what makes them effective, safe, and more importantly - they last a long time!
When considering supplements, we always look at the efficacy of each product and prioritize only those that have positive results. We don't prioritize price as we want to highlight affordable quality solutions.
One of the most important factors when choosing a dietary supplement is safe. They are not regulated by the FDA like food or drugs and therefore there is no guarantee their ingredients are what they claim them to be. Because the FDA doesn't regulate dietary supplements, you need to do your research to make sure they are effective.
Health Benefits of BCAA Supplement for Women
Weight loss
BCAAs can help you lose weight by helping you burn fat while you work out. In 2021, researchers found promising results in breaking down fats in obese people when supplementing BCAAs and following a low-carbs high-fat diet. Research from 2011 has shown that higher BCAA intake is associated with a lower risk for obesity.
Appetite suppression
Recent studies have found that BCAA supplementation can help with the suppression of appetite in obese people. An animal study has shown that supplementing with leucine can increase appetite-suppressing signals in the brain, even when people are at rest.
Supporting hormonal balance
BCAA supplements provide the nutrients that women need for optimal health and well-being. They are also a great way to keep testosterone levels at an optimal level, which can be crucial for female fertility. BCAA supplements can help reduce the release of cortisol, which can help stabilize blood glucose levels.
Increasing muscle development
BCAA supplements will help you maximize your muscle gain by increasing your supply of amino acids to give you the boost needed to kick-start your exercise sessions.
Reducing muscle fatigue
It's important to take in enough BCAAs when you workout, which will help your muscles recover faster and reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness. However, BCAA supplements does not provide any advantage for untrained athletes.
Boosting metabolism
BCAA supplements are not intended to directly boost metabolism or fat burners, yet they could help elevate metabolic speed. They also suppress appetite and increase energy levels.
What Are BCAA Supplements?
Branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a group of 3 essential amino acids that support muscle growth and tissue regeneration: must be consumed together to be properly digested. They are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, and dairy products.
Leucine
Leucine is considered the most important of the essential amino acids because it's a key ingredient of BCAA supplements. It represents over 50% of those ingredients, and so is a very important part of BCAA supplements. Leucine has been proven to have a lot of potential in research and clinical trials. It helps increase cell signaling and can provide anabolic treatment for muscle mass in humans, both young and old. There have also been no major side effects reported during the use of leucine.
Isoleucine
In clinical trials, isoleucine has been found to increase the lean muscle mass of both humans and animals. It also regulates blood sugar levels in human trials, which is why it is found in BCAA supplements.
Valine
Valine is a type of essential amino acid that comes in both free amino acid and protein form. It supports muscle function, such as muscle coordination and mental focus, as well as being an important contributor to the synthesis of muscle proteins.
Side Effects of BCAA Supplements
While BCAA supplements have been proven to be a safe and healthy way to lose weight, some side effects can occur. One of these side effects is the potential for dehydration. This is because BCAA supplements are high in electrolytes, which can cause an imbalance in the body and lead to dehydration. Some people also experience nausea and headaches from taking BCAA supplements.
Are BCAAs a Good Choice for You?
BCAA supplements help increase muscle mass and speed up the recovery process after workouts. Women who exercise regularly or have a physically demanding jobs should consider this supplement to help them maintain their overall health.
BCAA can be found in protein-rich foods such as eggs, fish, and dairy products. These essential amino acids are important for maintaining musle protein synthesis and preservation. Women who takes BCAA regularly have been shown to have decreased levels of blood pressure, reduced cholesterol levels and improved muscle growth.
Best Overall: Optimum Nutrition BCAA Amino Energy
Best for Keto: AminoLean Pre Workout Powder
Best with electrolytes: XTEND Original BCAA Powder Mango Madness
Best Tasting: EVL BCAAs Amino Acids Powder