Are BCAAs good for weight loss? In this article, we answer that question and a whole lot more. Welcome to our guide to choosing the best BCAAs for weight loss.
There’s a new wave of BCCAs powders built for weight loss, particularly fat loss. Do they work? Yes. The key is to choose the right brand. Let’s start with an overview of the best available BCAAs to help you along your weight loss journey.
Top 10 BCAAs for Weight Loss
Reviews: Best BCAAs for Weight Loss
Now that you know the top 10 BCAA powders for weight & fat loss, let’s see what you can expect from these supplements.
In each review, we offer our honest opinion and the pros & cons to expect. By the end, you’ll know without a doubt which BCAA is your brand.
Raw Synergies Amino Slim
Amino Slim is undoubtedly the best BCAA for women currently on the market. It’s an all-in-1 appetite suppressant, BCAA, mood enhancer, and weight loss supplement. What we like the most about Amino Slim are the fermented vegan amino acids.
The bodybuilding supplement industry is notorious for dubious marketing and products. One of the more recent discoveries was the uncovering of ingredients such as bird feathers to make BCAAs. With Amino Slim, you know you’re getting clean vegan BCAAs.
Satiereal® Saffron is one of the most effective and safest appetite suppressants on the market for weight loss. We’re also huge fans of KSM-66 Ashwagandha for a healthy mood and performance boost.
- Easy on the stomach
- Effectively reduces appetite and unhealthy food cravings
- Simply delicious compared to other amino powders
- Stimulant-Free Energy Boost
- A productive fat burner that helps the body retain muscle
- May give you stomach pains
- Does not live up to everyone’s expectations
- Side effects including heartburn
Genius BCAA
The Genius Brand BCAA is our favorite BCAA powder with natural stimulants. Genius is known for thinking outside the box, and they didn’t skip a beat with their BCAA supplement. Genius is the only brand we’ve seen blend nootropics Cognizin® and Rhodiola Rosea with BCAAs and caffeine.
The blend leads to a better mind-muscle connection, laser focus, alertness, and all the benefits of BCAA muscle fuel. This USA-made BCAA contains no artificial flavors or sweeteners, instead opting for natural stevia.
Like Amino Slim, Genius BCAAs are vegan-based and not made from human hair or duck feathers.
- Noticeable reduction in belly fat
- Clean, lasting energy boost
- An excellent choice for muscle toning
- Women are stacking Genius BCAA with Genius Burn to get toned
- Enhanced Focus
- Lean Muscle Gains
- The flavor is not for everyone (particularly Orange)
- Genius offers incentives
- No effects for some
RSP AminoLean
AminoLean may not be the best standalone BCAA on the market, but it’s 100% in the mix of best BCAAs for weight loss. AminoLean blends CLA, Green Coffee Extract, Green Tea Extract, and L-Carnitine for the ultimate fat-burning effect.
Outside of the weight loss ingredients, AminoLean combines essential amino acids with BCAAs for a more complete amino acid profile. The one drawback for some is the addition of caffeine. However, if you’re a fan of caffeine in your BCAAs, it’s tough to beat this loaded supplement.
Lastly, we want to point out that AminoLean contains zero calories, zero sugar, and zero carbs. We believe AminoLean is one of the best BCAA pre-workouts currently on the market.
- A drastic increase in endurance = more calories burned in the gym
- Faster weight loss results
- A top-notch pre-workout supplement
- Helps to break through stubborn weight-loss plateaus
- A true fat burner that gives the body a leaner, more defined appearance
- Persons with a high caffeine tolerance may need to up the dose
- Less energy than other brands
- May cause stomach upset
Evlution Nutrition LeanBCAA
LeanBCAA by Evlution Nutrition is available in both stimulant and stim-free versions. After reviewing both supplements, we feel as though the stim-free version certainly gets the job done, but it’s not quite as powerful of a fat burner as the stim version.
Compared to other blends in our Top 10, LeanBCAA is fairly straightforward with CLA and L-Carnitine L-Tartrate as the two fat burners that accompany the 5 grams of BCAAs per serving.
One thing we don’t like about this supplement is the addition of artificial flavors and dyes. Depending on how you feel about those “other” ingredients, you may want to stick with Genius or Amino Slim.
- A superb addition to a weight loss regimen with a noticeable boost in weight loss results
- Quicker post-workout recovery time
- Clean energy without the jitters (stim-free version)
- Maintain lean muscle
- Serious fat-burning support
- You may not like the taste
- Potential upset stomach
- Too sweet for some tastebuds
MuscleTech Amino Build
Amino Build is less of a weight loss supplement and more of a lean mass builder that promotes fat loss. For this reason, we chose it as our top pick for bodybuilders who are looking to cut fat and pack on more muscle.
MuscleTech is known for providing clinical studies to back up the efficacy of their products, and they stayed true with their Amino Build Next Gen blend. The special ingredient Betaine anhydrous may boost strength in the weight room for increased muscle mass.
Additionally, Amino Build Next Gen is affordable, and two scoops provide a whopping 8 grams of BCAAs per serving.
- Approved by bodybuilders for getting that super lean chiseled look
- As with all MuscleTech powders, Next Gen BCAAs taste great
- Increased Strength
- Faster recovery times after hard workouts
- An effective appetite suppressant
- May not mix as well as you’d like
- You may prefer other brands for an energy boost
- Side effects including headaches and nausea
BPI Sports Best BCAA Shredded
BPI Sports Best BCAA Shredded adds the power of L-Carnitine and Paradoxine™ Grains of Paradise Extract to encourage the body to burn stored fat as fuel. We like the addition of L-citrulline as a natural vasodilator to get the blood flowing during a workout.
Most pre-workout supplements that boost “pump” contain a hefty dose of L-citrulline. Shredded is a worthy option for people seeking a fat-burning BCAA caffeine-free powder. The clean aminos in Best BCAA Shredded work to enhance recovery times and overall performance in the gym.
- Improved recovery times after weightlifting
- Noticeable weight loss
- Works as an appetite suppressant
- Positive changes in body composition
- Reduction in body fat %
- Not everyone is experiencing a fat burning effect
- A handful of quality control issues with solid powder upon arrival
NLA for Her – Her Thermogenic Animo
Her Amino Burner is specially formulated for women who desire a BCAA + Fat Burner supplement in one. While we like the Green Coffee Extract, Green Tea Extract, and L-Carnitine ingredients, we’re unsure about the Raspberry Ketones. We believe Satiereal® Saffron would have made for a much better addition.
Outside of that drawback, there’s a lot to like about this mildly-stimulating BCAA supplement. The addition of Infinergy® caffeine and Theobromine help to enhance focus, alertness, and endurance during a hard workout.
There are enough BCAAs at 2.5 grams per serving to reduce recovery times and help women achieve a toned appearance without going overboard on muscle development.
- Tons of clean energy
- Delicious flavors
- Effective for burning fat and muscle toning
- Preserve muscle mass while losing weight
- An excellent pre-workout supplement
- May cause you to sweat for too long post-workout
- May cause stomach upset
Muscle Pharm FitMiss Women’s BCAA Powder
If you’re on board with the 3:1:2 BCAA ratio for women, then FitMiss BCAA is the ideal choice for you since most BCAA supplements use the 2:1:1 or 4:1:1 ratio. FitMiss is geared toward women who are serious about building lean muscle mass.
The full 3-gram dose of BCAAs per serving is larger than the Her Amino Burner dose. The major difference between the two powders is the absence of other active ingredients in FitMiss BCAA. FitMiss is BCAAs, and that’s it.
What we like about this stim-free BCAA supplement for women is its versatility as a pre, intra, and post-workout supplement. Zero carbs, sugar, and calories make it the perfect addition to any weight loss and toning regimen.
- Significant reduction in body fat without stimulants or added fat burners
- Quicker recovery time
- Delicious flavors (we like Strawberry Margarita)
- Less post-workout soreness
- Weight loss support
- Maybe too sweet for you
- Side effects including bloating
FAQ
Are BCAAs good for weight loss?
Without beating around the bush, on their own, BCAAs are not the most effective supplement for weight loss. It’s important to remember that BCAAs are primarily used to build and preserve lean muscle mass.
BCAA supplementation has more of a positive effect on body composition than weight loss. For this reason, the best BCAAs for weight loss contain top fat burners and additional weight loss ingredients.
This combination works to build/maintain lean muscle mass while burning stored fat. Depending on your workout routine, you may or may not lose weight.
For example, a bodybuilder will most likely gain weight or stay roughly the same since muscle weighs more than fat.
On the other hand, someone who engages in mostly cardio or high-intensity training (HIIT) has a higher potential for weight loss and leaning out to achieve a more toned appearance.
BCAA Weight Loss Study
One interesting study sought to determine if the combination of BCAAs and Vitamin B-6 promotes weight loss. The researchers found no significant effects on weight loss, although they did note differences in body composition.
Subjects who supplemented with BCAAs and B-6 achieved leaner legs and more accentuated waist-to-hip ratios (*). In other words, if you’re a woman on a mission to achieve an hourglass shape and toned appearance, BCAAs are worth a look.
What’s the best time to take BCAAs for weight loss?
There are two ways to use the BCAA supplements in our Top 10 for weight loss. The supplements with stimulants are best to use as a pre-workout. More endurance in the gym and enhanced focus typically lead to more calories burned.
The key to weight loss is burning more calories than you consume. Bigger workouts and more sweat poured are the goals.
The second method is to use BCAA supplements as an appetite suppressant while still supplying your muscles with the aminos they need post-workout. Amino Slim is the perfect example of an appetite-suppressing BCAA supplement.
Lastly, the BCAA supplements in our Top 10 that contain L-carnitine encourage the body to use stored fat as fuel during a workout. LeanBCAA is a good example of a BCAA supplement that takes this approach to weight loss.
BCAAs for fat loss?
Are BCAAs more effective for weight loss or fat loss? The answer is fat loss. A leaner body with more muscle mass burns more calories than fat mass during resting periods.
Why is this important? BCAA supplements help to build more muscle mass and most of them contain zero calories. It’s almost like cheating to gain muscle without fat. No carbs, no calories, and no sugar equal no fat gained.
An effective BCAA supplement helps to burn fat mass and build lean muscle mass. That’s why you may not lose a lot of weight even though you burned a lot of fat.
Bottom Line
If you’re expecting a BCAA supplement to give you the same effect as a diet pill, you’re shopping in the wrong department. BCAAs are more effective for fat loss and improving body composition, however, they are also effective weight loss supplements depending on which brand you choose.
Women who want to lose weight with a BCAA supplement for a more toned appearance should stick with supplements such as Amino Slim with lower doses of BCAAs. Women who are serious about muscle gains may prefer the same brands that bodybuilders use such as MuscleTech Next Gen.
The most critical step is to identify your goals before you choose which supplements will help you reach those goals. The biggest mistake we see is people rushing to buy a supplement because someone said it was good. We’re confident that our guide will help you make the most informed buying decision.