If you've got your sleep, training and nutrition down, supplements are a natural next step if you're looking for a little something extra—one more rep, a new personal best or just being able to recover faster after a tough workout so you can get back at it in top form. Amino acids, the essential building blocks of protein, are a good fit for these goals. They support muscle repair, energy production and overall athletic performance.
Understanding Amino Acids and Muscle Growth
These workout stars come in a few forms—branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are ideal for muscle preservation and recovery, and essential amino acids (EAAs), which give you the full spectrum needed for growth. Some formulas add caffeine for a pre-workout boost, others include electrolytes for hydration, or innovative delivery systems like liposomal technology or micronization for better absorption.
Here, we spotlight a variety of amino acid supplements for different needs so you can find the one that best fits your goals.
Top Amino Acids Available at Vitacost
Best Caffeine-Free Intra-Workout/Recovery
For a stimulant free pre and post-workout sip, BSN's Amino X is an ideal choice with 10 grams of essential BCAAs for recovery, a mixture of citric and malic acid, sodium bicarbonate and cholecalciferol (vitamin D), plus L-Alanine, Taurine, and L-Citrulline for a performance boost. L-citrulline
is important for making nitric oxide (NO), which helps relax and widen blood vessels for increased blood flow.
Better circulation boosts the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles during exercise and helps remove waste products. As a result, it'll take longer before you feel fatigue, which means better endurance. It also increases your exercise capacity, especially when combined with BCAAs.
Best for Enhanced Absorption
Liposomal delivery is a unique process that helps supplement ingredients make it through your digestive tract to be absorbed optimally and put to good use. Codeage specializes in liposomal delivery, and their Multi Amino+ Powder (also available in capsule format) is both a BCAA and EAA supplement. You'll get 10 amino acids in free-form, plus tryptophan.
Free-form amino acids are individual, unbound molecules, rather than being part of a longer protein chain or peptide, which means they're absorbed more readily into your bloodstream for muscle protein synthesis and other metabolic functions. Plus, your body can use these free-form amino acids right away since they're already in their most basic form—a great benefit if you need a quick boost post-workout or during intense workouts.
Best Budget BCAA Capsules
If you'd rather take your amino acids in capsule form, Vitacost's BCAAs are a great choice. As a direct-to-consumer pick, they're affordable and offer great value with the ideal balance of the three vital branched chain amino acids: L-Leucine (1,200 mg), L-Valine (600 mg), and L-Isoleucine (600 mg). This 2:1:1 ratio, with a double dose of Leucine, is particularly effective for
supporting muscle protein synthesis and recovery.
These capsules are free from gluten, dairy, soy, milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, crustacean shellfish, plus they're cGMP compliant.
Best for Performance & Strength
If you're looking for an amino acid supplement that tackles muscle support and energy, Klean BCAA + Peak ATP® combines two ingredient combos that target both goals. First, you get the BCAAs in the well-regarded 2:1:1 ratio, ideal for muscle repair and building, plus 400mg of Peak ATP® per serving.
Peak ATP® acts like a direct energy source for your muscles, and
studies suggest it can help increase strength, power and muscle gain, potentially allowing you to train harder and longer. This duo helps fuel performance during workouts and supports muscle recovery afterwards.
Bonus points for athletes focused on clean intake: Klean Athlete products are GMO-free, skip the wheat, gluten and artificial additives, and carry the NSF Certified for Sport® seal, verifying it's been tested and found free of over 290 substances banned by major athletic organizations.
Best for Pre-Workout Energy
If you like your amino acids with a side of caffeine, you'll love this easy mixing blend from Optimum Nutrition (especially the Concord Grape flavor). It contains 14 amino acids plus 100mg naturally sourced caffeine from green tea and coffee in each 2-scoop serving. These amino acids are in free form and micronized for superior absorption.
This is an excellent option for a pre-workout pick-me-up—just shake in water 20 to 30 minutes before your session, and you'll be ready to tackle all your reps. Just be sure to wait at least 4 hours before you take a post-workout serving so you don't overdo the caffeine.
Best NSF Certified for Sport
If you're a competitive athlete, it's wise to choose supplements like Gnarly Nutrition's BCAAs with the NSF Certified for Sport® certification, which tests and clears products for the 290 substances that are banned by major athletic organizations.
You can get Gnarly's BCAAs with a bit of caffeine (35mg) or caffeine-free in super tasty flavors like Strawberry Lemonade, colored with beet (root) juice and sweetened with natural stevia leaf extract. The amino acids are in free form for optimal absorption in an ideal 2:1:1 ratio (2.5g leucine, 1.25g isoleucine, 1.25g valine).
Best for Joint Support
Every fitness enthusiast can use a little joint support to help them stay on top of their game. This amino acid supplement doubles as a multi-collagen peptide powder with 18 different amino acids, including 8 of the essential 9, plus 9 grams of protein per serving.
It's unflavored for easy mixing into any hot or cold beverage and is free from gluten, dairy, soy, shellfish and GMOs. It's also keto and paleo-friendly with no artificial flavors, sweeteners, colors or preservatives. With third-party testing and a cGMP certification, you can be sure of quality and purity.
Best for Endurance & Hydration
SunWarrior's Sport Active Aminos are packed with a blend of BCAAs in 1 2:1:1 ratio (leucine, isoleucine, valine) for recovery, plus six more EAAS to support muscle repair. On top of that, the blend contains vital electrolytes from coconut water to keep you hydrated and powering through long training sessions.
These aminos are naturally flavored and sweetened with organic flavors, steviol glycosides (rebaudioside M), organic elderberry powder and organic monk fruit extract, plus they're soy-free, sugar-free and contain no artificial sweeteners.
Best for Purity & Mixability
If purity and quality are top priorities in your BCAA search, Kaged BCAA 2:1:1 is a sure bet. They use Micropure® BCAAs, sourced via vegetable fermentation (not animal products), delivering the essential 2:1:1 ratio for muscle support. These aminos are designed for rapid absorption and microencapsulated for clear mixing, so you can avoid clumpy drinks.
Competitive athletes can rely on the Informed Sport certification, guaranteeing every batch is tested for over 285 banned substances. Kaged also keeps it clean by being gluten-free, non-GMO, and free from soy or inulin. No fluff, just straight up BCAAs formulated for purity and easy mixing.
