Twitter Led Me to the Best BCAA Powder for Muscle Recovery

Our product recommendations are selected by editors, tested first-hand, or expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site.

My pre-workout routine was always the same: Shoes, laced. Backpack, secured. Water bottle, filled—with plain, boring water. There’s nothing wrong with straight H2O (it’s essential to maximizing performance and energy levels), but I knew there had to be a way to make hydrating more enjoyable, and more beneficial for my workouts.

My answer came in the form of a Tweet.

While researching Terry Crews and his health habits for a story, I found my new Holy Grail product: (Crews’ go-to pick).

XTEND Sport BCAAs is a workout supplement meant to improve muscle growth, repair, and hydration. And I can confirm it does just what it claims.

XTEND Sport BCAA Powder

$22 (Amazon)

What I Like About XTEND Sport BCAA Powder

Packed with BCAAs

BCAAs kickstart my muscle building process and help with muscle repair so I don’t feel as sore the next day. With 7,000 mg of total BCAAs, XTEND breaks down to 3,000 mg of L-leucine, 1,750 of L-isoleucine, and 1,750 mg of L-valine. I’m not one to do very intense workouts, but even a three-mile run or a 20-minute circuit can wreak havoc on my body if I don’t take care of it. With XTEND, I’ve noticed my recovery, which used to take around three days, now takes a day less.

Electrolyte blend

I’m a sweater. And with that comes the need to hydrate—a lot. I’m always sipping on water but I need more than that to actually replenish key nutrients lost during my workouts.

With ingredients like betaine anhydrous and coconut water powder as part of a larger electrolyte-focused blend, XTEND is exactly what I need mid-workout, or anytime for efficient hydration.

The nutrition label

I absolutely love the nutrition breakdown of XTEND. With zero calories, zero carbs, and zero sugar, I feel no guilt adding it to my water. Finding sugar-free supplements is not easy, but XTEND is a diamond in the rough.

My intra-workout go-to

Now I never work out without XTEND. I add one scoop into my Nalgene, and I’m set for a 90-minute workout. XTEND mixes well with a few quick shakes in my water bottle, and I’ve never once swallowed a gross clump of powder.

It tastes great

XTEND only offers two flavors— (my favorite) and—and surprisingly, I‘m not sick of them yet. Neither contains any added sugar, but they’re still sweet and flavorful enough, thanks to natural flavors and sucralose, a common artificial sweetener.