In the last few years, BSN has built a strong reputation for supplying the bodybuilding and fitness industries with high quality and sometimes novel muscle building products. With AminoX, they’ve again come up with something new, the first effervescent BCAA supplement. When yours truly first saw it, I thought it was just a gimmick to appeal to those who like a bit of fizz in their drinks.
However AminoX is more than that and I’m going to give you the goods (and bads) on it.
What is it?
AminoX is a blend of BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) and EAAs (Essential Amino Acids) and is designed to not only increase performance during your workout, but increase recovery and growth after it. It can be used as a pre or post workout drink and according to BSN it:
“Supports Protein Synthesis / Anabolism, Glycogen Resynthesis, Insulin Sensitivity, Anti-Catabolism / Muscle Sparing, Recovery, Muscular Endurance, Resistance to Muscular Fatigue”
That’s quite a list of claims to back up, but the research and development team at BSN have really done their job on this one, including some of the best, proven ingredients in the mix.
Ingredients
Unlike many of its competitors, AminoX contains NO caffeine or sugar. To me this is great as too many pre / post workout supplements rely too heavily on stimulants and sugar to give you the focus and energy needed for your workout. One serve of AminoX contains 10 grams of the following amino acids.
L-Leucine: Leucine assists in maintaining the nitrogen balance in the body and supplies energy to the body during training. By doing this, it conserves glycogen used for muscle contraction. It also increases alertness and focus during your workout.
Probably the most important aspect of L-Leucine for us as bodybuilders is that it is one of the most important aminos for protein synthesis. Low levels of Leucine levels mean your body can’t convert protein for building and repairing muscle tissue.
L-Valine: Another BCAA essential for the growth and repair of tissue. It also helps by maintaining the nitrogen balance in your body and can also be used as a source of energy for muscles, again preserving glucose stores.
L-Isoleucine: Is a precursor for glutamine and alanine which are needed during intense physical activity like weight training. Isoleucine is also used as a fuel source by muscle cells to preserve others. Like many other BCAAs, it’s also important for protein synthesis and has anabolic and anti-catabolic properties.
L-Alanine: During exercise, Alanine combines with glucose to provide energy and reduce fatigue, therefore increasing your endurance.
Taurine: Is used by the body to assist the electrolyte and mineral uptake into muscle tissue. If you are prone to muscle cramps caused by the dehydration during your workouts, you can benefit by using a supplement containing taurine. It also has strong links to cardiovascular health.
L-Citrulline: Helps to delay fatigue and speeds recovery. Citrulline also helps in the removal of lactic acid and ammonia, which are by-products of intense physical exercise and protein synthesis. These can cause a catabolic state. When Citrulline is used with Taurine it can help to produce an excellent pump and improved vascularity.
Nutritional Info
Serving Size: 14.5gm (1 Scoop)
Calories: 0
Carbohydrates: < 1gm
Sugar: 0gm
Protein: 0gm
Fat: 0gm
Taste and Mix-ability
AminoX comes in 4 flavors: Blue raspberry, Fruit punch, Green Apple and Watermelon. The last of these is interesting because, watermelon is one of the best natural sources of citrulline.(High in carbs and sugar though). All flavors are very good and from 1500 plus user reviews at Bodybuilding.com all score over 9 / 10 with Watermelon being the top choice.
In terms of mix-ability, AminoX stands out from the crowd. Because of its effervescent blend, it basically mixes itself when added to water, juice or your favourite beverage.There’s no clumping or grittiness with most drinks. I have to admit though, it didn’t mix well with skim milk when I tried it.
Cost
AminoX comes in 10, 30, or 70 serve containers and the recommended retail prices on these are $14, $33 and $70 respectively. Shopping around you can get some great promotional prices with Bodybuilding.com once again being the lowest I found. There you could buy AminoX for $10, $20 and $42. Their best deal was a buy 2 get one free on the 30 serve size for a fraction under $40.
Exceptional value! Overall the price per serve comes in at between $0.44 and $0.55 depending on the volume you buy at the lowest prices. Definitely good value.
Summing up
Pros
- Scientifically proven ingredients to promote endurance, recovery and growth.
- No caffeine.
- No sugar and less than 1gm of carbs.
- Tastes very good.
- Good Mix-ability in most liquids.
- Good value for money.
Cons
- Nothing bad to say about it (except the milk thing maybe…).
Recommendation
I’ve got nothing but praise for this supplement. From my own experience with it and the reviews of other users, BSN really deliver on their promises.
If you’re looking for a high dose of BCAAs and EAAs that is easily mixed and absorbed, AminoX is for you.