Kaged BCAA 2:1:1 Review (2024)

In this Kaged BCAA review, we’ll be taking a look at these popular amino acids so you can decide if they’re right for you. 

Overall, while BCAAs can be beneficial for some people – vegans, endurance athletes, and older people – they won’t provide any real benefit to the majority of athletes. As a result, we believe most people will be better off buying a high-quality whey protein supplement instead. 

Kaged BCAA Review: Quick Summary

Kaged is a relatively new company, having only been around for about 10 years. However, in that time they’ve become incredibly popular for their high-quality formulas. Unfortunately, their BCAAs aren’t at the level of many of Kaged’s other supplements. 

First, if you’re getting enough protein in your diet, you’re likely getting more than enough BCAAs for exercise performance already. Adding in more through supplementation is unlikely to make a difference. However, these supplements may have some use for vegans, endurance athletes, and older people. 

Also, these BCAAs only come unflavored and are not pleasant to drink. Even though they’re a budget-friendly option, the flavor, and low dose make this supplement difficult to recommend, even for those who may benefit from the use of BCAAs.

Who and What is Kaged BCAA For

BCAAs or “Branched Chain Amino Acids” are made up of the AA’s Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. These amino acids are especially relevant for providing energy during exercise, which is likely why they’re marketed as standalone supplements. They’re also necessary for muscle protein synthesis – especially leucine. 

However, if you’re getting enough protein in, it’s unlikely that BCAAs will have much of an effect on your exercise performance. Most people struggling with protein intake  will benefit more from whey protein, which contains all 9 essential amino acids, instead of just the 3 BCAAs, making it more beneficial for muscle growth. Most vegans will also likely benefit more from a high-quality plant-based protein powder instead of BCAAs. 

BCAAs may be beneficial specifically for endurance athletes for reducing muscle damage, although evidence surrounding this theory is somewhat limited. If you’re interested in using BCAAs for training or competition, consider consulting with a sports nutritionist for their feedback. 

Kaged BCAA Review

Below we’ll be taking a closer look at what you can expect from Kaged’s BCAAs so you can decide if they’re right for you. Overall, keep in mind that for the vast majority of people, supplementation with BCAAs is completely unnecessary. 

1. Ingredient Breakdown

Kaged BCAAs are a very simple supplement, with BCAAs being the only main ingredient. They also include sunflower lecithin, although this is simply included as a thickening agent. 

• Fermented BCAAs

Kaged includes 5g total of BCAAs, dosed at a standard BCAA 2:1:1 ratio of Leucine to Isoleucine and Valine. It’s worth noting this is fairly low for a BCAA supplement, with many options out there containing close to double this amount. Despite being a relatively low dose, most people are likely already getting more than enough BCAAs through their diet alone. 

2. Nutrition Label Transparency

Kaged is a very reliable brand when it comes to nutrition label transparency. This supplement is no exception, being certified by Informed Sport. This means you can expect a solid level of quality in terms of manufacturing process and overall formula. 

This is a great label to look for if you’re concerned about banned substances or potentially harmful contaminants. To learn more about Informed Sport’s testing process, you can check out their site here. 

3. Taste

Unfortunately, taste is one of the weakest points of this supplement. It only comes unflavored, which is fairly uncommon for a BCAA supplement. From our taste tests, we found it mixed very poorly and had an unpleasant, medicine-like taste. These BCAAs may be more palatable when combined with other ingredients, but on their own, they’re not great.

4. Value for Money

These are fairly cheap for a BCAA supplement at only ~$0.42 per serving. With that being said, you are getting a low serving of BCAAs in an unpleasant, unflavored powder. This is not to mention that BCAAs just aren’t a very effective supplement. As a result, we believe you could get much better value for your money elsewhere. 

How Do You Use Kaged BCAA?

The recommended daily intake of BCAAs is 9g for women and 12g for men. As a result, we’ll quickly be covering how many servings of this supplement you’d need to ensure you’re getting enough BCAAs throughout the day. We’ll also quickly be covering guidelines for BCAA use during endurance exercise. 

Keep in mind that most people will already be getting more than enough BCAAs through their diet, making supplements unnecessary. Also, while there has been some evidence to suggest that the dose of BCAAs listed below is beneficial for endurance performance, this is still up for debate. So, take the recommended dose with a grain of salt.

Type of Person	Daily Needs/Recommended Dose	Servings of Kaged BCAAs Needed
Men	12g	2-3
Women	9g	2
Endurance Athletes	20g (1hr before exercise)	4

Kaged BCAA Alternatives

Below we’ll be taking a look at a few other popular BCAA supplements on the market so you can decide which is right for you! Keep in mind that regardless of minor differences, most BCAA supplements will not provide much benefit. 

With that being said, we’ll be looking at how Transparent Labs and Jacked Factory compare to Kaged below. As you’ll see, while Kaged is the cheapest option out of the 3, it also has the lowest dose of BCAAs and the least flavor variety. 

1. Kaged BCAA vs Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine

Transparent Labs’ contain significantly more BCAAs than Kaged with 8g per serving. It also contains Glutamine, although this ingredient is unlikely to have any effect as well. Transparent Labs also comes in 4 different flavors and tastes amazing according to the reviews. This is also a much more expensive product at ~$1.33 per serving.

2. Kaged BCAA vs Jacked Factory BCAA Fermented

Jacked Factory has a similar dosage to Kaged, containing 6g of BCAAs per serving. It comes in 3 flavors, including an unflavored option. Most of the reviews suggest these have excellent flavor and mixability. Their price falls right in between Kaged and Transparent Labs at ~$0.83 per serving. 

FAQ

Are BCAAs Really Effective?

BCAAs do play a valuable role in energy production during exercise. However, most people who get enough protein will not benefit from additional BCAA supplementation. If you aren’t getting enough BCAAs through your diet, supplementation may be beneficial. However, with this being said, you’d likely get more benefit from a high-quality whey protein supplement instead. 

Is it OK to drink BCAA Every Day?

Yes, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with drinking BCAAs every day. However, especially if you’re already getting enough protein in your diet, don’t expect daily supplementation with BCAAs to have any meaningful effect on your performance.

Is BCAA safe for kidneys?

Yes, there shouldn’t be any issues with taking BCAAs if you have healthy kidneys. However, if you have any kidney problems, you may want to exercise caution when trying new supplements. Consider consulting with your doctor to make sure you’re not putting yourself at risk. 

Conclusion

Overall, BCAA supplements aren’t necessary or effective for the vast majority of people – Kaged Muscle BCAAs are no exception to this. Especially considering their relatively low dose of BCAAs and poor flavor, we find it difficult to recommend this product. 

In our opinion, most athletes who struggle with protein intake will benefit more from a high-quality protein powder instead. Consider checking out Kaged’s Whey Protein Isolate as an alternative!

Have you ever tried any BCAA supplements? Were you aware that BCAA supplements aren’t beneficial for most people? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Also read:

• Kaged Ferodrox Review
• Kaged Outlive 100 Review
• Kaged Whey Protein Isolate Review

References:

1. Starkie Sowers, “Smart Supplementation: A Primer on Branched Chain Amino Acids,” Literature Education Series On Dietary Supplements, https://www.huhs.edu/literature/BCAA.pdf (Accessed Feb. 16, 2024)
2. Marjorie Geiser, “The Wonders of Whey Protein,” NSCA’s Performance Training Journal, https://macalester_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/Deno_Videos/nutrition/wonders_of_whey_protein.pdf (Accessed Feb. 16, 2024)
3. AIS Sports Supplement Framework, “Branched-CHain Amino Acids (BCAA) Australian Institute of Sport, https://www.ais.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/1000417/36182_Supplements-fact-sheets_BCAA-v4.pdf (Accessed Feb. 16, 2024)
4. Informed Sport, “Informed Sport Supplement Certification Process,” Informed Sport, https://sport.wetestyoutrust.com/about/certification-process (Accessed Feb. 16, 2024)
5. Lionel University, “BCAAs for Women: What You Need to Know,” Lionel University, https://blog.lionel.edu/bcaas-for-women  (Accessed Feb. 16, 2024)