XTEND Original BCAA Watermelon Explosion ​| Branched Chain Amino Acids Supplement | 7g BCAAs + Muscle Supplements | Electrolytes for Recovery | Amino Energy Post-Workout | 90 Servings

Product Information

Citric Acid , Malic Acid , Natural & Artificial Flavor , Sucralose , FD&C Yellow #5 , Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) , FD&C Red Lake #40.

HYDRATE — XTEND contains a blend of essential electrolytes to support hydration and help you perform at your best. Matthews DE. Observations of branched-chain amino acid administration in humans. J Nutr. 2005 Jun;135(6 Suppl):1580S-4S. Then there’s the miscellaneous ingredients: artificial flavor, citric acid, sucralose (also called Splenda®), malic acid (for flavor), acesulfame potassium (an artificial sweetener), and red food dye #40. Note that I tried the Watermelon flavor, though we also have the Blue Raspberry flavor which had a different coloring (Blue Lake #1). But Xtend offers 7 grams of BCAA per serving, while the other brands offer 5 grams. On a price-per-gram basis, Xtend is the cheapest of the lot at 11.4 cents. There are other supplements I love and regularly write about, but Scivation Xtend will always have a special place in my heart.

Leading intra-workout that is sugar-free and packed with BCAA's

Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K), FD&C Blue Lake #1, FD&C Red Lake #40.

You can buy Scivation Xtend products online at Nutrabay.com. Nutrabay is the official retailer for all Scivation Xtend products and has a dealership authorization certificate for selling its authentic products. But it’s still pretty pleasant and certainly more enjoyable than Scivation’s Blue Raspberry flavor, which is overwhelmingly sweet. A word of caution: simply dilute your BCAAs in at least a cup and a half of water to avoid the extreme sweetness that a lot of people complain about. This is Chocolate Lava Cake flavor. I mixed a scoop with 8 ounces of water, per the instructions, and at first I thought it was way too sweet until I remembered that it’s not Chocolateflavor, it’s Chocolate Lava Cakeflavor — meaning it tastes like liquid brownie batter. If that’s a taste you like then you’ll be delighted with the rich gooeyness of the product, but I think most people will prefer the powder mixed with double the water. Blomstrand E, et al. Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise. J Nutr. 2006 Jan;136(1 Suppl):269S-73S. In addition to that there’s 2500 milligrams of L-glutamine, an amino acid, and a lot of electrolytes: there’s a 1,140-milligram blend of sodium citrate, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride. The label also specifies 220mg of sodium and 170mg of potassium.

I’m not convinced the glutamine is one of them. It’s already the most abundant amino acid in the body and while it may have some benefits , it doesn’t look like it’s a potent supplement for muscle building. But it’s cheap and it’s probably beneficial for gut health, so there’s no harm in including it.

The first ingredient is instantized whey protein isolate, which is a mixture of whey protein isolate and sunflower lecithin to help with mixability.

Easily mixed and amazing taste

Citric Acid , Natural & Artificial Flavor , Sucralose , Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) , FD&C Red Lake #40.