Table of Contents
BCAAs are typically used intra-workout to finish a high-intensity workout. They promote muscle synthesis and recovery by providing a complex blend of amino acids. Throughout this Nubreed Helix BCAA review, I will be giving you an overview of the ingredients, pros, cons, and the best flavors. Nubreed is not the most popular brand, but their products are high-quality and effective.
Ingredients and Macros
Before you buy any product, it’s always a good idea to look at the ingredients and macronutrients. This is particularly important if you have any food allergies, or if you’re adhering to a certain plan like the keto diet.
Nubreed Helix has the following macronutrients per serving (1 scoop)
Calories: 5
Total Carbs: <1 gram
Fat: 0 grams
Protein: 0, although the amino acids are technically building blocks for protein.
Vitamin C: 60mg
Vitamin B1: 1.2mg
Vitamin B6: 5mg
The ingredients are as follows:
Full-Spectrum BCAA Blend – 9 grams
EndurA+ Complex – 2.25 grams
Gluta-Ox Complex – 600mg
Electrolyte Complex – 431mg
Myosorb pH Matrix – 1.9 grams
Enhanced Bioavailability Complex – 25mg
Key Notes On The Ingredients:
The Full-Spectrum BCAA blend is a combination of several amino acids. These include leucine, lysine, threonine, and valine to name a few.
The EndurA+ complex contains a serving of beta-alanine. Beta-alanine is in most pre-workouts and it is known for the “jittery” feeling you get from it. There is not much beta-alanine in this product, but it’s worth noting.
The Myosorb pH matrix is composed of simple preservatives like sodium bicarbonate and citric acid. Nothing to worry about here.
The Gluta-Ox complex contains additional amino acids like L-Cystine and the bioavailability complex contains Astragin and ginseng root.
Nubreed Helix BCAA Best Flavors
One thing that’s great about most BCAA brands is the fact that they have a lot of flavors. Nubreed is no different, as I counted 7 different available flavors. Below is my breakdown of the best flavors from this brand.
Blue Raspberry: A lot of companies tend to do good with blue raspberry, and the same goes here. This has a fairly sour taste as most BCAAs do, but it is kind of reminiscent of a jolly rancher. It mixes well with water and has no weird aftertaste.
Watermelon: A fantastic flavor by Nubreed. If you’ve ever had a watermelon gummy candy before, that is exactly what this tastes like. Of course, it is slightly sour like most BCAAs, but this flavor is really delicious. This is my preferred flavor, and it mixes well with water like the others.
Lemon Drop Candy: It’s awesome when a product truly matches the flavor name. This flavor is very sweet and reminiscent of a lemon hard candy. You can also compare this flavor to lemonade, but it is definitely sourer. There are no issues with the mixing ability or aftertaste.
Island Breeze: Definitely a unique name and this tastes quite tropical. For me, it’s reminiscent of a pina colada, and the flavor notes are pineapple, coconut, and apple. This product was not as sour as the other flavors, but it is quite sweet. Just like the other flavors, island breeze mixes well and has no bad aftertaste.
If you have no preference, I recommend the watermelon flavor. When compared to each of the other four flavors, I feel like watermelon is the most crowd-pleasing.
Pros and Cons
Now that you have an idea of the ingredients and some of the best flavors, here are the general pros and cons regarding this product. After all, this wouldn’t be a complete Nubreed Helix BCAA review without mentioning some of the negatives.
Pros:
You’re getting a total of 11 grams of amino acids per scoop.
There are seven different flavors to choose from, and they are all at least above-average in taste.
Nubreed Helix is a keto-friendly and vegan safe BCAA. This product will not break your fast if you’re fasting.
No sugar, no artificial dyes, and less than 1 gram of carbs per serving.
The Astragin in the bioavailability complex promotes amino acid absorption.
Cons:
Sometimes it can be hard to find certain flavors. This brand isn’t the most well known, so availability is sometimes limited.
They only sell containers with 30 servings. I know a lot of people prefer to buy in bulk, so you will have to buy multiple containers if that is the case.
If you prefer to have no beta-alanine in your BCAAs, then this product is likely not for you. There is roughly one gram of beta-alanine in each scoop.
This product has 5 calories and <1 gram of carbs per scoop. If you’re looking for a zero-calorie BCAA product, there are better options.
Why Take An Amino Acid Supplement?
As I mentioned, amino acids are great to take during your workout to fight fatigue and promote recovery. Despite this, they are also fine to take at any point throughout the day. A BCAA supplement just ensures that you’re getting all the necessary building blocks to make proteins. This will ultimately help with muscle synthesis.
BCAAs are proven to have many benefits. Besides muscle growth, less fatigue, and reduced soreness, amino acids have also been proven to help people with liver disease.
Although anyone can benefit from taking BCAAs, they are particularly effective for certain groups of people.
People who fast: Amino acids will prevent atrophy or muscle wasting. If you’re not eating any whole food, branch-chained amino acids will give your body what it needs to make proteins. The best part about all of this is that you won’t break your fast.
Elite-level Athletes and Weightlifters: High-level athletes are always training at a high intensity, so their bodies are more likely to be sore or fatigued. They will usually also need more protein because of their higher lean body mass. For these two reasons, BCAAs are quite effective.
People who struggle with muscle fatigue: If you find yourself needing more volume but are unable to get through a workout, amino acids can definitely help you.
Overall, BCAAs are proven to be an effective supplement that anyone can benefit from. At the end of the day, you are the judge regarding whether they are necessary.
Closing Remarks
Throughout this Nubreed Helix BCAA review, I’ve described the ingredients, pros, cons, and best flavors. Amino acids are not a complete necessity, but they are certainly effective and can benefit your training.
To recap, this is a great keto-friendly and vegan supplement. The product is reasonably priced, and all of the flavors I’ve tried are delicious. As far as the negatives go, there really are none, unless you don’t like beta-alanine.
As always, if you have any doubts about BCAAs, consider asking your physician for advice. Note that many supplements are made on machinery that also processes common allergens like milk and nuts. Always do your own research before deciding on a product.
