Optimum NutritionInstantized BCAA Powder, Unflavored, Keto Friendly Branched Chain Essential Amino Acids Powder, 5000mg, 60 Servings (Packaging May Vary)

Yeah, it quite literally smells like wet dog. I laughed so hard when I saw the other review mentioning this also, cause it's what I've always said. However, it works so well that I honestly don't care. Only need a small amount, mix it into some chocolate almond milk and just down it quickly. Love this stuff always. I see faster results and feel better with this stuff added to my routine every time.

Tastes a little bad however for the benefits of BCAA and because it mixes well with water and has NO artificial crap in it no gluten, sweetner or junk and seems to work I used it today before my workout and totally kicked ass on cardio and when I lifted and I am hopeful this and my routine with L Gulatimine raw will do the trick. Building and keeping muscle is my goal I am a female and need the extra boost before and after work outs so that I am not sore and fatigued after not 20 anymore LMAO. But I can say for the money and for how great I felt today it worked well. Mix it with some lemon in the water and chug it down worth it. Taste is NOT that bad compared to taking some gross s*** like Nystatin powder *anyone that has had this knows what I am speaking about this is nothing in comparison and benefits are great. Hopefully they continue to make and will sell in a larger container since a person needs to take it 2x per day to really get the benefits before work out and after. GREAT product if you are seeking to avoid added crap gluten, sugar, and artificial sweetners the poison etc

This stuff is great. I will preface by saying that I've never been a fan of pre-workout supplements in general. They cram way too much stuff in most of those and they decide your dosages (percentage-wise at least). I am the kind of guy who buys supplements separately and mixes them how I want (pure creatine mono, unflavored whey isolate, unflavored bcaa's etc) so I can decide how many grams I get of any one thing.I had never really tried BCAA's at all until I recently got into doing fasted morning workouts. I love pretty much everything about working out that way: you get it done first thing in the morning, you get to have a huge breakfast afterwards, and you get to spend all day feeling jacked up. Anyway, when I first started doing that I would just crash about 20 minutes in, especially with heavier weights. I got turned onto BCAA's and I've tried them a number of different ways before the workout. What I've settled on now is one serving (5g) of the ON Unflavored BCAA powder just mixed in cold water, and then a cup of black coffee. This ensures that I stay calorie-free (ok black coffee is like 2 calories) before my workout, and I feel like Superman once they kick in (about 10 min for me).People talk about how gross the taste is taking this stuff straight in water. PEOPLE, IT'S NOT THAT BAD! It actually tastes a little sweet to me. Plus I follow it with strong coffee. I mean, seriously, if drinking some amino acids is more uncomfortable than the workout you're about to do, I think you might be doing it wrong anyway.

WARNING: This tastes so bad that you won't be able to use it. I'm sure the effect of BCAA's are decent, but if you consume enough protein this supplement is probably a waste. Either way I wanted to give it a try. First, I mixed it with a protein shake and was barely able to drink it, and had to force myself too. The next time I took it, I figured it would be better just to mix it in a couple of ounces of water and down it. Well, it doesn't mix at all and is essentially hydrophobic, so it just sits in a big glob. I tried downing it and somehow managed to not puke everywhere in the kitchen. The taste was the worst thing I've ever had in my life. Before I bought it I saw the comments warning of the bad taste but figured it just didn't taste good. Boy was I wrong. Save yourself some money and go with the pills.

Unflavored reviewA stage 2 lifting productAt this stage I use three products1) Pure Whey ( I prefer Optimum whey chocolate )2) Creatine (No preference)3) Optimum Nutrition BCAA 5000mg unflavored.Why Optimum -Straightforward, no flashy packaging or complex list of ingredients promising instant gains. I was drawn to BCAA suppliment solely on my past experience with the Optimum brand. Their products mix well and do the job.Why BCAA -I train 4 days on 1 day off. I push myself hard and as a result i'm drained afterwards. I say that this is a stage 2 product because it will take you some time to truly drain yourself. If you're just starting out at the gym I recommend that you stick to just Whey protein. Why? Because you have a lot to learn about yourself and your form before you tire your targeted muscles out enough to warrant this product."I know i'm ready for this product stop trying to sway my decision and review the product itself"-I don't draw out the bitter and sickening taste of this product, nor do I complain about it. Amino acids aren't going to taste great, accept that. If you can take a shot of tequila you can suck down a few shots of water with a serving of this. I tend to put about 3 ounces of water in a cup with a serving of BCAA powder swirl fast and shoot it down. Refill the glass with another 3 ounces and get out any residual product. If you're taking Creatine replace the water with some juice to get your sugar spike.When to take - One serving before a workout and one after (I do about .75 serving per)Results - Immediate notice in decreased muscle fatigue. I had some terrible DOMS with most muscle groups. Even with a strong diet, the soreness affected my workouts. Once I incorporated BCAA powder into my daily routine I noticed a significant decrease in soreness, as a result my workouts became more intense.Why Optimum BCAA over others? I trust Optimum. I hear a lot of talk about 2:1:1 ratio of Leucine to Isoleucine and Valine being a good ratio. I did some searching and couldn't find any conclusive evidence of this being superior, but figured it didn't hurt to go with the general opinion on this one.4/5 stars-I am deducting a star because of the lack of scooper. It's not a huge deal but how much could it cost to throw a little measuring scooper in there. I was on the road the first time I used this product and I tried to tap some of this into my shaker. About 12 servings fell onto my lap.Summary:It's a great product from a reliable brand. It tastes like garbage, but if you can handle a shot you can handle this. I don't recommend buying if you have worked out for 2 years or less.Update 11/29/2013:I switched from 4 days on 1 day off to an intense full body one day on and one day off. I find the BCAA supplement far more useful on the 4 day on 1 day off training schedule. Since switching my routine I have trailed off from using this product.