Quick answer
BCAAs are leucine, isoleucine and valine, three of the nine essential amino acids, and if you already eat enough protein they add little, because protein already contains them. Myprotein says a 30g scoop of Myprotein Impact Whey gives 5g of naturally occurring BCAAs plus 22g of protein, against 4g of BCAAs in a 5g serving of Myprotein Impact BCAA 2:1:1, both checked on myprotein.com by WheyWise on 3 October 2026. Put the money towards whey instead.
BCAA drinks are sold as a muscle-building extra, and they are one of the easiest supplements to drop. The short version: whey protein already contains them, along with the other amino acids they need to work. Labels and prices below were checked on myprotein.com on 3 October 2026.
What are BCAAs?
BCAAs, or branched-chain amino acids, are leucine, isoleucine and valine, three of the nine essential amino acids that the British Nutrition Foundation lists as the ones your diet must supply. Most BCAA powders use a 2:1:1 ratio: Myprotein Impact BCAA 2:1:1 gives 2g of leucine, 1g of isoleucine and 1g of valine per 5g serving, and Myprotein suggests taking it before, during or after exercise.
Do BCAAs build muscle on their own?
Only weakly. Wolfe's 2017 review found no human study that had measured muscle protein synthesis after drinking BCAAs alone, and concluded that the claim they produce an anabolic response is unwarranted, because the other six essential amino acids needed to build new muscle protein would have to come from breaking down existing muscle (Wolfe, 2017).
A trial published the same year did test it. Ten trained men drinking 5.6g of BCAAs after leg training had 22% higher myofibrillar protein synthesis than with a placebo, but the authors put that response about 50% below what a dose of whey with similar BCAAs produced in their earlier work (Jackman et al., 2017). BCAAs do something; whole protein does more.
Are BCAAs better value than whey protein?
No: a scoop of Myprotein Impact Whey gives more BCAAs than a serving of Myprotein Impact BCAA 2:1:1, plus 22g of protein and all nine essential amino acids, for £1.00 a scoop in the 3.6kg bag against 33p a serving from the 500g BCAA tub at £32.99, checked 3 October 2026. The BCAA drink is cheaper per serving, but it is three amino acids in water.
| Per serving | Myprotein Impact BCAA 2:1:1 (5g) | Myprotein Impact Whey (30g) |
|---|---|---|
| BCAAs | 4g | 5g |
| Leucine | 2g | Not listed |
| Essential amino acids | 3 of 9 | All 9 |
| Protein | Not listed | 22g |
| Price per serving | 33p (500g, £32.99) | £1.00 (3.6kg, £119.99) |
Labels and prices on myprotein.com, checked 3 October 2026. Impact BCAA is the Unflavoured tub; Impact Whey is Vanilla. The 5g BCAA figure for Impact Whey is Myprotein's own claim per 30g scoop.
More BCAAs per serving than a BCAA scoop
MyProtein Impact Whey Protein Powder
960g bag
The honest answer to the BCAA question: whey already contains them, along with the rest of the protein your muscles need.
or compare all UK prices →More BCAAs per serving than a BCAA scoop
Pros
- + 5g of naturally occurring BCAAs per 30g scoop, according to Myprotein
- + 22g of protein and all nine essential amino acids in the same scoop
- + £1.00 a scoop in the 3.6kg Vanilla bag, checked 3 October 2026
Cons
- – £1.00 a serving against 33p for Myprotein Impact BCAA 2:1:1
- – The flavoured versions use sucralose
●Nutrition per scoop · 21.6g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 72%
of this 30g scoop · 113 kcal total
If you hit your daily protein goal, skip BCAAs. If you want an amino drink anyway, an EAA product supplies all nine essential amino acids, which is the gap Wolfe identified; we compare both by cost per serving on the BCAA and EAA comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Are BCAAs worth it if I take whey protein?
Usually not. Myprotein says one 30g scoop of Impact Whey provides 5g of naturally occurring BCAAs, more than the 4g in a 5g serving of Myprotein Impact BCAA 2:1:1, checked 3 October 2026. A 2017 review concluded that the claim BCAAs alone produce an anabolic response in humans is unwarranted.
What is the difference between BCAAs and EAAs?
BCAAs are three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. EAAs are all nine essential amino acids, adding histidine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and tryptophan. Building muscle protein needs all nine, which is why a 2017 review argued BCAAs alone can't drive much new muscle.
Do BCAAs help muscle growth at all?
A little. In a 2017 trial, 5.6g of BCAAs after training raised myofibrillar protein synthesis 22% above a placebo, a response the authors put at about 50% less than whey with a similar amount of BCAAs. Whole protein does the job better.