Xtend Airheads BCAA amino acid powder, front of container

Roll over image to zoom in Click on image to zoom

XTEND Airheads BCAA — 7g BCAAs + Electrolytes, NSF and Informed Choice

XTEND Original BCAA — Airheads7 grams of BCAAs at a 2:1:1 ratio, 2.5g of glutamine, citrulline malate and an electrolyte blend — in officially licensed Airheads candy flavours, with zero sugar.XTEND is the best-selling BCAA product in the world, and it carries two independent certifications most supplements never get near. There is also one thing worth being clear about before you buy.This is a BCAA product, not an EAA productThat distinction matters more than the marketing suggests, and it determines whether this is the right purchase for you.There are nine essential amino acids — ones your body cannot manufacture. BCAAs are three of them: leucine, isoleucine and valine.Building muscle protein requires all nine. Supplying three in isolation is like delivering three of the nine components needed to assemble something — the work still stops when the missing pieces run out. Your body will pull the other six from its own tissue if they are not available from food.So here is the honest guide: If you eat plenty of protein and train fed, BCAAs are fine. The other six are already circulating from your last meal, so adding leucine on top is a reasonable way to nudge protein synthesis If you train fasted, or your protein intake is low, buy a full EAA product instead. Our Recover EAA supplies all nine, and that is where the case for aminos is strongestThat is the same position we take on every amino page, and it does not change because a product tastes good.3.5g of leucine does clear the thresholdCredit where it is due. The 2:1:1 ratio means 7g of BCAAs delivers 3.5g leucine, 1.75g isoleucine and 1.75g valine.Leucine is the amino acid that actually triggers muscle protein synthesis, and the commonly cited threshold is around 3g. At 3.5g this clears it comfortably — many BCAA products do not.Dual certification is the genuine differentiatorThis is the strongest thing about XTEND and it gets overlooked.It is both NSF Contents Tested and Certified and Informed-Choice Certified. Two independent programmes, both testing for banned substances, both requiring ongoing batch submission.Very few supplements carry either. Almost none carry both. If you compete in a tested federation — at any level, including collegiate and military — that is a meaningful margin of safety rather than a marketing badge.The electrolytes are the underrated partSodium citrate, sodium chloride and potassium chloride, plus vitamin B6.Sodium is the primary electrolyte governing fluid balance and is lost in sweat; potassium is the main intracellular electrolyte and matters for muscular contraction.This is arguably the product's real function. A zero-sugar, zero-calorie, genuinely enjoyable electrolyte drink that you will actually finish during a session has real value — hydration affects performance more reliably than 7g of BCAAs will.The flavours are a real licensing dealThe Airheads collaboration is a genuine licensing partnership, not an approximation — the same approach as the Hershey's and Reese's flavours on our C4 Whey page.That matters for a practical reason: a drink you enjoy is a drink you finish. If a great-tasting zero-sugar option is what gets you sipping through a session rather than training dehydrated, that is a genuine benefit — and a better reason to buy this than the amino content.Specs BCAAs7g at 2:1:1 Leucine3.5g Isoleucine / Valine1.75g each L-Glutamine2.5g Citrulline MalateIncluded ElectrolytesSodium citrate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride Vitamin B6Included Sugar / carbsZero CertificationNSF Contents Certified + Informed-Choice Servings30 SweetenersSucralose, acesulfame potassiumHonest note on the glutamine. 2.5g is a modest dose. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and is well supplied by any reasonable diet — the evidence for supplementation in healthy, well-fed people is weak. Our Intra Blast page covers this, where 5g is used for gut-lining support specifically.⚠ On the "14g of BCAAs per day" adviceXTEND's packaging recommends consuming a minimum of 14g of BCAAs daily — which conveniently means two servings.That is a manufacturer recommendation, not a research-established requirement. There is no established daily BCAA intake target, and if your protein intake is adequate you are already consuming far more than 14g of BCAAs from food. A 25g serving of whey alone contains around 6g.One serving is fine. Two is not necessary for most people.How our amino products compare XTEND Airheads7g BCAA + electrolytesDual certified. Best flavour InnovaPharm Recover EAA14.4g EAA, all nineComplete profile, real methionine NutraBio Intra Blast10g EAA + glutamine, betaineMost complete intra-workout ALLMAX AminoCore8.18g BCAAHigher BCAA, no electrolytesChoose XTEND for the certification, the electrolytes and the flavour. Choose a full EAA product if you train fasted or your protein intake is inconsistent.How to take it One scoop in 10 to 14 ounces of water. More water if you are sipping through a session. During training is where the electrolytes are most useful. Any time as a flavoured zero-calorie drink — a legitimate use, particularly if it replaces something sugary. Stimulant-free, so it stacks with anything and suits evening sessions. Expect some foaming. Amino acids foam when shaken; let it settle.Who this is for Tested athletes — dual NSF and Informed-Choice certification is genuinely rare Anyone who struggles to drink enough during training; flavour drives adherence People replacing a sugary sports drink with something zero-calorie Anyone training fed with adequate protein, where BCAAs make sense People who want electrolytes and aminos in one drinkWho this is not forIf you train fasted, buy a full EAA product. BCAAs alone cannot build muscle protein — you need all nine essential aminos, and fasted is exactly when the other six are not available.If your protein intake is already high, you may not need this at all. A 25g serving of whey supplies around 6g of BCAAs alongside everything else, at a lower cost. We will tell you that at the counter.If you avoid artificial sweeteners, this uses sucralose and acesulfame potassium.If you want maximum aminos per serving, Recover EAA delivers 14.4g of essential aminos against 7g of BCAAs here.Not for anyone under 18, pregnant or nursing.Stack it with: creatine, which mixes in cleanly. Nothing here conflicts with anything.Frequently asked questionsWhat is the difference between BCAAs and EAAs?There are nine essential amino acids; BCAAs are three of them. Building muscle protein requires all nine, so BCAAs alone are incomplete — fine when you are well fed, less useful when training fasted.How much leucine is in a serving?3.5g, from the 2:1:1 ratio. That clears the roughly 3g threshold associated with triggering muscle protein synthesis, which many BCAA products do not.Is it tested for banned substances?Yes — both NSF Contents Tested and Certified and Informed-Choice Certified. Carrying both is very unusual.Do I really need 14g of BCAAs per day?No. That is a manufacturer recommendation rather than a research-established target. If your protein intake is adequate you already exceed it from food — a 25g whey serving contains around 6g.What are the electrolytes for?Sodium and potassium support fluid balance and muscular contraction, and are lost in sweat. Arguably the most practically useful part of the formula.Are the Airheads flavours official?Yes, a genuine licensing partnership rather than an approximation.Does it contain sugar?None, and no carbohydrate. It is sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium.Should I buy this or a full EAA?XTEND for certification, electrolytes and flavour if you train fed. A full EAA if you train fasted or your protein intake is inconsistent. Read more

Flavor: Rainbow Berry

Variant

Price:

$ 25.99

Quantity:

Every Day Low Pricing Available In Store

Authorized Retailer

Fast Shipping

Real Support If You Need It

PRODUCT LABEL

XTEND Original BCAA — Airheads

7 grams of BCAAs at a 2:1:1 ratio, 2.5g of glutamine, citrulline malate and an electrolyte blend — in officially licensed Airheads candy flavours, with zero sugar.

XTEND is the best-selling BCAA product in the world, and it carries two independent certifications most supplements never get near. There is also one thing worth being clear about before you buy.

This is a BCAA product, not an EAA product

That distinction matters more than the marketing suggests, and it determines whether this is the right purchase for you.

There are nine essential amino acids — ones your body cannot manufacture. BCAAs are three of them: leucine, isoleucine and valine.

Building muscle protein requires all nine. Supplying three in isolation is like delivering three of the nine components needed to assemble something — the work still stops when the missing pieces run out. Your body will pull the other six from its own tissue if they are not available from food.

So here is the honest guide:

If you eat plenty of protein and train fed, BCAAs are fine. The other six are already circulating from your last meal, so adding leucine on top is a reasonable way to nudge protein synthesis
If you train fasted, or your protein intake is low, buy a full EAA product instead. Our Recover EAA supplies all nine, and that is where the case for aminos is strongest

That is the same position we take on every amino page, and it does not change because a product tastes good.

3.5g of leucine does clear the threshold

Credit where it is due. The 2:1:1 ratio means 7g of BCAAs delivers 3.5g leucine, 1.75g isoleucine and 1.75g valine.

Leucine is the amino acid that actually triggers muscle protein synthesis, and the commonly cited threshold is around 3g. At 3.5g this clears it comfortably — many BCAA products do not.

Dual certification is the genuine differentiator

This is the strongest thing about XTEND and it gets overlooked.

It is both NSF Contents Tested and Certified and Informed-Choice Certified. Two independent programmes, both testing for banned substances, both requiring ongoing batch submission.

Very few supplements carry either. Almost none carry both. If you compete in a tested federation — at any level, including collegiate and military — that is a meaningful margin of safety rather than a marketing badge.

The electrolytes are the underrated part

Sodium citrate, sodium chloride and potassium chloride, plus vitamin B6.

Sodium is the primary electrolyte governing fluid balance and is lost in sweat; potassium is the main intracellular electrolyte and matters for muscular contraction.

This is arguably the product's real function. A zero-sugar, zero-calorie, genuinely enjoyable electrolyte drink that you will actually finish during a session has real value — hydration affects performance more reliably than 7g of BCAAs will.

The flavours are a real licensing deal

The Airheads collaboration is a genuine licensing partnership, not an approximation — the same approach as the Hershey's and Reese's flavours on our C4 Whey page.

That matters for a practical reason: a drink you enjoy is a drink you finish. If a great-tasting zero-sugar option is what gets you sipping through a session rather than training dehydrated, that is a genuine benefit — and a better reason to buy this than the amino content.

Specs

BCAAs	7g at 2:1:1
Leucine	3.5g
Isoleucine / Valine	1.75g each
L-Glutamine	2.5g
Citrulline Malate	Included
Electrolytes	Sodium citrate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride
Vitamin B6	Included
Sugar / carbs	Zero
Certification	NSF Contents Certified + Informed-Choice
Servings	30
Sweeteners	Sucralose, acesulfame potassium

Honest note on the glutamine. 2.5g is a modest dose. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and is well supplied by any reasonable diet — the evidence for supplementation in healthy, well-fed people is weak. Our Intra Blast page covers this, where 5g is used for gut-lining support specifically.

⚠ On the "14g of BCAAs per day" advice

XTEND's packaging recommends consuming a minimum of 14g of BCAAs daily — which conveniently means two servings.

That is a manufacturer recommendation, not a research-established requirement. There is no established daily BCAA intake target, and if your protein intake is adequate you are already consuming far more than 14g of BCAAs from food. A 25g serving of whey alone contains around 6g.

One serving is fine. Two is not necessary for most people.

How our amino products compare

XTEND Airheads	7g BCAA + electrolytes	Dual certified. Best flavour
InnovaPharm Recover EAA	14.4g EAA, all nine	Complete profile, real methionine
NutraBio Intra Blast	10g EAA + glutamine, betaine	Most complete intra-workout
ALLMAX AminoCore	8.18g BCAA	Higher BCAA, no electrolytes

Choose XTEND for the certification, the electrolytes and the flavour. Choose a full EAA product if you train fasted or your protein intake is inconsistent.

How to take it

One scoop in 10 to 14 ounces of water. More water if you are sipping through a session.
During training is where the electrolytes are most useful.
Any time as a flavoured zero-calorie drink — a legitimate use, particularly if it replaces something sugary.
Stimulant-free, so it stacks with anything and suits evening sessions.
Expect some foaming. Amino acids foam when shaken; let it settle.

Who this is for

Tested athletes — dual NSF and Informed-Choice certification is genuinely rare
Anyone who struggles to drink enough during training; flavour drives adherence
People replacing a sugary sports drink with something zero-calorie
Anyone training fed with adequate protein, where BCAAs make sense
People who want electrolytes and aminos in one drink

Who this is not for

If you train fasted, buy a full EAA product. BCAAs alone cannot build muscle protein — you need all nine essential aminos, and fasted is exactly when the other six are not available.

If your protein intake is already high, you may not need this at all. A 25g serving of whey supplies around 6g of BCAAs alongside everything else, at a lower cost. We will tell you that at the counter.

If you avoid artificial sweeteners, this uses sucralose and acesulfame potassium.

If you want maximum aminos per serving, Recover EAA delivers 14.4g of essential aminos against 7g of BCAAs here.

Not for anyone under 18, pregnant or nursing.

Stack it with: creatine, which mixes in cleanly. Nothing here conflicts with anything.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between BCAAs and EAAs?
There are nine essential amino acids; BCAAs are three of them. Building muscle protein requires all nine, so BCAAs alone are incomplete — fine when you are well fed, less useful when training fasted.

How much leucine is in a serving?
3.5g, from the 2:1:1 ratio. That clears the roughly 3g threshold associated with triggering muscle protein synthesis, which many BCAA products do not.

Is it tested for banned substances?
Yes — both NSF Contents Tested and Certified and Informed-Choice Certified. Carrying both is very unusual.

Do I really need 14g of BCAAs per day?
No. That is a manufacturer recommendation rather than a research-established target. If your protein intake is adequate you already exceed it from food — a 25g whey serving contains around 6g.

What are the electrolytes for?
Sodium and potassium support fluid balance and muscular contraction, and are lost in sweat. Arguably the most practically useful part of the formula.

Are the Airheads flavours official?
Yes, a genuine licensing partnership rather than an approximation.

Does it contain sugar?
None, and no carbohydrate. It is sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium.

Should I buy this or a full EAA?
XTEND for certification, electrolytes and flavour if you train fed. A full EAA if you train fasted or your protein intake is inconsistent.