BCAAs have been a very frequently mentioned supplement in recent years. Although everything possible and impossible has been written about them and their effects have been mappedperfectly, I have yet to see an article that is interested in expired BCAAs.
So in today's article, we'll look at whether expired branched chain amino acids are even suitable for use, or whether it's better to get new ones.
How to recognize expired BCAAs?
Some time ago, when I I was testing BCAA synergyI didn't have time to use the pack before the expiry date. The problem is that even month old BCAAs are not different from the normal ones.
If your BCAAs are expired, but have remained sealed and well stored for the entire time, moisture should not penetrate them and therefore they cannot mold, nor should any bacteria get into them. However, if you have kept the product open, it will probably be lumpy after expiration (lumps are not indicative of spoilage, becausethey can appear even on new product that has been penetrated by moisture, but they often accompany expired supplements).
This is much easier with tablet BCAAs because they are not as susceptible to moisture.
Is it safe to take expired BCAAs?
Most likely yes. There is really little risk of bacteria or other spoilage if the BCAAs have been sealed and stored properly the entire time. What you will probably notice, however, is a noticeably worse taste. This "defect" is typical not only for BCAAs, but for all supplements and other expired foods in general.
When you get to expired amino acids, mix one serving in a small amount of water and try to focus on the smell and solubility of the BCAAs before consuming them. If you find anything off about it, it's best to avoid consumption.
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Personal experience
Of course, there have been a few times when I didn't manage to use up my BCAAs before they expired. So if this happens to you and there are a few last doses left in the pack, it' s definitely not a reason to throw the amino acids away because they'll probably be perfectly fine.
But if moisture has penetrated them and the smell or taste has somehow affected them, you're better off investing in new ones.
Conclusion
Every time a question is asked about taking expired supplements comes up in a social media discussion, there's a person who answers: "Try and see". And that's exactly what we would be inclined to do.
If the BCAAs look perfectly normal after mixing, they'll be 99% of the time perfectly fine. The worst thing that can happen to you after consuming expired BCAAs is minor intestinal upset.
In this case, we recommend throwing out the BCAAs and reaching for new ones, such as Nano BCAAs, which are one of the the best branched chain amino acids on the market.
Do you have other expired supplements at home?
- Is it safe to use expired protein?
- Is it safe to take expired glutamine?
- Is it safe to take expired creatine?
Everything you need to know about BCAAs (video):
Why can you trust us?
Hey! Hey! I'm Mirek and I've been working at World Fitness almost since the beginning, except for a small break. But before that I lived only in the gym for a few years, doing deadlifts and power triathlon, going to competitions and winning a few medals.
Probably the one I value the most is the national record in the WUAP federation. But besides working out, I was also interested in food and supplements, I liked to enjoy my free timeI used to read different researches and professional books in my free time to know as much as possible.