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Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)

The amino acids you must get from food. Useful only when whole protein is hard to get in — otherwise redundant.

EVIDENCE
Moderate
TYPICAL DOSE
6–12 g, providing a good amount of leucine
TIMING
Around training if you're training fasted or far from a meal.
WHAT IT IS

The nine amino acids the body can't make, supplied free-form so they absorb fast. They contain the full set needed to build muscle, unlike BCAAs.

WHY (OR WHY NOT)

Can stimulate muscle-protein synthesis around training when a full protein meal or shake isn't practical — fasted training, or for someone who can't stomach food pre-session. If you already hit your daily protein from food and whey, they add little.

CAUTIONS
  • !A solution to a logistics problem, not a magic muscle builder — whole protein does the same job and brings more.
  • !Often expensive per gram of protein compared with whey.

Note:General information, not medical advice. Supplements interact with medications and conditions — check with your doctor before starting anything, especially if you're pregnant, nursing or managing a health condition.

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