Science

Clinical study: 9 amino acid supplements

Summary of results

  • THE EAAs stimulate muscle protein synthesis from 6 g and improve the post-exercise nitrogen balance .
  • Taken before exercise , they reduce the drop in strength and the lactatemia , limiting immediate fatigue.
  • Taken after exercise , they decrease the muscle injuries , the pain and the perceived fatigue .
  • Long-term studies show a better maintenance of muscle mass , particularly in seniors.
  • EAAs offer a overall recovery support , without notable side effects.

Summary of the overall formula (complete EAA)

The overall formula combines all 9 essential amino acids. Several studies have tested complete AA (EAA) blends on performance and recovery:

- Protein synthesis : Post-exercise studies show that approximately 0.10–0.14 g/kg of EAA (i.e., ~6–10 g for 60–70 kg) maximizes protein synthesis pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov . EAAs alone (without carbohydrates) are sufficient to stimulate muscle anabolism. Acute intake of ~6 g of EAAs doubles gains in muscle nitrogen balance compared to placebo. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov .

- Post-exercise performance : A study tested the acute effect of an EAA mixture (10 g or 0.15 g/kg) administered 2 h before resistance exercise on the arm. Result: following the exercise, maximum strength (MVC) did not decrease with the EAA supplement (unlike the placebo), and lactatemia increased much less pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov . In other words, EAA attenuated immediate fatigue and protected muscle strength after exercise. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov . This is the first demonstration of a “pre-workout” effect of an EAA mixture on the maintenance of post-exercise performance.

- Dom/Flexibility : Consistent with the effects of BCAAs, these studies suggest that a complete EAA intake helps reduce markers of muscle damage (CK), muscle soreness, and subjective fatigue after exercise. sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov . These benefits appear to be proportional to the dose and duration of supplementation.

- Long studies : A 12-week randomized trial in elderly subjects combined moderate training and EAA supplementation (not precisely the same doses as here), showing a trend toward reduced muscle fatigue and better strength maintenance pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov .

In conclusion , EAA supplementation (including the 9 EAAs mentioned) has recognized beneficial effects on protein synthesis, fatigue reduction and muscle recovery. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com . The synergistic effects of a complete formula would therefore be:

- increased stimulation of post-exercise muscle anabolism,
- accelerated recovery (less pain and muscle damage),
- possible reduction of central fatigue (in relation to Trp/BCAA) and improvement of well-being (sleep, mood).

However, few studies have tested Exactly the formula of the 9 amino acids in the given proportions. The reported results combine various formulations (BCAA, enriched LEAA, complete EAA) that contain these same acids. Overall, the literature suggests a overall profit of EEAs (and in particular BCAAs rich in leucine) on recovery and performance, without major adverse effects, but meta-analyses note that the response may vary depending on the context (trained athlete or not, dose, duration) sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov .

A synthesis of available human studies mainly highlights effects positive (reduced muscle fatigue, pain, improved protein synthesis and some performance parameters) when the formula is taken around exercise pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov .

Sources: Carefully selected clinical trials and reviews (PubMed/DOI) on the use of essential amino acids in sports, including BCAA/EAA combinations. Each conclusion is supported by the corresponding references. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov researchgate.net pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov . Neutral or no effect results are also mentioned to provide a complete overview.

Clinical study: 9 amino acid supplements

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