The supplement industry is an ever-evolving one, sometimes in a frustrating manner. Years ago branched chain amino acid (BCAA) supplements were all the rage. They were third in line in most lifters’ supplement stack behind a protein powder and a pre-workout supplement. Now, new research suggests that BCAA supplements are virtually useless! Leucine, one of the branched chain amino acids, is responsible for protein synthesis, but elevating protein synthesis without all nine essential amino acids (EAA) present doesn’t really do anything.
I once heard someone say that taking a BCAA supplement is like flipping on a light switch but there’s no electricity. You have the switch in the form of leucine, but lack the electricity without the full amino acid blend. The only reason to really take a BCAA supplement is in conjunction with a meal that may be lacking leucine. But for something that runs about 25 to $30, I imagine you’d want to get more out of that product.
As a result, knowledgeable supplement users have focused their attention towards an EAA supplement rather than a BCAA supplement. The market has caught on and more companies are offering these products. Keep in mind that a good EAA supplement will still contain the three BCAA’s in sufficient amounts.
Typically an EAA supplement is taken during a workout. The idea is to have an easily digestible form of amino acids that get right into the bloodstream. Digestibility is a key component, which is why you would use an EAA supplement rather than a protein shake. Protein shakes would take longer to digest and may cause gastrointestinal distress. Obviously this is not something you want during your training session. The advantage of the EAA supplement is that it has a similar, if not better, amino acid blend than the shake coupled with the rapid digestibility. As blood flows towards the muscles during your workout, you are providing the raw materials for muscle growth and recovery.
Below are the top five EAA supplements that are readily available online or in stores. There is a mom and pop supplement store in my area called Jersey Shore supplements that offers some products that are really cool that are made locally. But after all, what good is a high-quality product if you can’t get your hands on it? You should have no problem finding any of the recommendations from this list.
1. Man Sports ISO EAA
This is my go-to essential amino acid supplement. It, along with the other supplements on this list, contains no proprietary blends. In other words, there is full disclosure on the product label in terms of the ingredients and the amount. ISO EAA contains all nine essential amino acids in sufficient amounts plus a full serving of glutamine. Glutamine is considered a conditionally essential amino acid. Your body can make glutamine, but active individuals typically need a little more.
The potency of the nine essential aminos is what separates this from the other products. There is no pixie dusting, a.k.a ingredients added to a product in such low amount that they are virtually useless.
Most of the products on this list will have some additional goodies in addition to the amino acids, and ISO EAA is no different. It has a full spectrum of electrolytes and minerals, along with vitamin A and vitamin C.
The price point is reasonable given the quality of the product. Depending on where you get it, a 30 serving container will run about $35. It has no artificial colors, so the product will mix nice and clear in your shaker cup. Taste is subjective of course, but my favorite flavor is apple juice followed by Jolly watermelon.
2. NutraBio Intra Blast
NutraBio’s Intra Blast has a similar amino acid profile to ISO EAA, just a bit less potent. It does not have the comprehensive mineral and electrolyte formula that ISO EAA has, but it does contain Betaine and Ornithine, two ingredients designed for workout performance and decreasing time to fatigue. You could argue that Intra Blast has better additions than ISO EAA. But since we are ranking essential amino acid supplements, I felt it was right to put the more potent EAA formula at number one. Intra blast also has a higher cost per serving (again depending on where you get it, sales, etc). Regardless you can’t go wrong with either product. It really depends on what you value more, a slightly better EAA profile with electrolytes and minerals, or a slightly lesser EAA profile with better ingredients for workout performance.
3. Core Nutritionals Intra Full Spectrum Intraworkout
The good news about this product is that it is the most comprehensive formula on the list. The bad news about this product is that it has the most comprehensive formula on the list. Some people want an all-in-one product while others may already be getting certain ingredients from other supplements.
Core Nutritionals Intra Workout contains 20 grams of carbohydrates, half of which are from cyclic dextrin. Cyclic dextrin is considered to be the best supplemental form of carbohydrates due to its high molecular weight and low osmolality. This allows it to enter and exit the stomach quickly and get right into the bloodstream.
You’ll also find a full dose of beta alanine for muscular endurance along with glycerol for hydration and muscle pumps. The amino acid profile is a bit top-heavy: the BCAAs, lysine and threonine are adequately dosed but the rest are pretty weak.
Due to its comprehensive formula, this product has the highest price point of any other on the list. Again, if you’re looking for an all-in-one intra workout supplement, then look no further. It would be hard to beat a product with cyclic dextrin, beta alanine, and a reasonable amino acid profile with all 9 eaa’s. But if you’re a person with a large supplement stack just looking to add an essential amino acid product, it would be more economical to look elsewhere.
4. NutraBio Alpha EAA
NutraBio has about a million skus in their product line. But they make solid products, which is why they appear twice on the list. The Alpha EAA product is slightly lesser than the intra blast or ISO EAA, but it’s still high quality product. It is one that I’ve used multiple times in the past, and certainly don’t regret the purchase (Dragonfruit flavor is typically what I go for).
What differentiates Alpha EAA from the others is its nootropic blend. Alpha EAA contains a full serving of Alpha GPC, which is shown to improve cognitive function and power output. It also contains ashwagandha, which is a bit puzzling since ashwagandha can potentially lower cortisol. On the surface this might seem like a good thing, but an elevation of cortisol is a signal that you likely had an intense and productive workout. The body responds to this elevation by building new muscle during the recovery process. So hampering this process theoretically would throw a wrench into the muscle building aspects of the workout.
If you are a fan of the enhanced focused aspect of supplements, you might want to give this one a shot.
5. Nutrex EAA+ Hydration
Nutrex has gone through an impressive metamorphosis with their product line. Historically, their products just weren’t very good. There were lots of proprietary blends and underdosed supplements. Now they’ve done a complete 180 and actually have a really nice array of supplements in their arsenal. They make one of my favorite pre-workouts, Outlift.
Nutrex’s EAA supplement is not otherworldly, but it’s a solid formulation. It contains all nine essential amino acids in a non-proprietary formula, along with some electrolytes. All of this runs for about $1 per serving.