EAA (essential amino acids)

What it is

EAA is a blend of the essential amino acids, the ones the body cannot make for itself and has to take in from food. Supplied together they provide the complete set needed to build muscle protein, and because they are already in free form they are absorbed faster than intact protein, which has to be digested first. The blend is used around training for physical performance.

A usual adult range, not a national label — the dose and the timing differ by country and by product.

Used for

• Physical performance

Approved uses differ by country — some of these may be off-label or unapproved where you live.

What to know while taking it

It can be taken with food or without. Its practical role is as a stopgap when appetite is down, during illness, travel, a strict diet or recovery from surgery, and daily protein intake slips; the label warning is about exactly that, because amino acids top up protein intake rather than replace it. Whole protein also brings energy, minerals and a feeling of fullness that a drink does not. Free amino acids taste bitter and are absorbed quickly, so a concentrated serving on an empty stomach can cause nausea or loose stools.

When to see a doctor

An appetite that stays poor, or weight coming off without trying, is a reason to see a doctor rather than to keep topping up with amino acids, and existing kidney or liver disease is worth discussing before adding a concentrated protein load.

Worth knowing

• Keep protein intake up while appetite is low