EAA + Suero de Leche, ¿tiene un efecto más anabólico?

EAA + whey protein, does it have a more anabolic effect?

A mixture of a few grams of whey protein, a few grams of free essential amino acids (EAA), and one gram of creatine may have a greater anabolic effect on muscle hypertrophy than a shake containing a reasonable amount of the old, familiar whey protein, according to a study by American researchers published this year in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Protein powders are popular dietary supplements for increasing lean body mass, or more specifically muscle mass, by stimulating protein synthesis, as everyone knows. Supplementation with isolated proteins can take the form of protein-enriched prepared foods or pure proteins.

Whey protein isolate is the most popular pure protein supplement and, according to many, has the most intense anabolic effect, while EAAs are the main “active” components of dietary protein. EAAs cannot be produced by the body, but they are highly effective at stimulating muscle protein synthesis. Science has already shown that the muscle protein synthesis response after ingesting a free EAA composition is more than twice the response to consuming a comparable dose, gram for gram, of whey protein isolate.

Why add free-form EAAs?

The greater anabolic impact of free-form EAAs can be attributed to the more rapid increase in plasma concentrations after ingestion, as well as higher peak concentrations. In addition, EAA supplements can be formulated to address altered metabolic conditions, such as aging and immune-system function.

Although dietary supplements containing or made with EAAs have distinct advantages, isolated proteins, such as whey protein isolate, also have potential benefits. The protein synthetic response to consuming an isolated protein lasts longer than the response to free-form EAAs because the amino acids in the isolated protein are absorbed more slowly.

In addition, it has been proposed that the peptides formed during the digestion of isolated proteins, particularly whey protein, have unique nutritional benefits. On the other hand, taste preferences may also favor isolated protein; therefore, the concept of a nutritional composition combining the anabolic effect of free-form EAAs and isolated protein is appealing.

Combining nutrients: a scientific application

The researchers provided 8 test subjects with a shake containing 18 grams of whey protein; immediately beforehand and several times afterward, small muscle-tissue samples were taken to determine muscle protein production resulting from the whey intake. In the same study, the test subjects received 6.3 grams of a cocktail composed of free-form EAAs, whey protein, and creatine; the researchers measured the muscle-building anabolic effect of this cocktail in the same way.

The results showed that during the first 4 hours after administration of the 6.3-gram cocktail, muscle protein production increased approximately to the level achieved with 17.9 grams of whey protein. On another occasion, these 8 subjects received double the previous dose, namely 12.6 grams of the same combination of free-form EAAs, whey protein, and creatine.

As a result, it was observed that this combination had a considerably greater anabolic effect on muscle development than whey alone. Within the scientific context, it was concluded that there is an interactive effect between free-form EAAs and whey protein, making their combination highly anabolic—approximately 3 to 6 times greater compared with a supplement based solely on whey protein.

Do you need more when you work harder?

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