7 Best EAA Supplements in 2024

Essential amino acid supplements combine the 9 amino acids you need to get through your diet into one convenient package. If you’re interested, we’ll be covering the best EAA supplements available today.

It’s worth noting that while they’re likely not necessary for those who get enough complete protein through their diet, they can be beneficial for vegans, older people, and endurance athletes.

Our team of certified nutritionists and professional athletes has reviewed 20+ products and 7 of the best ones made it to this list. We’ve based our evaluations on 5 key factors and we have spent 15 hours testing most of these products out.

Additionally, we have also analyzed hundreds of online user reviews. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section because our list is regularly updated.

Top 7 Best EAA Supplements Reviewed

1. INTRA by Transparent Labs – Top Pick
2. THE EAAs by MyProtein – Best for Very High-Intensity Training
3. EAA by BulkSupplements – Budget Pick
4. Dymatize All9 Amino – Best with Vitamins
5. GNC Pro Performance Essential Amino
6. Naked EAAs
7. EAA SURGE by Jacked Factory – Best Tasting EAAs

Product	Total	EAAs per Serving (g)	Taste/ Flavor	Nutrition Label Transparency	Third Party Testing	Value for Money
Transparent Labs	48.5	9	9.5	10	10	10
MyProtein	48	9	9.5	10	9.5	10
BulkSupplements	47.5	10	8.5	9.5	9	10
Dymatize	47.5	10	9	9.5	10	9
GNC	47.5	10	9	9.5	9.5	9.5
Naked Nutrition	47	10	8.5	9.5	9.5	9.5
Jacked Factory	46.5	9	9.5	9.5	9.5	9

Starting our list of the best essential amino acid supplements is Intra by Transparent Labs, which is a brand known for consistent quality across all the supplements they produce. While this isn’t a dedicated EAA supplement, it combines a solid dose of EAAs with several high-quality active ingredients.

This is one of the lower-dosed supplements on our list with 6,700mg of EAAs total. Most of these EAAs are BCAAs with 5,000mg total of Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine, dosed at a 2:1:1 ratio. 

As mentioned there’s also a solid amount of active ingredients here, namely Citrulline Malate, Taurine, and Betaine. While Citrulline Malate has been shown to help with endurance performance, the 2g dose included here is likely too low to produce any meaningful effects.

Taurine is also thought to help with endurance performance, and its 2g dose here is likely adequate for noticeable effects. Finally, betaine helps with force production and recovery, and the 1.25g dose included here should be effective. 

Like all Transparent Labs’ products, Intra is made without any artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives. It’s also Informed Choice certified, which makes Transparent Labs one of the cleanest EAA supplements available. It’s worth noting that this product offers a fairly limited flavor variety with only 2 options to choose from. 

This is also one of the more expensive products on our list at ~$1.65 per serving. While Intra is fairly low in total EAAs, we believe this is still solid value for money considering the high-quality formula and active ingredients.

Taking the runner-up spot on our list of the best essential amino acids is The EAAs by MyProtein. We believe this will be the best option for intense training mainly because of the inclusion of Tart Cherry Powder, along with a solid dose of EAAs. 

First, you can expect 7,355mg of total EAAs in this supplement. Similar to Transparent Labs, about half of these are dedicated to BCAAs, with 3,984mg total. It’s worth noting that MyProtein doesn’t have the standard 2:1:1 ratio, instead having a rough 5:1:1 ratio of Leucine to Valine and Isoleucine. 

While MyProtein doesn’t have the same amount of active ingredients as Transparent Labs, it does have the unique inclusion of Tart Cherry Powder, dosed at 500mg per serving. This has been shown to be moderately effective at aiding recovery from strenuous exercise, making it a solid added ingredient here.

Unlike the top spot on our list, MyProtein does use artificial ingredients like sucralose to flavor its products. While this won’t be a major issue for most, keep this in mind if you prefer to avoid artificial ingredients. With this being said, there’s a good amount of flavor variety on offer here with 4 different options to choose from.  

Finally, at ~$1.33 per serving, this is similarly pricy to Transparent Labs, being one of the more expensive options on our list. However, considering the addition of a beneficial ingredient like Tart Cherry Powder, this is still a great option.

Next on our list is a much simpler EAA powder than our top 2 picks. While Bulk Supplements offers a fairly barebones EAA supplement, it’s also the cheapest supplement on our list making it our top budget pick. 

While Bulk Supplements lists the total EAA content of this supplement as 10,000mg per serving, one of the major downsides is that it doesn’t list the total amount of BCAAs. This means it’s impossible to know what the ratio is, as well as exactly how much of each amino acid you’re getting. 

This is also the first supplement on our list to not contain any additional components beyond EAAs. However, it is completely free of any artificial ingredients. Also, like most of Bulk Supplements offerings, this product only comes unflavored. 

Finally, as mentioned, this is easily the cheapest supplement on our list at only ~$0.33 per serving. Note that this price is for the 1kg bag, with the 100g, 250g, and 500g options all being more expensive. However, if you want to buy in bulk, a 5kg bag will be slightly cheaper than the 1kg option.

Next on our list is Dymatize’s All9 Amino supplement which is the first supplement on our list to contain a solid amount of vitamins alongside its amino acids. 

First, at 10,000mg of total EAAs, this supplement has one of the highest doses on our list. Keep in mind that the majority of these come from BCAAs with a total dose of 7.2g. It contains 3.6g of Leucine, for a standard 2:1:1 ratio, although this isn’t readily apparent from the nutritional info.

As mentioned, you can expect a good amount of vitamins in each serving of Dymatize’s supplement. While this won’t replace a multivitamin supplement, you can expect a solid amount of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12 just to name a few. 

Similar to MyProtein, Dymatize uses artificial sweeteners such as sucralose to flavor their products. However, there’s a decent amount of flavor variety available here with 3 different options to choose from. 

Finally, at ~$1.33 per serving, this comes at a similar price point to Transparent Labs and MyProtein. With the inclusion of several vitamins and a solid total dose of EAAs, this is a good overall pick, even if it doesn’t contain as many active ingredients as some of the other options on our list.

Next up is GNC’s Pro Performance EAA supplement. Along with a similarly high dose of EAAs to Dymatize and Bulk Supplements, this is the only option to contain some additional caffeine in certain flavors. 

In each serving of GNC’s Pro Performance, you can expect 10g total of EAAs. This is split evenly, containing 5g of BCAAs, dosed at a 2:1:1 ratio. 

Although most flavors of GNC’s supplement don’t contain any additional active ingredient, the Raspberry Iced Tea flavor contains an extra boost of caffeine. Each serving of this flavor comes with 100mg of caffeine. Although this certainly isn’t as strong as most pre-workouts, this is still a solid mild boost of stimulation. 

As with many of the products on our list, be aware that GNC does use the artificial sweetener sucralose in their formula. Also, with 5 different flavors to choose from, they offer some of the best flavor variety on our list. 

At ~$1.17 per serving, this is around the same price range as Transparent Labs, MyProtein, and Dymatize, although it is a bit cheaper than these 3 options. Especially considering the added boost of caffeine in some flavors, this is a great deal.

Next up is a very simple EAA supplement from Naked Nutrition. Similar to Bulk Supplements, you’ll be getting a no-nonsense that offers some of the best value for money on our list. 

Each serving contains 9,250mg of EAAs, which is a solid dose based on the other supplements on our list. About half of this is BCAAs for a total dose of 4,800mg dosed at an optimal 2:1:1 ratio. 

As with BulkSupplements, this is as basic as it gets containing nothing more than EAAs. While this supplement doesn’t contain any unnecessary artificial ingredients, there’s also no flavor variety here with your only option being unflavored. 

Despite a simple formula and lack of flavor variety, you’ll be getting a great deal with this supplement. Each serving will cost you about ~$0.64, making this the second most affordable supplement on our list. While this is much more than BulkSupplements, it’s also significantly cheaper than the rest of the choices on our list.

Finishing off our list is Jacked Factory’s EAA supplement, which are some of the best-tasting EAAs available – even if they fall short in some key areas. 

First, at 6,700mg of EAAs per serving, this is one of the lowest-dosed supplements on our list, having the same total amount as Transparent Labs. However, similar to BulkSupplements, this supplement doesn’t list the individual doses of each amino acid. Especially with BCAAs, this may be a major downside for some. 

Jacked Factory also contains 2g each of Citrulline Malate and Taurine. These are similar doses to what you’ll find in Transparent Labs’ Intra. As we said for that product too, while this should be a beneficial dose of Taurine, this is far too little Citrulline Malate to produce any meaningful effects. 

As with many of the options on our list, this product is made with sucralose if this is something you prefer to avoid. Also, as mentioned, this product delivers a good amount of flavor variety with 5 choices available. 

Finally, at ~$1.65 per serving, this is also the most expensive option on our list. Especially considering some of the flaws with this product, it’s tough to justify such a high price tag.

Who May Benefit From Adding an EEA Supplement to Their Diet?

If you’re planning on using amino acid supplements for muscle growth, it’s important to remember that EAA supplements won’t benefit everybody. If you’re getting adequate dietary intake of complete protein sources, supplementing with EAAs likely won’t make a major difference.

However, several groups can benefit from using these supplements. Whether it’s because of age, dietary restrictions, or training demands, below we’ll be covering a few reasons why EAA supplementation may be beneficial. 

1. Older Individuals

Older individuals are likely to benefit from the use of EAAs for several reasons, namely from potential limiting factors related to protein intake like appetite and difficulty chewing tough protein sources.

EAAs are thought to be a beneficial supplement for older people as a means to increase total complete protein intake, which may in turn manage sarcopenia and improve muscle mass, strength, and function. 

With all this being said, EAAs will not be any more beneficial than whey protein powder for these populations. If older people are struggling with adequate protein intake, whey will simply provide more overall benefits than EAAs. 

2. Vegans

Although it’s possible to get plenty of complete protein through a vegan diet, this may be a challenge if you’re not actively keeping track of what you’re eating. In this case, EAA supplements can be an effective way to ensure you’re getting enough total amino acids in your diet. 

With this being said, we always recommend prioritizing dietary protein intake above supplements like EAA. While EAAs will be beneficial if you’re not getting enough complete protein through your diet, you’ll likely notice similar benefits from just eating more high-quality protein.

Whether this is from a protein powder or adjusting your diet, we strongly recommend upping your total protein intake instead of relying on supplements like EAAs.

With that being said, you can still do both! Seek to consume an adequate amount of quality protein as well as supplement with EAAs to optimize total amino acid intake. 

3. Endurance Athletes With Prolonged Exercise

Finally, EAAs may be beneficial for endurance athletes, especially if they’re going through intense training periods and limiting their caloric intake. In this case, EAA supplementation can help them maintain a caloric deficit while still providing their bodies with the necessary amount of EAAs to maintain optimal performance. 

Also, ultra-endurance athletes will likely benefit from the use of EAAs alongside carbs and electrolytes during their training. 

With that being said, if you are a competitive endurance athlete, it may be a good idea to consult with a sports nutritionist about the use of EAAs to develop an effective strategy for optimizing your performance.

How to Choose the Best Eaa Supplement?

If you’ve decided that EAA supplements are right for you, there are a few factors you’ll want to consider before buying a product. These include total doses of amino acids and active ingredients, as well as what users are saying about the taste of the product. 

1. Look for EAAs per Serving

First, arguably the most important factor to consider is how many EAAs you’ll be getting per serving. Most of the products on our list fall between 7-10g of EAAs per serving, which should be sufficient to supplement your dietary protein intake. 

You’ll also want to consider the total amount of BCAAs included in your EAA supplement. Another thing to look out for is the optimal ratio of Leucine to Isoleucine and Valine, which should be around 2:1:1. 

2. Consider Additional Ingredients

Next, many of the products on our list contain some additional ingredients including citrulline, taurine, betaine, tart cherry powder, and caffeine. While none of these are necessary, they can be a nice bonus to help with your performance or recovery. 

By understanding the additional ingredients included in your EAA supplement, you can make a more informed decision about which is right for you. With that being said, you may also choose to avoid any additional ingredients to prioritize the potential benefits of EAAs on their own. 

3. Consider User Feedback on Taste

Finally, it’s always a good idea to see what people are saying about the flavor of any given supplement. The best way to do this is to read the user reviews and see if people generally enjoy the supplement, or if they seem to dislike the taste. 

With this being said, taste is largely subjective, so it’s difficult to say if you’ll enjoy the flavor of a supplement even if many other people do. However, user reviews are generally a good way to gauge how a supplement will taste.

Is EAA Better Than BCAA?

For muscle growth - YES. Because EAAs include the 3 branched-chain amino acids alongside the other 6 essential amino acids, they are generally a more complete supplement when compared with BCAAs.

As a result, those struggling with their protein intake will likely be better off using the full spectrum of EAAs when compared with BCAAs only.

One specific use case of BCAAs are with endurance athletes, although they will likely benefit just as much from the use of EAAs high in BCAAs. 

With that being said, you may be better off using a high-quality whey protein powder over EAAs. This is because protein powders will generally provide you with significantly more protein per serving, as well as being significantly more affordable.

Also, there is plenty of evidence that shows whey protein is superior in stimulating muscle protein synthesis when compared to equivalent amounts of amino acids. 

Overall, while EAAs are likely better than BCAAs, whey protein is probably a better choice for most athletes. Of course, if your diet doesn’t allow the use of whey, you can still find plenty of high-quality plant-based protein powders which may also be a better choice than EAAs.

FAQ

What Is the Best Source of EAA?

While EAA supplements may be beneficial for certain populations, we generally recommend trying to optimize your dietary protein intake before relying on supplements like these. Also, if you are looking for a supplement to help you with protein intake, whey protein powder will likely be more beneficial overall.

Are EAA Supplements Effective?

Yes they are. If you are not getting an adequate intake of complete protein, then EAAs will be effective at supplementing your diet. With that being said, you will likely experience more benefits if you simply prioritize dietary intake of complete protein, or use a high-quality protein powder instead.

Is EAA Better Than Protein?

Especially for muscle protein synthesis, most people will benefit more from a high-quality whey protein supplement when compared to EAAs.

With that being said, there are certain cases where EAAs may be more beneficial, like when endurance athletes want to take intra-workout amino acid intake without taking in a heavy whey protein shake.

Conclusion

Overall, while EAAs certainly aren’t beneficial for everybody, they can be a useful supplement in certain circumstances. For example, endurance athletes looking for intra-workout aminos will benefit greatly from EAAs. Still, remember that whey will work better as a complete protein source, especially if your goal is muscle protein synthesis.

With that being said, if you’re interested in a high-quality EAA supplement, we recommend checking out INTRA by Transparent Labs, specifically for its high-quality formula, and the boost provided by its additional ingredients. We hope these EAA supplement reviews can help you make a more informed choice!

Have you ever used any EAA supplements? What’s your opinion on using EAAs vs. protein powder? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Also read:

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• Best Glutamine Supplement
• EAA vs BCAA
• BCAA vs Glutamine
• L-Glutamine Weight Loss
• Glutamine Foods
• Best Amino Acid Supplements
• Kaged Bcaa Review
• Cellucor Bcaa Sport Review

References

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3. Jenna M. Apicella, “The Effect of Betaine Supplementation on Performance and Muscle Mechanisms,” Master's Theses. 109. (2011).
4. Theocharis Ispoglou, et. al, “The efficacy of essential amino acid supplementation for augmenting dietary protein intake in older adults: implications for skeletal muscle mass, strength and function,” Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. (2020). 
5. Arny A. Ferrando, et. al, “International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Effects of essential amino acid supplementation on exercise and performance,” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Volume 20, Issue 1. (2023). 
6. Atsushi Kanda, et. al, “Post-exercise whey protein hydrolysate supplementation induces a greater increase in muscle protein synthesis than its constituent amino acid content,” Br J Nutr. Sep 28;110(6):981-7 (2013).