EAAs Research
40 peer-reviewed studies · Evidence score: 7.5/10
Peri-operative protein or amino acid supplementation for total joint arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Khani Y et al. • Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research (2025)
Protein and amino acid supplementation can reduce muscle atrophy in hip or knee arthroplasty patients.
- Essential amino acids (EAA) significantly reduced muscle atrophy in quadriceps femoris muscle mass (SMD: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.95) and hamstring muscle mass (SMD: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.52 to 1.55).
- Protein and amino acid supplementation can reduce muscle atrophy in hip or knee arthroplasty patients.
- While effects on muscle strength and function are mixed, intravenous supplementation offers benefits.
The effect of the diet of nitrogen-free analogs of essential amino acids on chronic kidney disease deterioration: A meta-analysis
Yang W • Therapeutic apheresis and dialysis : official peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy (2022)
The very low-protein diets supplemented with nitrogen-free analogs had significantly better kidney functions results compared to the conventional low-protein diets in subjects with chronic kidney disease.
- The very low-protein diets supplemented with nitrogen-free analogs had significantly better kidney functions results compared to the conventional low-protein diets in subjects with chronic kidney disease.
- Further studies are required to validate these findings.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Mushroom Consumption and Cardiovascular Health: A Systematic Review
Krittanawong C et al. • The American journal of medicine (2021)
Edible mushroom consumption has not been shown to conclusively affect cardiovascular risk factors to date.
- Edible mushroom consumption has not been shown to conclusively affect cardiovascular risk factors to date.
- However, potential health benefits may exist, including a favorable alteration of lipid profiles and blood pressure reduction.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Comparison of the effect of soya protein and whey protein on body composition: a meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials
Piri Damaghi M et al. • The British journal of nutrition (2022)
Whey protein supplementation significantly improved body composition via increases in lean body mass, without influencing fat mass, body mass and body fat percentage.
- Thus, we sought to perform a meta-analysis of published randomised clinical trials that examined the effect of whey protein supplementation and soya protein supplementation on body composition (lean body mass, fat mass, body mass and body fat percentage) in adults.
- We found a significant increase in lean body mass after whey protein supplementation (weighted mean difference (WMD: 0·91; 95 % CI 0·15, 1·67; P = 0·019).
- We observed no significant change between whey protein supplementation and body mass, fat mass and body fat percentage.
The effect of oral nutritional supplement on muscle fitness of patients undergoing dialysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Lu Y et al. • Journal of advanced nursing (2021)
A mixture of macronutrients and an intervention duration as long as 48 weeks had some significant effects on improving lean body mass of patients undergoing dialysis.
- A mixture of macronutrients and an intervention duration as long as 48 weeks had some significant effects on improving lean body mass of patients undergoing dialysis.
- No effect of oral nutritional supplement on muscle strength or physical performance were found but with limited evidence.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Skeletal muscle hypertrophy rewires glucose metabolism: An experimental investigation and systematic review
Baumert P et al. • Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle (2024)
Understanding the mechanisms that regulate skeletal muscle mass will help in developing effective treatments for muscle weakness.
- Like the hypertrophy stimulation with IGF-1 in myotubes in vitro, the concentration of the dipeptide l-carnosine was decreased by 26.6% (P = 0.001) during skeletal muscle growth in vivo.
- However, phosphorylated sugar (glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate or glucose-1-phosphate) decreased by 32.2% (P = 0.004) in the overloaded muscle in vivo while increasing in the IGF-1-stimulated myotubes in vitro.
- We demonstrated that labelled carbon from [U-13C6]glucose is increasingly incorporated by ~13% (P = 0.001) into the non-essential amino acids in hypertrophying myotubes, which is accompanied by an increased depletion of media serine (P = 0.006).
Effects of Insect Consumption on Human Health: A Systematic Review of Human Studies
Cunha N et al. • Nutrients (2023)
Insect protein is an adequate protein source with promising health benefits; however, further research is needed to fully understand its potential and optimise its inclusion into the human diet.
- The effects on inflammatory markers and microbiota composition were inconclusive and the studies did not show significant effects on appetite regulation.
- Allergenicity assessments revealed a sensitisation and cross-reactivity between insect allergens and known allergens.
- A partial reduction of cross-allergenicity was observed via thermal processing.
Effect of citrulline on post-exercise rating of perceived exertion, muscle soreness, and blood lactate levels: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Rhim HC et al. • Journal of sport and health science (2020)
Citrulline supplements significantly reduced post-exercise RPE and muscle soreness without affecting blood lactate levels.
- Citrulline supplementation significantly reduced RPE (n = 7, p = 0.03) and muscle soreness 24-h and 48-h after post-exercise (n = 7, p = 0.04; n = 6, p = 0.25, respectively).
- However, citrulline supplementation did not significantly reduce muscle soreness 72-h post-exercise (n = 4, p = 0.62) or lower blood lactate levels (n = 8, p = 0.17).
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
The effect of protein and essential amino acid supplementation on muscle strength and performance in patients with chronic heart failure: a systematic review
Nichols S et al. • European journal of nutrition (2020)
The limited quality of the studies makes firm conclusions difficult, however protein and/or EAA supplementation may improve important outcome measures related to sarcopenia.
- The limited quality of the studies makes firm conclusions difficult, however protein and/or EAA supplementation may improve important outcome measures related to sarcopenia.
- High-quality randomised controlled studies are needed.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
The potential role of beef and nutrients found in beef on outcomes of wellbeing in healthy adults 50 years of age and older: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Hawley AL et al. • Meat science (2022)
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- Physical function was also influenced by beef and nutrients found in beef.
- Eight of the studies found focused on specific nutrients found in beef, and not beef itself in older adults with one or more chronic diseases.
- This study identified a need for further research regarding the effect of beef and nutrients found in beef on defined functional outcomes of wellbeing in healthy adults ≥50 years of age.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd.
A systematic review of the effect of L-tryptophan supplementation on mood and emotional functioning
Kikuchi AM et al. • Journal of dietary supplements (2021)
In order to estimate the optimum amount of TRP intake more accurately, further studies need to be conducted with more appropriate settings of intake period, intake frequency, and intake method.
- This suggests that TRP intake may be an effective approach to decrease anxiety and increase positive mood in healthy individuals.
- On the other hand, the effectiveness of TRP for aggressive feelings was not recognized.
- Reviewing these 11 RCTs, we concluded that taking 0.14-3 g of TRP per day in addition to the usual meal can be expected to improve the mood of healthy individuals.
Difference between kwashiorkor and marasmus: Comparative meta-analysis of pathogenic characteristics and implications for treatment
Pham TP et al. • Microbial pathogenesis (2021)
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- This was consistent with the fact that antibiotics improved survival only in children with kwashiorkor but not marasmus.
- The specific pathogenic characteristics of kwashiorkor identified in this review open new avenues to develop more targeted and effective treatments for both marasmus and/or kwashiorkor.
- All rights reserved.
Exercise Programs Combined with Diet Supplementation Improve Body Composition and Physical Function in Older Adults with Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review
Hernández-Lepe MA et al. • Nutrients (2023)
This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO, ID: CRD42022344284.
- A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review.
- Regular resistance exercise together with daily essential amino acids or whey protein and vitamin D supplementation improve the maintenance or gains in appendiceal/skeletal muscle mass and total lean mass in sarcopenic older adults.
- The data suggest a synergistic effect not only on the primary outcome, but also on other variables such as strength, speed, stability, and other indicators of quality of life.
Effects of Protein, Essential Amino Acids, B-Hydroxy B-Methylbutyrate, Creatine, Dehydroepiandrosterone and Fatty Acid Supplementation on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Physical Performance in Older People Aged 60 Years and Over. A Systematic Review on the Literature
Beaudart C et al. • The journal of nutrition, health & aging (2018)
This systematic review showed a limited effect of nutritional supplementation on muscle mass, muscle power and physical function.
- This systematic review showed a limited effect of nutritional supplementation on muscle mass, muscle power and physical function.
- Inconsistent positive effects were observed for some specific supplementations but the results only concerned one aspect of the muscle.
- Well designed and appropriately powered RCTs are needed to provide evidence for appropriate clinical recommendations.
Impact of supplementation with amino acids or their metabolites on muscle wasting in patients with critical illness or other muscle wasting illness: a systematic review
Wandrag L et al. • Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association (2015)
High-quality research is required in critical care before treatment recommendations can be made.© 2014 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.
- Methodologies, interventions and outcome measures used were highly heterogeneous and meta-analysis was not appropriate.
- Methodology and quality of studies were too varied to draw any firm conclusion.
- Dietary manipulation with leucine enriched essential amino acids (EAA), β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate and creatine warrant further investigation in critical care; EAA has demonstrated improvements in body composition and nutritional status in other groups with muscle wasting illness.
Nutritional interventions to improve muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in older people: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Gielen E et al. • Nutrition reviews (2021)
Best evidence is available to recommend leucine, because it has a significant effect on muscle mass in elderly people with sarcopenia.
- Best evidence is available to recommend leucine, because it has a significant effect on muscle mass in elderly people with sarcopenia.
- Protein supplementation on top of resistance training is recommended to increase muscle mass and strength, in particular for obese persons and for ≥ 24 weeks.
- Effects on sarcopenia as a construct were not reported in the included reviews.
Are Supplemental Branched-Chain Amino Acids Beneficial During the Oncological Peri-Operative Period: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Cogo E et al. • Integrative cancer therapies (2021)
Branched-chain amino acids during the oncological surgical period demonstrated promise in reducing important post-operative morbidity from infections and ascites compared to controls.
- Among 13 RCTs, 77% involved liver cancer.
- Branched-chain amino acids during the oncological surgical period demonstrated promise in reducing important post-operative morbidity from infections and ascites compared to controls.
- Blinded, placebo-controlled confirmatory trials of higher methodological quality are warranted, especially using oral, short-term BCAAs-enriched supplements within the context of recent ERAS programs.
Nutrition and physical activity in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia: systematic review
Beaudart C et al. • Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA (2017)
Physical exercise has a positive impact on muscle mass and muscle function in healthy subjects aged 60 years and older.
- In 79% of the studies (27/34 RCTs), muscle mass increased with exercise but an additional effect of nutrition was only found in 8 RCTs (23.5%).
- Muscle strength increased in 82.8% of the studies (29/35 RCTs) following exercise intervention, and dietary supplementation showed additional benefits in only a small number of studies (8/35 RCTS, 22.8%).
- Finally, the majority of studies showed an increase of physical performance following exercise intervention (26/28 RCTs, 92.8%) but interaction with nutrition supplementation was only found in 14.3% of these studies (4/28 RCTs).
Balanced Essential Amino Acids as Synergistic Therapeutic Agents in Resistance Training: Mechanistic and Clinical Perspectives on Muscle and Metabolic Health
Jang J, Wolfe RR, Kim IY. • Nutrients (2026)
Collectively, current evidence underscores the potential of balanced EAAs, particularly when combined with resistance training, as a safe, effective, and translationally relevant nutritional strategy to preserve and enhance muscle and metabolic health across healthy and clinical populations.
- Dietary EAAs serve as precursors and signaling molecules for the synthesis of new muscle proteins (both contractile and mitochondrial) and stimulate neuromuscular junction remodeling.
- Furthermore, EAAs consumed in the post-absorptive state improve endurance capacity via stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis (independent of PGC1-α) and mitochondrial dynamics (mitochondrial protein synthesis and fission).
- Collectively, current evidence underscores the potential of balanced EAAs, particularly when combined with resistance training, as a safe, effective, and translationally relevant nutritional strategy to preserve and enhance muscle and metabolic health across healthy and clinical populations.
Essential amino acids in celiac disease: key roles in immunogenicity, pathogenesis, and therapeutic approaches
Bakhtiari S et al. • Critical reviews in clinical laboratory sciences (2026)
This review examines the interplay between EAAs and CD pathogenesis, highlighting their roles in immune modulation, gut barrier maintenance, systemic metabolic effects, and potential as disease biomarkers.
- EAA imbalances may serve as biomarkers for disease activity, severity, and treatment response.
- Altered plasma and fecal amino acid profiles correlate with disease progression, offering diagnostic and monitoring potential.
- Addressing EAA deficiencies through targeted supplementation or dietary interventions could enhance intestinal healing, mitigate complications, and improve outcomes beyond a gluten-free diet (GFD).