Top 7 Best EAA Supplements for Muscle Gain (2026)
01 · Best Overall✓ Label verified · Supplement Facts read Oct 11, 2026Best Overall: NAKED EAAs Unflavored
9.25 g of essential amino acids per serving with 2.4 g of leucine, every amount printed, and one other ingredient. The fullest dose on the list at $0.86 per 10 g of EAAs.
$39.99 · 50 servings (Amazon US, Oct 11, 2026)$0.80 per 10 g serving · $0.86 per 10 g of EAAs
Why it wins: all five scores, pros & cons, full label
- 9.25 g of EAAs per serving, the most on the list
- 2.4 g of leucine per serving
- Every amino acid amount printed
- Only one other ingredient
- 50 servings a tub at $0.86 per 10 g of EAAs
- No third-party testing statement
- Not NSF Certified for Sport
- Unflavored and bitter
- Two scoops per serving
- Servings
- 50 per 500 g tub
- EAAs per serving
- 9,250 mg (all nine essential amino acids)
- Leucine
- 2,400 mg
- Form
- Unflavored powder, vegan
- Serving
- 10 g (about 2 scoops)
- Other amounts
- Isoleucine, valine, lysine, threonine 1,200 mg each · methionine 900 mg · phenylalanine and histidine 450 mg each · tryptophan 250 mg
- Other ingredients
- Sunflower lecithin
- Testing
- No third-party testing statement on the label or listing
- Price
- $39.99 for 50 servings (Amazon US, Oct 11, 2026)
- Cost per 10 g EAAs
- $0.86
Our take — If you want essential amino acids in a dose that matches the research, this is the tub: 9.25 g with 2.4 g of leucine, all nine amounts printed, nothing added but sunflower lecithin. Take one serving around training or between meals that are low in protein. If you are drug-tested, buy Momentous for its certification. If you already eat enough protein, expect a small effect from any EAA product.
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07Who Wins Which Aspect
Sorted by overall SAC Product Score™ — the official ranking.
| # | Pick | Score | EAA Dose & Leucine30% | Label Transparency20% | Testing & Certification20% | Formula & Additives15% | Value15% | Cost Per Dose | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | | 9.1 | 9.51 | 10.01 | 7.5 | 9.51 | 9.03 | $0.80 / 10 g serving · $0.86 per 10 g of EAAs | Check price |
| 9.25 g of EAAs per serving, the most on the listNo third-party testing statement | |||||||||
| 02 | | 8.9 | 8.52 | 9.02 | 8.53 | 9.51 | 9.52 | $0.60 / 8 g scoop · $0.75 per 10 g of EAAs | Check price |
| 8 g of EAAs and about 3 g of leucine per scoop75% of the dose is BCAAs | |||||||||
| 03 | | 8.5 | 8.03 | 10.01 | 10.01 | 9.02 | 5.0 | $1.53 / scoop · $2.75 per 10 g of EAAs | Check price |
| NSF Certified for Sport for all lots$2.75 per 10 g of EAAs | |||||||||
| 04 | | 7.8 | 7.0 | 10.01 | 7.5 | 6.03 | 8.5 | $0.56 / scoop · $1.18 per 10 g of EAAs | Check price |
| Every amount printed for one and two scoops4.75 g of EAAs per scoop; two scoops needed | |||||||||
| 05 | | 7.6 | 7.5 | 10.01 | 7.5 | 9.02 | 3.5 | $1.83 / scoop · $3.66 per 10 g of EAAs | Check price |
| 2 g of leucine per scoop$3.66 per 10 g of EAAs | |||||||||
| 06 | | 7.5 | 7.0 | 4.03 | 8.53 | 9.51 | 10.01 | $0.48 / 10 g serving | Check price |
| $0.48 per 10 g, the cheapest hereProprietary blend: no amount for leucine or any other amino acid | |||||||||
| 07 | | 6.4 | 6.0 | 3.5 | 9.52 | 9.02 | 4.0 | $1.50 / 5-tablet serving · $3.00 per 10 g of blend | Check price |
| Tablets: no mixing, no tasteProprietary blend with no amounts | |||||||||
The Other 6, Ranked
- 02
Best Budget EAA: Nutricost EAA Powder Unflavored
8.9SAC Score™8 g of EAAs per scoop with about 3 g of leucine, a printed third-party testing statement and silica as the only other ingredient, for $0.75 per 10 g of EAAs.
StrongestFormula & Additives9.51WeakestEAA Dose & Leucine8.5- Servings
- 30 per tub
- EAAs per serving
- 8,000 mg
- Leucine
- Approx. 3,000 mg
All five scores, pros & cons, full label
What We Like- 8 g of EAAs and about 3 g of leucine per scoop
- Third-party testing stated on the label
- Silica is the only other ingredient
- $0.75 per 10 g of EAAs
What You Live With- 75% of the dose is BCAAs
- Methionine 10 mg and tryptophan 50 mg are token amounts
- BCAA amounts printed as 'approx.'
- Not NSF Certified for Sport
- Form
- Unflavored powder
- Serving
- 1 scoop (8 g)
- Other amounts
- Isoleucine and valine approx. 1,500 mg each · lysine HCl 800 mg · threonine 690 mg · phenylalanine 350 mg · histidine 100 mg · tryptophan 50 mg · methionine 10 mg
- Other ingredients
- Silica
- Testing
- 'Third party tested' printed on the label; GMP facility seal
- Price
- $17.95 for 30 servings (Amazon US, Oct 11, 2026)
- Cost per 10 g EAAs
- $0.75
Our take — For sixty cents a scoop you get 8 g of EAAs, plenty of leucine and a label that states third-party testing. Know what the 8 g is made of: 6 g of BCAAs and 2 g of everything else. If you want the other six amino acids in real amounts, NAKED is worth the extra few cents per serving.
- 03
Best Premium: NSF Certified for Sport: Momentous Vital Aminos
8.5SAC Score™The certified pick: NSF Certified for Sport for all lots, 2.5 g of leucine per scoop and every amount printed. You pay $2.75 per 10 g of EAAs for it.
StrongestLabel Transparency10.01WeakestValue5.0- Servings
- 30 per tub
- EAAs per serving
- 5,570 mg
- Leucine
- 2,500 mg
All five scores, pros & cons, full label
What We Like- NSF Certified for Sport for all lots
- 2.5 g of leucine per scoop
- Every amount printed
- No artificial sweeteners or colors
What You Live With- $2.75 per 10 g of EAAs
- 5.6 g of EAAs per scoop, under 6 g
- Methionine 50 mg and tryptophan 20 mg
- Flavored only
- Form
- Flavored powder (Tropical Punch)
- Serving
- 1 scoop (11.5 g)
- Other amounts
- Lysine HCl 725 mg · isoleucine and valine 625 mg each · threonine 375 mg · phenylalanine 350 mg · histidine HCl 300 mg · methionine 50 mg · tryptophan 20 mg
- Added
- Arginine 525 mg · alpha-ketoglutaric acid 470 mg · cystine 150 mg · tyrosine 30 mg
- Other ingredients
- Natural flavors, citric acid, malic acid, organic rebaudioside A, silica, beta-carotene (color), beet root (color)
- Certification
- NSF Certified for Sport, listing 1505442, all lots (nsfsport.com, Oct 11, 2026)
- Price
- $45.99 for 30 servings (Amazon US, Oct 11, 2026)
- Cost per 10 g EAAs
- $2.75
Our take — Momentous earns its place with one thing none of the cheaper tubs has: NSF Certified for Sport for every lot, confirmed at the certifier. The formula is leucine-heavy and openly labelled. It is also expensive per gram and a little short of 6 g per scoop, so if nobody tests you, NAKED gives you more amino acids for less.
- 04
Best Flavored: Xtend EAA + BCAA Mango
7.8SAC Score™A flavored EAA drink with electrolytes and every amount printed. One scoop holds 4.75 g of EAAs; the label itself recommends two a day. Sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
StrongestLabel Transparency10.01WeakestFormula & Additives6.0- Servings
- 40 per tub
- EAAs per serving
- 4,750 mg (9,500 mg per two scoops)
- Leucine
- 1.5 g (3 g per two scoops)
All five scores, pros & cons, full label
What We Like- Every amount printed for one and two scoops
- Electrolytes included
- $1.18 per 10 g of EAAs
- Zero sugar
What You Live With- 4.75 g of EAAs per scoop; two scoops needed
- Sucralose and acesulfame potassium
- Artificial flavors
- No testing statement
- Form
- Flavored powder (Mango)
- Serving
- 1 scoop (8.2 g); label recommends 2 a day
- Other amounts
- Isoleucine, valine and threonine 750 mg each · lysine HCl 650 mg · phenylalanine 200 mg · tryptophan 100 mg · histidine and methionine 25 mg each · arginine 250 mg
- Electrolytes
- Sodium 150 mg · potassium 120 mg per scoop
- Other ingredients
- Malic acid, natural and artificial flavors, citric acid, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, silicon dioxide, beta-carotene (color), calcium silicate, vegetable juice (color)
- Testing
- No third-party testing statement on the label or listing
- Price
- $22.39 for 40 servings (Amazon US, Oct 11, 2026)
- Cost per 10 g EAAs
- $1.18
Our take — Xtend EAA is honest on the panel and pleasant in the glass. Take two scoops for 9.5 g of EAAs and 3 g of leucine. If you avoid artificial sweeteners or want a certified product, look at Momentous; if you want the most amino acids per dollar, NAKED.
- 05
Best Naturally Sweetened: Kion Aminos Powder
7.6SAC Score™5 g of EAAs per scoop with 2 g of leucine, every amount printed, sweetened with stevia and monk fruit. The most expensive product on the list per gram.
StrongestLabel Transparency10.01WeakestValue3.5- Servings
- 30 per tub
- EAAs per serving
- 5,000 mg
- Leucine
- 2,000 mg
All five scores, pros & cons, full label
What We Like- 2 g of leucine per scoop
- All nine amounts printed
- Stevia and monk fruit, no artificial sweeteners
- Short ingredient list
What You Live With- $3.66 per 10 g of EAAs
- 5 g per scoop, under 6 g
- Tryptophan 3.5 mg
- No testing statement
- Form
- Flavored powder (Mixed Berry)
- Serving
- 1 scoop (6.6 g)
- Other amounts
- Lysine HCl 850 mg · isoleucine 550 mg · valine 500 mg · threonine 475 mg · phenylalanine 350 mg · methionine 200 mg · histidine 71.5 mg · tryptophan 3.5 mg
- Other ingredients
- Citric acid, natural flavors, malic acid, stevia leaf extract, monk fruit extract
- Testing
- No third-party testing statement on the label or listing
- Price
- $54.95 for 30 servings (Amazon US, Oct 11, 2026)
- Cost per 10 g EAAs
- $3.66
Our take — Kion Aminos does what it says with a tidy, natural formula. It ranks fifth because the dose is modest, nothing on the label speaks to testing, and the price per gram is the highest here. Buy it if the flavor and sweetener system are what you want; otherwise NAKED or Momentous give you more for the money.
- 06
Lowest Price per Gram: BulkSupplements EAA Powder 500 g
7.5SAC Score™The cheapest EAAs on the list at $0.48 per 10 g, unflavored, with one excipient. The catch is a proprietary blend: the panel names the nine amino acids and prints no amount for any of them.
StrongestValue10.01WeakestLabel Transparency4.0- Servings
- 50 per 500 g bag
- EAAs per serving
- 10 g proprietary blend
- Leucine
- Amount not printed (proprietary blend)
All five scores, pros & cons, full label
What We Like- $0.48 per 10 g, the cheapest here
- 10 g of amino acids per serving
- One other ingredient
- 50 servings a bag
What You Live With- Proprietary blend: no amount for leucine or any other amino acid
- NSF listing covers one lot of the 1 kg bag only
- Unflavored and bitter
- Teaspoon measure
- Form
- Unflavored powder
- Serving
- 4 tsp (about 10 g)
- Blend
- Leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine HCl, threonine, phenylalanine, methionine, histidine HCl, tryptophan
- Other ingredients
- Sunflower lecithin
- Certification
- NSF Certified for Sport lists one lot of the 1 kg bag (listing 1796669); the 500 g bag is not on the record
- Price
- $23.97 for 50 servings (Amazon US, Oct 11, 2026)
- Cost per 10 g EAAs
- $0.48
Our take — If you only want grams of amino acids for the least money, this is it. We rank it sixth because an EAA product that does not print its leucine amount asks you to trust the blend. Nutricost prints every amount for $0.75 per 10 g.
- 07
Best Tablets: BodyHealth PerfectAmino Coated Tablets 150 ct
6.4SAC Score™EAAs as tablets, NSF Certified for Sport for a listed lot. Five tablets hold a 5 g proprietary blend of nine amino acids and nucleotides, with no amount printed for any of them.
StrongestTesting & Certification9.52WeakestLabel Transparency3.5- Servings
- 30 per 150-tablet bottle
- Blend per serving
- 5 g 'EAA & NA Proprietary Blend'
- Leucine
- Amount not printed (proprietary blend)
All five scores, pros & cons, full label
What We Like- Tablets: no mixing, no taste
- NSF Certified for Sport for a listed lot
- No sweeteners, flavors or colors
What You Live With- Proprietary blend with no amounts
- At most 5 g per five tablets, part of it not amino acids
- $3.00 per 10 g of blend
- '99% utilized' is an unverified brand claim
- Form
- Coated tablets
- Serving
- 5 tablets
- Blend
- Leucine, valine, isoleucine, lysine HCl, phenylalanine, threonine, methionine, tryptophan, histidine, plus uridine, adenosine triphosphate, thymidine, adenine and three deoxynucleosides
- Other ingredients
- NutraPure (certified organic coating)
- Certification
- NSF Certified for Sport, listing 1807050, lot YF484A (nsfsport.com, Oct 11, 2026)
- Directions
- 5 tablets, 1 to 3 times daily
- Price
- $44.95 for 150 tablets (Amazon US, Oct 11, 2026)
- Cost per 10 g blend
- $3.00
Our take — PerfectAmino solves one problem, taste, and creates another: you cannot see what you are taking. If tablets are what you need, it is a defensible buy, lot number in hand. For anyone who can drink a powder, NAKED and Momentous print every amount and cost less per gram.
Muscle Growth In Four Short Lessons
Count grams of EAAs and grams of leucine.
The research doses are specific: 6 g of EAAs after training raised net muscle protein balance (Børsheim 2002), and the response keeps rising to about 15 to 18 g (Ferrando 2023). Look for 6 g or more per dose with at least 2 g of leucine, and check whether the number on the front is for one scoop or two.
Skip proprietary blends.
Two products here print a blend total and a list of names. That hides the leucine amount and how much of the blend is something else. Five of the seven print every amount, so you do not have to accept a closed label.
Protein first.
EAAs are the active part of protein. Total protein of about 1.6 g per kg a day is where the benefit of adding more levels off (Morton 2018). If your meals already get you there, expect little from an EAA tub; if they do not, a serving between meals or around training is a reasonable patch.
Ferrando 2023 (PMID 37800468); Børsheim 2002 (PMID 12217881); Morton 2018 (PMID 28698222).
Every product was scored 0 to 10 on five criteria and weighted to a composite; rank follows score. The largest share, 30 percent, goes to what a label serving delivers: grams of essential amino acids and grams of leucine, measured against the doses in the research (6 g after training in Børsheim 2002; a response that plateaus at 15 to 18 g in Ferrando 2023). Label transparency carries 20 percent, because a proprietary blend removes the one number you buy an EAA for. Testing is checked at the source: we searched NSF's Certified for Sport database for every product on Oct 11, 2026 and read the listing details. Formula and price per 10 g close the score. Every amino acid amount we cite was read from the product's own Supplement Facts photo. Prices are the featured Amazon US offer on Oct 11, 2026. We did not buy, mix or taste these products.
EAA Dose & Leucine · 30%
How many grams of essential amino acids a label serving delivers, and how much of it is leucine. Free-form EAAs stimulate muscle protein synthesis from small doses and the effect levels off at about 15 to 18 g (Ferrando 2023); 6 g after training raised net muscle protein balance in the classic trial (Børsheim 2002). A serving with 6 g or more of EAAs and at least 2 g of leucine scores highest. A proprietary blend that hides the leucine amount cannot.
Label Transparency · 20%
Whether the Supplement Facts panel prints an amount for each of the nine essential amino acids. A panel that lists all nine in milligrams scores 10. A proprietary blend with one total and a list of names scores low, because you cannot check the leucine dose or how much of the blend is something else.
Testing & Certification · 20%
Checked at the source. A product found in NSF's Certified for Sport database scores highest; a printed third-party testing statement scores in the middle; a label and listing with no testing statement at all scores 7.5.
Formula & Additives · 15%
What else is in the tub: sweeteners, flavors, colors, flow agents and added non-essential ingredients. Unflavored powders with one excipient score highest; artificial flavors and two artificial sweeteners cost points.
Value · 15%
Price divided by the grams of essential amino acids in the container, expressed per 10 g. For a proprietary blend we use the blend weight, which flatters the product.
How EAAs Work
- 1
They reach the blood fast
Free-form EAAs need no digestion, so blood levels rise quickly. The peak EAA concentration was the strongest predictor of muscle protein synthesis after feeding (Church 2020).
- 2
Leucine flips the switch
Leucine activates the mTORC1 pathway that starts muscle protein synthesis. The signal is stronger when the other essential amino acids are present: after training it rose in the order leucine, BCAAs, EAAs (Moberg 2016).
- 3
All nine are needed to build
New muscle protein needs every essential amino acid. BCAAs alone leave the other six to come from muscle protein breakdown (Wolfe 2017), which is why a full EAA mix outperforms them.
- 4
The response has a ceiling
Stimulation starts at 1.5 to 3 g and plateaus at about 15 to 18 g (Ferrando 2023). More than that in one dose adds nothing.
What to Expect From EAAs
Blood levels peak
Free-form EAAs are absorbed within minutes and blood EAA levels peak inside the first hour (Ferrando 2023).
Muscle protein synthesis rises
After training, 6 g of EAAs raised net muscle protein balance, and it fell back to baseline as blood levels dropped (Børsheim 2002).
Depends on your diet
If you already eat about 1.6 g of protein per kg a day, added amino acids change little (Morton 2018). If you were short, closing the gap shows up in training recovery and, over months, in muscle.
A patch, not a base
Use EAAs where whole protein is impractical: fasted training, travel, a calorie deficit. Build the base from food and protein powder.
The bottom line
NAKED EAAs is the reference product.
9.25 g of EAAs with 2.4 g of leucine per serving, all nine amounts printed, sunflower lecithin as the only other ingredient, $0.86 per 10 g of EAAs.
Tested athletes should buy Momentous.
NSF Certified for Sport for all lots, confirmed in NSF's database. It costs $2.75 per 10 g of EAAs, and that is the price of the certification.
A proprietary blend is a reason to rank low.
BulkSupplements and PerfectAmino print a total and nine names. Without a leucine amount an EAA label leaves out its most important line.
EAAs do not replace protein.
They are the essential amino acids of protein without the rest. Use them where a meal falls short, not on top of a diet that already has enough.
Quick Answers
What is the best muscle growth pick overall?
NAKED EAAs Unflavored by NAKED Nutrition is our #1 pick (SAC score 9.1/10). If you want essential amino acids in a dose that matches the research, this is the tub: 9.25 g with 2.4 g of leucine, all nine amounts printed, nothing added but sunflower lecithin. Take one serving around training or between meals that are low in protein. If you are drug-tested, buy Momentous for its certification. If you already eat enough protein, expect a small effect from any EAA product.
What is the best budget option?
Nutricost EAA Powder Unflavored at $17.95 · 30 servings (Amazon US, Oct 11, 2026). For sixty cents a scoop you get 8 g of EAAs, plenty of leucine and a label that states third-party testing. Know what the 8 g is made of: 6 g of BCAAs and 2 g of everything else. If you want the other six amino acids in real amounts, NAKED is worth the extra few cents per serving.
How much do these picks cost?
Across our ranked picks, prices run from about $17.95 to $54.95 — exact price and cost per serving are listed on every pick card above.
How were these picks ranked?
Every product was scored 0 to 10 on five criteria and weighted to a composite; rank follows score. The largest share, 30 percent, goes to what a label serving delivers: grams of essential amino acids and grams of leucine, measured against the doses in the research (6 g after training in Børsheim 2002; a response that plateaus at 15 to 18 g in Ferrando 2023). Label transparency carries 20 percent, because a proprietary blend removes the one number you buy an EAA for. Testing is checked at the source: we searched NSF's Certified for Sport database for every product on Oct 11, 2026 and read the listing details. Formula and price per 10 g close the score. Every amino acid amount we cite was read from the product's own Supplement Facts photo. Prices are the featured Amazon US offer on Oct 11, 2026. We did not buy, mix or taste these products.
Every Claim Ranked Above Traces Back To One Of These
8 peer-reviewed sources, each linked to PubMed
- [1] Ferrando AA, et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023;20(1):2263409. PMID 37800468 — International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Effects of essential amino acid supplementation on exercise and performance. The ISSN position stand concludes that free-form EAAs raise blood EAA levels quickly and stimulate muscle protein synthesis, that the response starts at 1.5 to 3.0 g at rest and plateaus at about 15 to 18 g, that non-essential amino acids are not needed for it, and that aging calls for a larger share of leucine.
- [2] Børsheim E, et al. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2002;283(4):E648-57. PMID 12217881 — Essential amino acids and muscle protein recovery from resistance exercise. 6 g of oral essential amino acids taken 1 and 2 hours after resistance exercise raised net muscle protein balance; the response was double that of an earlier mix of 3 g EAA plus 3 g non-essential amino acids, pointing to a dose-dependent effect of EAAs.
- [3] Tipton KD, et al. Am J Physiol. 1999;276(4):E628-34. PMID 10198297 — Postexercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids. After resistance exercise, 40 g of essential amino acids turned net muscle protein balance from negative on placebo to positive, about the same as 40 g of mixed amino acids, so non-essential amino acids were not needed for the anabolic response.
- [4] Moberg M, et al. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2016;310(11):C874-84. PMID 27053525 — Activation of mTORC1 by leucine is potentiated by branched-chain amino acids and even more so by essential amino acids following resistance exercise. In eight trained volunteers, S6K1 activity 90 minutes after resistance exercise rose in the order placebo, leucine, BCAA, EAA, with a ninefold increase in the EAA trial.
- [5] Wolfe RR. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:30. PMID 28852372 — Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality?. A review arguing that BCAAs alone cannot sustain a rise in muscle protein synthesis, because the other essential amino acids needed to build new protein can then only come from muscle protein breakdown.
- [6] Church DD, et al. Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3717. PMID 33276485 — Essential Amino Acids and Protein Synthesis: Insights into Maximizing the Muscle and Whole-Body Response to Feeding. Pooling four tracer studies, the peak blood EAA concentration was the strongest predictor of muscle protein synthesis after feeding; a 100% rise in peripheral EAA concentration raised the fractional synthetic rate by about 34%.
- [7] Jackman SR, et al. Front Physiol. 2017;8:390. PMID 28638350 — Branched-Chain Amino Acid Ingestion Stimulates Muscle Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis following Resistance Exercise in Humans. In ten resistance-trained young men, 5.6 g of BCAAs after resistance exercise raised myofibrillar protein synthesis 22% above placebo.
- [8] Morton RW, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. PMID 28698222 — A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. A meta-analysis of resistance-training trials found that protein supplementation adds to gains in muscle mass and strength, and that the benefit levels off at a total intake of about 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day.
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