Creatine vs. Essential Amino Acids: Which Builds More Muscle?

Essential amino acid (EAA) supplements have gained popularity as an upgrade over BCAAs, and for good reason: EAAs provide all nine essential amino acids the body cannot synthesize, making them theoretically capable of supporting complete muscle protein synthesis in a way BCAAs alone cannot. Creatine, meanwhile, is not an amino acid supplement at all; it is an ergogenic aid that enhances energy metabolism. Comparing them reveals two fundamentally different approaches to supporting muscle growth, and the evidence behind each differs substantially.

What Essential Amino Acids Do

The nine essential amino acids (histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine) are required for muscle protein synthesis because the body cannot produce them endogenously. When EAAs are provided in sufficient quantity, particularly with adequate leucine to activate the mTOR pathway, the muscle protein synthetic machinery can fully execute.

Volpi et al. (2003) demonstrated that ingestion of essential amino acids alone stimulated net muscle protein synthesis in elderly subjects to a similar degree as a complete mixed amino acid solution containing both essential and non-essential amino acids. This established that EAAs are the critical component for stimulating MPS and that non-essential amino acids are not required in supplemental form (the body can synthesize them).

Subsequent research by Tipton et al. (2004) showed that a relatively small dose of EAAs (6 g) consumed before resistance exercise stimulated a significantly greater muscle protein synthetic response than the same dose consumed after exercise. However, as with protein timing research more broadly, the importance of precise timing has been downgraded relative to total daily intake.

What Creatine Does

Creatine does not provide amino acids for protein synthesis. It increases intramuscular phosphocreatine concentrations, enhancing the capacity to regenerate ATP during short-duration, high-intensity exercise. The result is more total work capacity, which over time translates to greater training volume and superior adaptations. Creatine also promotes cell volumization and may directly influence satellite cell and myogenic regulatory factor activity.

The ISSN position stand (Kreider et al., 2017) and a meta-analysis by Rawson and Volek (2003) both confirm creatine's status as the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement for increasing lean body mass and high-intensity exercise capacity.

Evidence Comparison

EAA Evidence

The evidence for EAAs is primarily built on acute metabolic studies measuring muscle protein synthesis rates after ingestion. These studies consistently show that EAAs stimulate MPS and that the stimulation is dose-dependent up to a ceiling of approximately 10 to 15 g of EAAs per feeding (with 2 to 3 g of leucine). This is well-established physiology.

However, what the EAA literature largely lacks is long-term training studies demonstrating that EAA supplementation produces greater muscle hypertrophy or strength gains compared to an equivalent amount of whole protein or protein powder. The reason is straightforward: EAAs are already present in any complete protein source. Whey protein, for example, is approximately 50% EAAs by weight. A 30 g whey protein serving delivers about 15 g of EAAs, including roughly 3 g of leucine.

This means EAA supplements are not providing something unique; they are providing a subset of what protein powder provides, minus the non-essential amino acids (which, while not required from diet, do contribute to various metabolic processes). The value proposition of EAAs over protein powder narrows to specific advantages: lower caloric content per serving (EAAs at 10 g provide approximately 40 calories versus 120+ for a protein shake), faster absorption, and potential use during training without the gastric discomfort that protein shakes can cause.

Creatine Evidence

Creatine's evidence base includes over 500 randomized controlled trials, multiple meta-analyses, and position statements from every major sports nutrition organization. Long-term training studies consistently demonstrate that creatine supplementation during resistance training produces greater increases in lean body mass (approximately 1 to 2 kg more than placebo over 4 to 12 weeks), greater strength improvements (5 to 10%), and enhanced work capacity (10 to 20% more total work). Creatine provides a unique physiological effect that is not available from any food-based amino acid source.

When Each Makes Sense

Creatine: Always

If you engage in resistance training or high-intensity exercise, creatine is the single most effective supplement you can take. Its effect is unique, consistent, and cost-effective. No combination of amino acids replicates what creatine does.

EAAs: Specific Scenarios

EAA supplements have a legitimate niche. They are useful when you want to stimulate muscle protein synthesis with minimal caloric intake (such as during a deep caloric deficit), when training fasted and a full protein shake would cause gastrointestinal discomfort, or when sipping amino acids during a prolonged training session. For elderly individuals who may have a blunted MPS response to food, EAAs with high leucine content may provide a more targeted stimulus. In all these cases, EAAs are a marginally better choice than BCAAs, which provide only three of the nine essential amino acids.

Stacking

There is no conflict between creatine and EAAs. They can be taken together or at different times. However, if budget is a factor, creatine plus a protein powder provides better value than creatine plus EAAs, because the protein powder provides EAAs along with non-essential amino acids and typically at a lower cost per serving of amino acids.

Verdict

Creatine is the superior choice by virtually every metric: evidence volume, evidence consistency, uniqueness of effect, and cost-effectiveness. EAAs are a legitimate supplement with real physiology behind them, but they do not provide anything that adequate dietary protein does not already supply. They have a narrow use case (fasted training, extreme caloric restriction, intra-workout supplementation) but are not a general-purpose muscle builder on par with creatine.

If you must choose one, creatine wins without contest. If you can afford both, creatine plus a whole protein source (food or powder) is a better investment than creatine plus EAAs for the vast majority of trainees.