Building Muscle with Fewer Calories? Here’s What New Research Suggests
Traditionally, to maximize muscle growth, you need to eat more calories than you burn. But a new study offers a potential twist: it may be possible to build muscle while eating fewer calories by supplementing with essential amino acids (EAAs).
The research found that combining protein with extra EAAs can boost muscle protein synthesis (MPS) even when calories are restricted. Usually, when you cut calories—like during a fat-loss phase—MPS tends to decrease, making it harder to build muscle. The researchers wanted to see if they could keep MPS elevated despite the calorie deficit.
In the study, participants consumed a post-workout shake containing whey protein and carbohydrates while maintaining a caloric deficit. Then, they compared this shake to another version containing either extra EAAs or added carbs. The shake with the added EAAs had an anabolic effect, increasing protein synthesis by 30% and reducing muscle protein breakdown—both key for muscle growth.
What’s interesting is that these results were similar to what you’d expect if calories weren’t restricted. While this finding is promising, it’s important to note that the overall impact of extra EAAs on total muscle growth is still uncertain. Most research emphasizes that total daily protein intake plays a bigger role in long-term muscle development than simply spiking protein synthesis after a workout.
More studies are needed to determine if supplementing with EAAs while eating different amounts of protein throughout the day can give you a real advantage in muscle growth. If you’re curious about experimenting with extra EAAs in your post-workout shake, it’s a relatively low-risk strategy—though it can be more expensive than regular protein powders.
For now, while the research is exciting, we still recommend focusing on hitting your total daily protein goal as the most important factor for muscle growth. However, keep an eye out for future studies that might further refine this approach.
