If you’re on a quest to burn fat and lose weight, you’ve likely stumbled on all sorts of fat-burning claims from natural supplement products as diverse as garcinia cambogia to green coffee beans, and even apple cider vinegar. It’s easy to get hooked by the hype, and if you’ve been “burned” by miracle claims before (and not the good kind of fat burn you’re after!), then you may be leery of the rumor swirling around and wondering if it’s true—do amino acids burn fat? And if so, how? Let’s find out!

A Quick Debrief of Amino Acids

What are amino acids?

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Each of the proteins used in the body (an estimated 80,000-400,000 of them) are made up of a string of 20 different amino acids. The specific amino acids and their order determine the protein and its function in the body.

What are the 20 amino acids?

The amino acids are separated into three categories: essential amino acids, nonessential amino acids, and conditionally essential amino acids.

The essential amino acids cannot be made in the body. You have to get them from the foods you eat and the supplements you take. They are absolutely essential to survival. The nine essential amino acids are:

1. Histidine
2. Isoleucine
3. Leucine
4. Lysine
5. Methionine
6. Phenylalanine
7. Threonine
8. Tryptophan
9. Valine

The nonessential amino acids are produced in the body, so if you are otherwise healthy there is no need to go searching for extra. The 11 nonessential amino acids are:

1. Alanine
2. Arginine
3. Asparagine
4. Aspartic acid
5. Cysteine
6. Glutamic acid
7. Glutamine
8. Glycine
9. Proline
10. Serine
11. Tyrosine

In conditions of illness and stress, some of the nonessential amino acids can become essential, entering them into the category of conditionally essential amino acids, such as:

1. Arginine
2. Cysteine
3. Glutamine
4. Glycine
5. Proline
6. Serine
7. Tyrosine

What do amino acids do in the body?

Amino acids are versatile molecules that perform a variety of functions in the body. They…

• Produce and act as hormones, neurotransmitters, and enzymes
• Control the immune response
• Generate energy
• Build the proteins that give structure to the connective tissue that makes up our skin and joints
• Boost the body’s absorption of essential minerals
• Help regulate blood sugar levels
• Protect nerve cells
• Prevent muscle wasting
• Stimulate muscle growth
• Accelerate recovery from surgery, injury, illness, and exercise

But...Do Amino Acids Burn Fat?

To set the stage, let’s look to a defining amino acid study published in Nutrition Journal in 2015

University of Arkansas researchers, including Amino Co's Robert Wolfe who helped formulate our amino acid supplements, examined whether a meal replacement with essential amino acids and whey protein could stimulate greater fat loss and preservation of muscle tissue than a competitive meal replacement without essential amino acids. The study was made up of obese older adults who followed a calorie-restricted eating plan over the course of 8 weeks. All participants lost 7% of their total body weight thanks to the calorie cut, but the group taking essential amino acids lost more fat and preserved more lean muscle.

What’s behind the fat-burning powers of amino acids? A synergistic combination of energy and muscle-boosting effects!

Essential Amino Acids Help You Go Harder, Longer and Stronger

Essential amino acids boost energy, suppress fatigue, and speed recovery by reducing post-workout soreness and stimulating muscle repair.

By boosting performance, amino acids help to burn fat and promote weight loss because you maximize your workouts and reduce rest periods in between. 

Essential Amino Acids Help Metabolize Fat

There are several studies that confirm the fat-burning benefits of a special class of essential amino acids called the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine, and valine. When combined with resistance training, BCAA supplementation has been shown to reduce body fat percentage to a greater degree than whey protein or sports drinks 

More recent studies show that BCAA supplements alone can only take fat burning so far, and that all the essential amino acids need to be consumed to boost the maximum amount of fat loss 

Essential Amino Acids Build Muscle Mass

Here’s what you can count on when it comes to muscle: the more you have, the more calories and fat you burn. Because amino acids build and maintain skeletal muscle, they contribute to fat burning!

As little as 6 grams of essential amino acids before, during, and after resistance exercise can stimulate muscle protein synthesis and improve body composition. In fact, all it takes is the essentials, as research shows that the addition of carbohydrates or nonessential amino acids does not lead to more muscle gain 

So, are you ready to start burning fat? We recommend supplementing your weight-loss program with Amino Co’s Perform designed to boost athletic performance by increasing peak physical strength and endurance while also improving focus and concentration.

All of our essential amino acid blends burn fat while targeting specific health needs. You can shop our entire line of fat-burning amino acid supplements here.

Take a look at our guarantees!

• Our work is based on 30 years of research, 100+ clinical trials, and 500+ peer-reviewed papers.
• All products are patented or patent-pending, demonstrating proven superiority in clinical trials.
• Each product is clinically tested to ensure maximum absorption with no harmful side effects.