Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise

Does EAA ingestion before or after exercise result in a greater anabolic response?

The timing of EAA dosing with resistance exercise is a very common question. Is it better to use EAAs before, during, or after your workout? Does it matter at all as long as you have a high enough intake of EAAs throughout the day?

This is an important question for those looking to maximizes the anabolic response from combining EAA supplementation + resistance exercise and there is research that shows a clear benefit from EAA timing.

And clear winner is:

This study demonstrated that net muscle protein synthesis stimulation was significantly greater when EAAs were used before resistance training as the blood flow increase caused by exercise increased amino acid delivery to the muscle and thus amino acid availability.

Note: A subsequent study from the same lab determined that the co-ingestion of carbohydrates were not necessary for this anabolic response. 

Read the full-text here: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpendo.2001.281.2.E197

Tipton KD, Rasmussen BB, Miller SL, Wolf SE, Owens-Stovall SK, Petrini BE, Wolfe RR. Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Aug;281(2):E197-206. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.2001.281.2.E197. PMID: 11440894.