Which supplement works better to maintain muscle mass during weight loss: essential amino acids or whey protein?

Ratings at a Glance

Supplement	Effectiveness Rating	Confidence Rating
Essential Amino Acids
Whey Protein

Effectiveness Rating: Essential Amino Acids vs Whey Protein

The effectiveness rating is a measure of the supplements' ability to maintain muscle mass during weight loss. This rating answers the question of whether or not a supplement does what it claims. Both essential amino acids and whey protein have good (but not great) evidence showing they may be able to maintain muscle mass during weight loss. Both supplements should provide some positive results.

Confidence Rating: Essential Amino Acids vs Whey Protein

Another factor to take into account when comparing supplements is the confidence rating. This rating is a measure of how valid each supplement's effectiveness rating is. Remember, the confidence rating is a measure of how much you can trust the effectiveness rating. This rating is based on how many studies are included in the database on a supplement's claims. Ideally, you want a high effectiveness AND confidence rating.

Both essential amino acids and whey protein have low confidence ratings. This means neither supplement has an adequate amount of research to back up this claim. A low confidence rating questions the validity of the effectiveness rating.