Free guide · 17 pages
The Essential Amino Acids Guide
What EAAs are, how they help your muscles respond to food and training, and how to use them well. Plain language, every claim referenced.
- How the muscle-building switch works, and why leucine matters
- EAAs, protein shakes and BCAAs, compared side by side
- When and how to take them for training, recovery and busy days
What's inside
17 pages, no fluff
- What EAAs areThe nine amino acids your body can't make, and why the full set matters.
- Who they're forOver-40s, hard trainers, plant-based eaters, anyone eating less, and busy days.
- How they workThe muscle-building switch, leucine, and why older muscle needs a stronger signal.
- How much it takesThe doses studied, from 1.5 g to the 15–18 g plateau, and how EAAs compare with whey.
- EAAs vs protein vs BCAAsWhat each one does, and why BCAAs alone fall short.
- Food firstWhat 2 g of leucine looks like in chicken, eggs, tofu, lentils and milk.
- When and how to take themBefore, during and after training, between meals, and mixing tips.
- The research, safety and FAQThe ISSN 2023 conclusions in plain words, who should check first, and 32 references.
The short version
Four things worth knowing
Your body can't make them. Muscle needs all nine to build anything.
The amino acid that switches muscle building on. Older muscle needs more of it.
Muscle responds to as little as 1.5–3 g, and a single dose levels off at 15–18 g.
EAAs top up the protein you eat. They work best with training.
Meet Bare
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
Bare is a supplement brand from Durban, made for people who intend to still be training in ten years. We keep formulas short, print every dose on the label and skip the proprietary blends, so you can see exactly what you're taking.
- Made in South AfricaFormulated and manufactured in SAHPRA and ISO accredited facilities.
- Every dose on the labelNo proprietary blends. Our amino profile is set against the ISSN's 2023 position stand.
- 60-day money-backFinish the tub. If nothing changes, we refund it.
- Ships from Durban2–4 working days anywhere in South Africa. Free delivery over R1,250.
Buy any 2 Bare Aminos, get Pure Electrolytes free. Added automatically at checkout. Repeats with every 2.
Build a boxThe range
Where Bare fits
Bare Aminos is all nine essential amino acids, with every milligram on the label. Pair it with the rest of the range around your training.
Bare Aminos
Nine essential amino acids, 5,000mg per serve with 2g of leucine.
- All nine EAAs with 2 g of leucine per serve
- Supports recovery and lean muscle
- About 20 calories, a top-up alongside your food
Pure Creatine
5g of creatine monohydrate per sachet, and nothing else.
- The most-studied strength ingredient there is
- More reps at the same weight
- One sachet a day, any time of day
Pure Electrolytes
Sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium in a single-serve sachet.
- Put back what the sweat took
- No sugar, no sweetener, no flavour system
- Stack two on long or hot days
Hydrating Aminos
The full Bare Aminos formula plus sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.
- Replace the salts you sweat out
- Recover while you're still training
- One bottle instead of two products
In their words
Rated 4.3 out of 5 by verified buyers
Game changer… I feel energised again at 54
As a 60 something triathlete I was pleasantly surprised by the extent of my recovery as well as waking up refreshed.
The product really assisted me in my preparation trainings for my first comrades marathon and I finished the race my first time at 56yrs
Get more from your protein
Free, referenced and written in plain language for active adults.
This guide is general education, not medical advice. Speak to your doctor before starting a supplement if you take medication or have a medical condition.