Key Takeaways

• Creatine may not always be accessible; with EAAs being a cornerstone for athletes, they are effective in maintaining gains if creatine consumption is stopped.

• Creatine allows the athlete to perform harder and pushes more water to muscle cells, resulting in more muscle volume.

• EAAs will help to preserve the lean mass acquired while on creatine by reducing perceived exertion, allowing the athlete to push harder.

• EAAs promote more muscle synthesis--the process of muscle tissue repair--which work to preserve and build lean mass.

• Enhance gains with Oh!mino® Muscle Synthesis Activator and Creatine Complex, delivering all nine essential amino acids, including BCAAs, electrolytes, and adaptogens to accelerate muscle growth, recovery, and performance.

Maintain Muscle Mass Post-Creatine: How Amino Acids Help Retain Gains

Creatine is well-studied and clinically approved for increased muscle growth.  However, not everyone is able to routinely consume this supplement.  Whether it disturbs your digestion or is out of your budget, creatine may not always be a viable option.  If you had to drop creatine from your stack, would you also lose your gains?  While creatine is helpful for muscle growth, can Essential Amino Acids help to retain your muscle mass?

Creatine's Role in Muscle Retention

Creatine has been clinically studied in over 1000 trials, affirming its efficacy for all healthy adults.  With no significant downsides, this supplement increases adenosine triphosphate (ATP) regeneration in the body, allowing for stronger lifts.

ATP Regeneration

ATP is the energy that muscles use when undergoing athletic performance.  It is what gives your body the extra push during tough workouts.  When taking creatine, athletes report stronger lifts, more endurance and improved recovery.  By daily consuming creatine, the body will regenerate ATP more effectively, allowing for athletes to work harder.

Bigger Lifts, Bigger Gains

With extra creatine in the body, ATP regeneration will be facilitated.  When this occurs, an athlete is able to lift stronger and perform better.  When a strength trainer takes creatine, he will be able to (over time) lift heavier.  Naturally, larger muscles will result.  Creatine creates larger muscles in the athlete because it allows him to workout harder.  Similarly, when an endurance athlete daily takes creatine, lactic acid buildup will be lessened--longer endurance sessions will follow.

Muscle Mass After Quitting Creatine

This being said, what if you must stop taking creatine for a while?  Creatine may not fit into any budget, or it may not work for your stomach.  After you have made athletic improvements while taking creatine, will these gains be lost?

ATP After Creatine

After quitting, creatine buildup in the body will lessen.  ATP regeneration will then return to its normal rate.  The athlete will not lose his ability to properly regenerate ATP, nor will the decreasing amount of creatine in the body cause the athlete to perform worse than before consumption.

Muscle Mass

By quitting creatine, no actual muscle mass will be lost.  The athlete’s muscles may seem to decrease in size, however, this is due to water retention.  With higher levels of creatine in the body, more water is stored in muscle cells.  If one has taken creatine for an extended period of time, he may notice this size decrease.  This is not loss of hypertrophy. 

Even so, creatine allows for the user to lift stronger and push harder.  With less creatine in the body, athletic output may be somewhat weakened.  With less weight being lifted, muscle mass could see a decrease.  

Endurance

For longer endurance sessions, performance will remain the same.  The difference will be felt with high-intensity cardio sessions, such as HIIT workouts.  You may experience a slower recovery and less overall strength for each output.  

Woman wiping forehead in locker room.

Can EAAs Prevent Muscle Breakdown?

There are many supplements that promote Essential Amino Acids as optimal for performance and recovery.  However, are they effective in preventing muscle breakdown?  If significant gains have been made with creatine, can EAAs support the body when no longer consuming creatine?

What are EAAs?

Essential Amino Acids are the building blocks for muscle growth.  These are amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own.  Therefore, one must give their body enough EAAs if desirous of optimal muscle growth.  When taking an EAA supplement, the body is able to recover quicker.  This is enabled by EAAs stimulating muscle synthesis faster than diet, whey protein or BCAAs alone.

EAAs and Muscle Mass

As recovery is quickened, the athlete is able to intensely exercise at higher rates.  This allows for more lifting and more cardio, which in turn increases muscle mass and improves endurance.  By absorbing more amino acids, the body is able to be in a more efficient state of muscle synthesis. 

EAAs Post-Creatine

When off of creatine, EAA supplementation is key.  Creatine gives an athlete the extra push they need to surpass plateaus, and without creatine, this may feel unachievable.  By taking EAAs, lean mass will be preserved, as muscle synthesis will be boosted.  This will combat effects of muscle loss from a lack of creatine.  Even if performance dips slightly, EAAs will support muscle mass.  With EAAs, one will still be able to push past limits, as recovery is supported and muscles are given what they need to optimally perform.  

EAAs For Building Lean Mass

Essential Amino Acids are crucial for building lean mass in the body, and can be taken with creatine and without.  Regardless of your current supplement stack, EAAs will help you achieve your dream physique.

Alongside Creatine

With creatine, EAAs continue to support muscle synthesis and recovery.  As creatine allows the athlete to push his body harder, EAAs build up the muscles that are being broken down.  By stimulating muscle synthesis alongside an increase in creatine storage, one will experience heavier lifts and more endurance. 

Without Creatine

Even without creatine, the EAAs will allow for more intense exercise sessions.  EAAs will lower perceived exertion, which may serve as a counterbalance to the loss of more efficient ATP regeneration.  In other words, the athlete may still feel the strength gained from creatine by supplementing with EAAs.

Man doing pushups on fists.

Oh!mino's Advantage

Our Muscle Synthesis Activator is essential for optimal muscle growth and recovery, with or without creatine.  Supplement stacks can be expensive, but this all-in-one product will support any athletic endeavor. 

Muscle Synthesis Activator

All nine EAAs in a patented blend will assist in preserving and building lean mass.  Our MSA provides these amino acids alongside five primary electrolytes with adaptogens for increased absorption.  Taking our MSA pre-, intra- and post-workout will give the body exactly what it needs to push harder and recover quicker. 

Benefits of the All-Natural Ingredients

Every ingredient in our MSA is all-natural, including the adaptogens.  These herbal supplements increase one’s nutrient uptake, allowing for the EAAs to be transferred to the body’s muscles with speed.  Even without creatine, every EAA will work to improve strength.

Strategies for Sustained Muscle Mass Without Creatine

Building and maintaining muscle mass without creatine is entirely possible.  With an active lifestyle, a balanced diet and a proper blend of EAAs, one is able to put on real muscle.  Spending money on supplements can become stressful; opt instead for our all-in-one Muscle Synthesis Activator. 

Active Lifestyle

Muscle mass will only be attained and retained if an active lifestyle is pursued.  Regular lifting, cardio and daily movement are essential for achieving your dream physique.  It is essential that a proper diet accompanies an active life, as both are factors in overall health and longevity.

Protein-Rich Diet

Eating a protein-rich, balanced diet will allow for muscle growth, fat loss and simply feeling good!  Oh!mino is not meant to replace meals, but to supplement muscle growth.  It can be difficult, however, to meet protein goals.  When taking our MSA, this is no longer a concern.  EAAs stimulate more muscle growth than diet alone, leaving you to enjoy your balanced meals.

EAA Supplementation

When abstaining from creatine, EAAs will be essential for supporting lean mass and recovery.  By taking EAAs, you are giving your body what it craves for after each grueling workout.  This facilitates more lean mass by reducing perceived exertion and stimulating muscle synthesis.  

Enhance Your Gains with Oh!mino® Muscle Synthesis Activator & Creatine Complex

Take your muscle-building journey to the next level with Oh!mino®’s next-generation supplements, specifically engineered to maximize strength, endurance, and recovery.

Oh!mino® Muscle Synthesis Activator

Our patented formula delivers all nine essential amino acids, including the crucial BCAAs, in an optimal ratio to fuel muscle growth while minimizing soreness. Designed for pre-, intra-, and post-workout use, it stimulates muscle protein synthesis up to 11x more than whey protein and 20x more than standalone BCAAs, helping you recover faster, reduce stiffness, and train harder. 

Enhanced with adaptogens and fully balanced electrolytes, it supports endurance, hydration, and overall performance. Non-dairy, vegan, and free from sugar, carbs, calories, and artificial additives, it’s a clean, science-backed supplement trusted by athletes.

Oh!mino® Muscle Synthesis Activator supplement container.

Oh!mino® Creatine Complex

Our patented Creatine Complex combines clinically studied forms, micronized Creatine Hydrochloride and Creatine Monohydrate, with adaptogens to boost absorption by over 300%. Each scoop delivers 3 grams of free-form creatine to support muscle growth, enhance recovery, and improve training endurance. 

Delicious lemon-lime flavor makes it easy to stack with our Muscle Synthesis Activator or use on its own for maximum results. Designed for pre- and post-workout consumption, it complements your training regimen while keeping your supplement routine clean, vegan, and free from unnecessary additives.

Together, Oh!mino® Muscle Synthesis Activator and Creatine Complex provide a comprehensive, science-backed approach to building lean muscle, accelerating recovery, and enhancing performance, all with a clean-label formulation that supports serious gains without compromise.

Creatine remains one of the most researched supplements for muscle volume and strength.

Start Your Transformation with Oh!mino® Today!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long do elevated creatine levels remain in the body after abstaining?

After about two to four weeks, the body’s creatine levels will return to baseline. 

Can EAAs replace dietary protein?

No.  One’s diet should remain protein-rich and balanced even while supplementing EAAs.  EAAs are meant to support a balanced diet.

When should I take EAAs?

Our MSA works best when taken 20 to 30 minutes prior to a workout, during the workout and within 30 minutes of ending the exercise session.  It is also beneficial to take EAAs on rest days, as it supports full recovery.

Do EAAs support strength even if athletic intensity declines?

Yes!  EAAs will work to preserve the lean mass acquired during creatine consumption.  As you strive to maintain previous levels of performance, EAAs will support every lift.

Are EAAs beneficial for athletes who do not strength train?

Of course!  EAAs support the lean muscle of every healthy adult, regardless of training preference.