Redefining The Quality of Amino Acids with Synnovo® by INNOBIO

INNOBIO’s Synnovo® aminos set a new standard for quality. Perfect for RTD formulations or gym-goers mixing BCAAs and EAAs, Synnovo® offers superior mixability and taste. With this innovation, INNOBIO could bring BCAAs and EAAs back into the spotlight.

Are you tired of chalky, stale-tasting amino acid supplements that don’t mix well? You’re not alone. Amino acids are crucial for muscle building, recovery, and overall health, but let’s face it — if they taste terrible or foam up in your shaker bottle, it’s hard to stay consistent.

In this article, we’ll dive into the importance of BCAAs and EAAs, the ongoing debate between them, and how INNOBIO is revolutionizing the game with their Synnovo® amino acids. Thanks to their cutting-edge biosynthesis technology, INNOBIO has developed aminos that taste great, mix easily, and remain stable under various conditions.

Already familiar with BCAAs and EAAs? Skip ahead to this article’s INNOBIO section or visit their website (innobioglobal.com) to learn more about this breakthrough.

Before we get started, sign up for our BCAA, EAA, and INNOBIO news alerts to get updates and insights into how they can elevate your fitness journey.

BCAAs vs. EAAs? It Depends on Your Diet

We’ve all heard about the importance of dietary protein for building muscle and, to a certain extent, burning fat.

Within the category of dietary protein, which consists of amino acids, there are two important subcategories: branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and essential amino acids (EAAs).

If you’ve been following the supplement industry in recent years, you probably know there’s a debate about whether BCAAs or EAAs are better. We think this debate is a bit silly, and here’s why:

EAAs are defined as the amino acids your body cannot synthesize on its own and must obtain in complete forms from the diet. In total, there are nine EAAs, with the BCAAs being a subset of the EAAs—three specific EAAs named leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

The BCAAs

The BCAAs are called “branched-chain” amino acids because of their unique chemical structure, which includes a branching side chain. This side chain, or R group, differentiates each of the 20 standard amino acids from one another. The structure and properties of the side chain determine the amino acid’s characteristics, such as whether it is polar or nonpolar, acidic or basic, or hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Thus, the side chain plays a critical role in the behavior and function of the amino acid in proteins, influencing protein folding, stability, and interactions with other molecules.

The branched structure of the BCAAs’ side chains allows these amino acids to bypass the liver^[1] and be used as an energy source during exercise. Because muscles can rapidly access BCAAs for fuel, they reduce muscle breakdown during intense physical activity and create a favorable environment for muscle repair and growth afterward.

Leucine, in particular, is well known for its role in stimulating muscle protein synthesis,^[2] making BCAAs a popular supplement for athletes and bodybuilders focused on muscle growth and recovery. Although it’s often hailed as the most anabolic BCAA, isoleucine and valine also contribute to muscle building. Research consistently shows that all three BCAAs have significant anti-catabolic,^[3-5] endurance-boosting,^[6-8] and anabolic^[9-11] effects, thanks to their activation of an anabolic switch called mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR).^[12-14]

Additionally, further research indicates that including BCAAs in electrolyte drinks can enhance cellular hydration rates and improve overall hydration effects.^[15] This makes BCAAs beneficial not only for muscle building but also for optimizing hydration during physical activities.

The BCAAs and EAAs are important for everybody too, not just athletes and bodybuilders, because our dietary requirement for these amino acids actually increases with age.

Unsurprisingly, BCAAs are a popular supplement. However, there are a couple of significant problems: most BCAA supplements taste terrible and don’t mix well with water.

This makes BCAAs a tough supplement for at-home consumers. Commercial ready-to-drink (RTD) solutions can improve flavor but often struggle to maintain amino acid chemical stability at the temperatures and pH values typical of consumer packaged goods (CPG) production.

The efficacy of INNOBIO’s BCAAs was validated by an internal animal study, which found that they can significantly improve athletic endurance.

The pro-BCAA camp argues that BCAAs are metabolized directly by the muscles (instead of the liver),^[16] providing a quick source of energy during exercise. This may make BCAAs more efficient for reducing muscle fatigue and improving endurance during long workouts, as they can be used directly by the muscles and may also initiate muscle growth and recovery more efficiently.

EAAs

Internal testing showed that, besides having far superior taste and chemical properties, Synnovo® EAAs work just as well as generic EAAs to support several dimensions of athletic performance and recovery.

The pro-EAAs camp argues that EAAs are superior because they provide the full range of essential amino acids needed for the muscle-building process. While BCAAs initiate muscle protein synthesis, EAAs sustain and complete it, making them more effective in supporting overall muscle anabolism and recovery.

A study involving older women (66±2.5 yr, n=8/group) demonstrated that isolated nutritional interventions—either a low-dose leucine-enriched essential amino acids (LEAA, 3g with 40% leucine) or a high-dose whey protein (WP, 20g)—can stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS) within 0-2 hours. Furthermore, combining these nutritional interventions with exercise can enhance MPS for up to 0-4 hours.^[17]

Lysine, an essential amino acid in EAA compositions, plays a crucial role in increasing calcium absorption, forming collagen, and producing enzymes, antibodies and hormones. It is involved in energy production via carbohydrate metabolism and the generation of acetyl-coenzyme A.^[18] Tryptophan, another essential amino acid, can be derived into serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), which aids in mood regulation and can improve disordered eating behaviors.^[19] Oral histidine intake replenishes brain histamine and leads to the recovery of impaired working memory induced by sleep deprivation through histaminergic activation.^[20]

In our opinion, the key to understanding EAAs is that they are metabolized both in the liver and the muscles. This broader metabolic effect supports not only muscle repair but also overall protein synthesis for critical bodily functions, including hormone production, enzyme function, and tissue repair.

Additionally, as shown by INNOBIO’s internal testing, EAAs can improve athletic endurance, just like BCAAs!

INNOBIO: Better-Tasting, Shelf-Stable EAAs and BCAAs

That’s where INNOBIO comes in with its cutting-edge biosynthesis technique for producing amino acids.

We’re incredibly excited for INNOBIO’s Synnovo® amino acids, supporting ready-to-drink BCAA/EAA formulas.

In this process, INNOBIO uses bacterial microorganisms to synthesize amino acids through fermentation. Although the specifics of their process remain proprietary, genetically engineered strains like Corynebacterium glutamicum, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis are typically used.^[21] These microorganisms utilize different metabolic pathways to produce various amino acids. For instance, Corynebacterium glutamicum is used in the production of L-glutamate, while Escherichia coli can synthesize L-tryptophan.^[21]

After fermentation, amino acids are recovered from the broth through techniques like crystallization, filtration, or chromatography. This process isolates the desired amino acid from other microbial metabolites.

The advantages of this process are numerous: it’s cost-effective, eco-friendly, and exceptionally clean. Fermented amino acids are the gold standard in the supplement industry.

In addition to these general advantages, INNOBIO appears to have cracked some intriguing codes with its specific process.

INNOBIO’s aminos taste way better than other aminos and mix very well with liquid.

Product testing shows that INNOBIO’s Synnovo® L-leucine and L-isoleucine taste significantly better and have fewer impurities than generic competing products.

This may seem too good to be true — after all, an amino acid is an amino acid, right? Wrong! There are lots of ways to modify bacterial fermentation conditions that can affect the taste of the end product.

For example, genetically engineering microorganism strains to optimize specific metabolic pathways can reduce the production of bad-tasting byproducts (e.g., organic acids, alcohols). In producing glutamate, limiting the production of by-products such as pyruvate or lactate^[22] can result in a cleaner, more umami-rich taste.

One could also tweak the enzymes responsible for producing specific stereoisomers. Since L-glutamate has a strong umami flavor while D-glutamate does not, encouraging the formation of the former leads to what most people consider a better-tasting product.^[23]

Additionally, less exotic methods can affect end product formation, such as modifying pH or temperature, adjusting the nutrients supplied to microorganisms, or refining the purification process to which the aminos are subjected after fermentation.

You could write a whole book on dialing in the bacterial fermentation process (many people already have, in fact), so a complete discussion of exactly how INNOBIO accomplished this is beyond the scope of our article. Regardless, they somehow cracked the code on clean-tasting, ready-to-mix amino acids.

Product testing revealed that INNOBIO’s Synnovo® vegan EAA powder mixes more readily and tastes better than competing aminos.

Thanks to this proprietary production process, INNOBIO has successfully formulated aminos that taste great, disperse well in water, and maintain chemical stability at a wide range of temperatures and pH values. This also makes them more shelf-stable.

So far, INNOBIO has brought not one, not two, not three, but four different kinds of amino acids to market:

1. Synnovo® Vegan L-Leucine,
2. Synnovo® Vegan BCAA RTD Powder,
3. Synnovo® Vegan Instantized BCAA Powder
4. Synnovo® Vegan Instantized EAA Powder

Synnovo® Vegan EAA Powder is stable at high temperatures and a wide range of pH values.

The Value Propositions of Temperature-Stable and pH-Stable Aminos

Let’s discuss why temperature and pH stability in our aminos is advantageous:

• Effective Across Diverse Environments

  One of the most significant advantages of heat-stable and pH-stable BCAA and EAA products is their ability to maintain efficacy in a wide range of environments. This property is crucial for formulators or consumers using these amino acids in food products, such as ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages or snacks. High-temperature stability allows us to mix BCAAs and EAAs into recipes like protein-enriched baked goods or hot beverages without fear of chemical degradation.

  Similarly, stability across a wide pH range ensures that amino acids maintain their structure and potency even in environments with fluctuating acidity or alkalinity. For example, many sports drinks and pre-mixed amino acid beverages are slightly acidic. If the amino acids are not pH stable, they can degrade in these environments over time, potentially reducing their bioavailability and efficacy by the time a consumer ingests the product.

• Consistent Bioavailability and Absorption

  Amino acid stability at varying pH levels directly impacts absorption in the body, as the digestive system has widely varying pH levels. It begins with the highly acidic stomach and transitions to the more pH-neutral small intestine, where most amino acid absorption occurs.

  

  All ingested supplements and nutrients are broken down in the stomach before absorption, a phenomenon known as first pass metabolism. In the case of amino acids, first pass metabolism consumes up to a third of all ingested aminos, significantly affecting whole-body amino requirements.^[24,25] In other words, amino acids that degrade in acidic conditions lose efficacy.

  By contrast, Synnovo® BCAAs and EAAs that remain intact in acidic environments, such as the stomach, are more likely to reach the small intestine for effective absorption.

  This consistency in bioavailability is particularly important for athletes and others relying on supplemental amino acids for muscle recovery and protein synthesis support. Stable BCAA and EAA products provide reliable results, as their absorption is less likely to be affected by the digestive process.

• Extended shelf life and storage stability

  Heat-stable and pH-stable BCAAs and EAAs should have longer shelf lives compared to their less stable counterparts. Temperature and pH are environmental factors that can cause degradation, which amino acids should be formulated to resist. Products that degrade when exposed to these factors may lose effectiveness over time, especially if stored in less-than-ideal conditions. Let’s face it: most of us store our supplements in environments with fluctuating temperatures, like gym bags, cars, or outdoor settings — places where shelf stability is paramount.

  

  Even when mixed with liquid, INNOBIO’s vegan BCAA ready-to-drink (RTD) powder remains remarkably stable—far more so than we’d expect from aminos in a solution.

  Stable aminos are better suited for long-term storage, ensuring the amino acids remain effective even after years on a shelf. This reduces waste and guarantees users receive the full benefits of their supplements, regardless of when they consume them. In contrast, less stable formulations may need to be used quickly or stored under controlled conditions to preserve potency, limiting their practicality for everyday use.

• Improved versatility in product formulation

  The stability of BCAA and EAA products under extreme conditions provides greater versatility in product formulations. For example, amino acids that are stable at high temperatures can be included in ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, meal replacement powders, or cooking ingredients without requiring special handling or storage. The production and filling processes involved in manufacturing these products expose raw materials to wide fluctuations in temperature and pH, making stability essential.

  INNOBIO’s achievement of temperature and pH stability opens up numerous possibilities for product developers, who can leverage these resilient aminos to create formulations tailored to market demands.

  In contrast, less stable BCAA and EAA products are often restricted to cold, dry applications where they are shielded from heat and moisture. This limits their use in RTD beverages or other products that undergo thermal processing during production, such as pasteurization, and can lead to inefficiencies due to wasted raw materials.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz_8InQYPpU

The Next Generation of Amino Acids

At the PricePlow Blog, our articles typically target one of two audiences: supplement consumers and supplement formulators. The concerns of these two groups differ significantly. Formulators focus on transforming various supplements or raw ingredients into usable end products, considering not only taste and efficacy but also the chemical properties, cost, and volume of ingredients. Consumers, however, prioritize effectiveness as well as taste, appearance, texture, and mixability.

The bottom line with INNOBIO’s aminos is that no matter which group you belong to, these are a superior choice, and at the very least, they should be sampled before formulating a new amino acid supplement.

If you’re a formulator looking to create an RTD amino acid product, Synnovo® aminos are your best choice for even mixing in liquid. If you’re a consumer wanting to mix your BCAAs or EAAs in a shaker bottle at the gym, Synnovo® aminos are again your best choice for the same reason.

If you’re a formulator aiming for consumer satisfaction based on taste, INNOBIO is your ticket. The same goes for consumers who want to avoid unpleasant flavors in their amino acid’s powder.

While the specifics of INNOBIO’s fermentation process remain unclear, its innovation has the potential to dominate this product category. The difference in taste is so pronounced that we may witness a resurgence in the popularity of BCAAs and EAAs, which are not as trendy today as they were in the 2000s. Hopefully, INNOBIO‘s Synnovo® can change that.