Residents of the US are consuming the necessary amounts of essential amino acids through food and supplementation, according to a new study conducted at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana, US. However, another recent study by the same institution has challenged the existent assumption about the role these protein-building blocks play in muscle-building and fat accumulation. The first study found that almost everyone — more than 99% — in the US is receiving the needed amounts of essential amino acids.