Higher Intake of Total Dietary Essential Amino Acids Is Associated with a Lower Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Korean Adults

We hypothesized that a well-balanced intake of total essential amino acids (EAAs) may be associated with lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Korean adults. This population-based cross-sectional study included 25,787 participants aged ≥30 years from the 2008–2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Dietary information was obtained from 24 h recall data. Demographic and lifestyle factors were assessed using self-administered questionnaires, and metabolic biomarkers were obtained from a health examination. Total essential amino acid score (EAAS) was calculated to determine whether essential amino acid (EAA) intake meets the recommended nutrient intake (RNI). Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression models. After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, participants with higher EAAS had a significantly lower prevalence of high blood pressure (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.75–0.98), hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.76–0.98), and Metabolic syndrome (MetS) (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.74–0.996). Spline regression analysis confirmed linearity of the association between total EAAS and MetS. EAA intake and MetS are associated with an inverse dose–response relationship in which metabolic disease may be prevented when the overall EAA intake meets the RNI.