High Leucine

 

Intake Not Always Necessary

 

Leucine is a branched-chain amino acid that is vitally important for muscle protein synthesis and exercise performance. It is an important building block for muscle hypertrophy and is a trigger for a biochemical pathway (mTOR) that stimulates protein synthesis. A U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine study found no difference in muscle protein synthesis in adults consuming 10 grams of essential amino acids plus 3.5 grams of leucine, compared to people given 10 grams of essential amino acids containing 1.8 grams of leucine. High intake of leucine appears unnecessary when people take sufficient quantities of essential amino acids. Higher leucine intake may be indicated during periods of intense exercise, starvation dieting and aging. (Nutrition Reviews, 69:550-557)