Amino acids help your body recover, build muscle, and break down food.
What is leucine?
Leucine is a branched-chain amino acid that is an essential building block of protein.
There are20 amino acids1in total.
Eleven are “nonessential,” meaning your body synthesizes them sufficiently.
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Benefits of leucine.
Leucine and the other BCAAs arebroken down in muscle tissue2instead of the liver like other essential amino acids.
Of the three BCAAs, research shows leucine functions as aregulator of MPS5to promote muscle growth.
Having adequate muscle and lean tissue is beneficial for yourcognitive health6,blood sugar7, andinflammatory response8.
It also helps protect you frombone fractures9that become more commonand dangerous10as you age.
It increases muscle mass (when paired with resistance training).
The research is mixed when it comes to leucine and increased muscle mass.
When combined with strength training, regular consumption of leucine has been shown toimprove muscle growth11in animal trials.
However, the results may be different without the strength training component.
Arecent review13found that isolated leucine supplementation had no effect on muscle mass in older adults.
It did find that when leucine supplementationincluded vitamin D, there was a significant improvement in handgrip strength.
It improves athletic performance.
It may promote weight loss.
Some studies have also found that leucine supplementationimproves glucose tolerance16.
It may help stabilize blood sugar.
Finally, research shows supplementing L-leucine canimprove glucose homeostasis16to help prevent blood sugar spiking.
How much leucine do you need a day?
Summary
How to get enough leucine (without driving yourself crazy).
Diligently counting your daily leucine intake is a tall order.
While leucine is vital for protein synthesis, consuming it alongside other amino acids is critical.
(Most people should aim to consumeupward of 100 gramsof protein per day, depending on their weight.)
“However, there may be situations where a protein powder or leucine supplement may be beneficial.
Getting enough leucine on a plant-based diet.
So all proteins aren’t equal.”
However, getting enough leucineisdoable for plant-based eaters.
From there, investing ina high-quality plant protein powdercan help you fill any gaps that exist.
High-leucine foods.
However, there are someside effects of taking isolated leucine supplementsin excess.
These include hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), skin lesions, and hair loss.
In addition, those who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid taking leucine supplements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are sources of leucine?
Animal-based proteins, such as fish, beef, and chicken, are the richest sources of leucine.
Can I take leucine every day?
Who would benefit from leucine?
The takeaway.
Leucine is the primary amino acid responsible for stimulating muscle protein synthesis.
Eating a diverse,whole-food dietis a great way to meet your daily leucine requirements without stressing yourself out.
