Leucine - A magical amino acid often overlooked by people?

Vladimír Roško 7.12.2018

L-Leucine is one of the most underestimated supplements today due to the popularity of other significantly less effective supplements. Is L-Leucine worth buying? What can this supplement bring to the exerciser?

L-Leucine is an essential amino acid - which means that your body cannot produce it on its own - so you need to supplement it in the form of a protein-rich diet or in the form of food supplements. You can also find L-Leucine as a fundamental component of the BCAA supplement, where it typically has the largest share. In the diet, leucine is found mainly in meat, eggs, soy, dairy products and other protein foods. The BCAA dietary supplement consists of three amino acids - Leucine / Isoleucine / Valine - with Leucine having the greatest potential as an activator of a protein known as mTOR (activator of proteosynthesis).

Leucine and muscle gain

- Leucine has a far stronger stimulatory effect on proteosynthesis than ANY OTHER AMINO ACID. It is scientifically proven that proteosynthesis in the body begins to respond to a very small dose of Leucine (2-3 g). This dose serves as an "inflammatory cord" that triggers protein synthesis and allows the body to use most of the protein ingested from the diet.

Leucine and breakdown of muscle mass

- Leucine may slow down the breakdown of muscle mass caused by older age, stress or caloric deficiency (Leucine is metabolized in the body to a certain extent to the substance HMB, which is often used to protect muscles from its degradation).

Leucine and cholesterol levels

- according to several foreign studies, leucine supplementation can have a positive effect on raising HDL cholesterol, which we know as "good" cholesterol. In laboratory tests on mice, it was found that mice that consumed leucine with a high-fat diet achieved significant weight loss and also a decrease in LDL - "bad" cholesterol compared to mice that underwent the same diet without leucine supplementation.

Leucine and weight loss

- studies that followed athletes on a protein-rich diet (specially supplemented with leucine) and a carbohydrate-poor diet suggest that this diet may be the most effective and safe way to lose weight. As leucine is involved in building muscle mass, the individual's basal metabolism also increases, so the more muscle an individual has, the easier it is to get rid of excess fat.

The uniqueness of L-Leucine

Leucine is the only commonly available amino acid to be "ketogenic" - meaning that in caloric excess, the body does not convert it to glucose by GLUCONEOGENESIS but converts it to KETONES.

Leucine and energy during training

- Leucine serves as an exclusive fuel for muscles. Thanks to the fact that this supplement is KETOGENIC - you do not have to worry about gaining fat as with many other training drinks.

How to take L-Leucine?

1.- BEFORE TRAINING - 2 g of leucine 30 minutes before training will strengthen the anabolic stimulus of training.
2.- DURING TRAINING - you can dissolve 5 g of leucine in water and drink during the whole training as a fuel for your training - you will prevent the muscle breakdown caused by heavy training. Leucine can also help you prevent training "muscle fever".
3.- AFTER TRAINING - 5 g of leucine in a training drink in combination with carbohydrates and protein powder can promptly support proteosynthesis. You can easily take the result of the same training a level further, just by adding leucine.
4.- BEFORE SLEEP - 5 g of leucine can help you improve hormonal production and speed up regeneration during sleep.
5.- WHEN EATING (only during low-carbohydrate diets) - 1.2 - 2.5 g of leucine can help protect muscle mass from its degradation and provide you with energy that you lack due to diet.