Leucine is an essential amino acid, which means you must obtain it through your diet because your body cannot produce it. You can get it by eating meat, dairy products, eggs, soybeans and other beans, or by taking it as a supplement. It is known in the world of training because it has potential benefits for weight, lean muscle mass, and cholesterol levels, although research is limited and conflicting.
Benefits of this amino acid
Favors muscle maintenance
This amino acid, like other essentials, helps maintain muscle mass. For this reason, many bodybuilders and athletes take leucine supplements. An animal study published in the December 1, 2005 issue of the “Journal of Physiology” found that feeding older rats with leucine inhibited the breakdown of muscle proteins. Another article in the magazine discusses this research, explaining that while it is advisable to decrease dietary fat for older people, it is important to continue eating high-quality protein.
Weight loss benefits
Another animal study, which appeared in the May 2009 issue of “Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,” evaluated the effect of leucine along with exercise on weight loss in rats that previously consumed a high-fat diet. for 15 weeks. The researchers divided these rats into two exercise groups, and one group received supplements of this amino acid. Exercise combined with leucine had stronger effects on weight loss than exercise alone.
Control cholesterol levels
During the May 2009 “Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise” study, supplementing rats with leucine also increased blood levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the so-called “good” cholesterol. Other research, published in the June 2007 issue of “Diabetes,” investigated the effects on cholesterol levels in mice supplemented with leucine in drinking water. It produced significant effects in the group that consumed a high fat diet compared to other mice that consumed the same diet without leucine supplements.
Consumption of the amino acid resulted in up to a 32 percent decrease in weight gain and a 25 percent decrease in body fat in these mice, along with improving insulin sensitivity and preventing high levels. of blood sugar. Mice given leucine also experienced decreased levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol, of 53 percent and decreased total cholesterol levels of 27 percent.
Leucine foods
Meat, poultry and fish
It is found in the lean portion of meats and poultry, which are generally rich in leucine. For example, a 140-gram serving of beef steak contains 4 grams of leucine, while 1 cup of cooked minced minced chicken meat or an average-size pork loin chop contains about 3.5 grams. Most types of fish are also rich sources of leucine. These include canned light tuna, with 3.5 grams in 1 cup of chunks of tuna and salmon, which have about 3 grams of leucine in an average-size fillet. Other fish that are good sources include white fish, tilefish, and trout.
Dairy products
Dairy products are good sources because they tend to be high in protein. For example, 1 cup of fat-free cow’s milk provides 0.8 grams of leucine and a little more if it’s fortified with protein or added fat-free milk solids. Most types of cheese are also sources of leucine: a 1-ounce serving of Edam, Colby, Cheddar, or Bleu cheese provides between 0.5 and 0.7 grams, while Parmesan is slightly higher, at about 1 gram per 30 grams of hard cheese. Most types of yogurt also contain moderate amounts of leucine, with about 1 gram per 180-gram container.
Legumes and other foods
Because they are rich in protein, legumes are also quite high in leucine. For example, 1 cup of raw beans provides about 6 grams, white beans and kidneys each contain 3.7 grams per cup, and 1 cup of lentils provides 3.4 grams. Soy-based foods are also good sources of leucine; for example, 1 cup of tempeh, a fermented soybean meal, provides 2.4 grams. Other good sources include dried spirulina , a seaweed product, with almost 3 grams in 1/2 cup, and peanuts, which have 1.4 grams of leucine in 1/2 cup.
How to use leucine to increase muscle mass?
As we said before, it is an important amino acid necessary for muscle development. Like branched-chain amino acids , leucine is essential for all bodybuilders because it is by far the most anabolic or muscular form, according to the “Journal of Physiology” of June 2013. Like other chain amino acids Branched, it is metabolized in our muscles directly instead of in the liver. Leucine is found in all protein sources, however taking supplements alone or with the other branched-chain amino acids offers additional benefits for bodybuilders.
Step 1
Take 2.5 grams of leucine or 5 grams of total branched-chain amino acids 30 minutes or less before training to stimulate an anabolic stimulus. It works as an anabolic trigger, and is metabolized directly in muscle tissue, according to “Natural Anabolics.”
Step 2
Add 5 grams of leucine or 10 grams of total branched chain amino acids to the water you drink during your workout. Leucine can be used as an energy source for muscles, but most importantly, it slows down the rate of protein breakdown in skeletal muscle tissue. According to “Natural Anabolics,” it has also been shown to decrease late-onset muscle pain after intense exercise.
Step 3
Mix another 5 grams of leucine or 10 grams of branched-chain amino acids in your post-workout protein shake. A 2005 study in the “American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism” compared the effects of leucine, carbohydrates, and protein with protein / carbohydrate and carbohydrate alone. The results showed that the combination of all three caused the greatest increase in muscle protein synthesis. In simple terms, given the same workout, you would gain more muscle, faster by adding leucine.
Step 4
Take 2.5 grams of leucine or 5 grams of branched-chain amino acids before and / or during cardiovascular training. Cardio is an important part of bodybuilding because it helps accelerate fat loss in order to develop muscle definition. Most athletes can’t stay slim without cardio, however, too much cardio can break down gained muscles with so much effort. Leucine helps prevent the body from using muscle tissue as an energy source.
Step 5
Take 5 grams of leucine or 10 grams of branched-chain amino acids before bed. This helps increase the production of growth hormone and accelerate muscle recovery during sleep, when the body repairs muscle tissue damaged by intense weight training.
Step 6
More leucine and / or branched-chain amino acids can be taken with or between meals to promote faster recovery and increased protein synthesis. Add it to a low carbohydrate diet to prevent muscle breakdown and keep energy levels high.
