Leucine has demonstrated that it may have an anabolic effect in humans. The effectiveness of leucine appears to be dependent on nutritional status and possibly insulin levels. When amino acids are in short supply, such as during starvation or a low-protein diet, leucine consistently fails to make muscles bigger. Yet in healthy subjects consuming adequate protein, 20-50-gram doses of leucine are generally effective at bolstering muscle mass. So far, researchers have found that protein synthesis can be enhanced using diet, exercise and/or insulin. Leucine itself is a main player, and higher than normal amounts of leucine have been postulated as a way to get protein synthesis off to a fast start. Leucine kick-starts protein synthesis at an earlier stage than amino acids in general. By 'priming the pump,' leucine pushes protein synthesis forward at a faster pace.
Nevertheless, taking leucine by itself is not sufficient; research suggest it takes the rest of your diet to make sure you are covered for other nutrients. Without other amino acids and sufficient carbohydrates, the kick-start provided by leucine may be wasted. Although leucine may be able to 'prime the pump,' it can't run protein synthesis by itself--regular exercise and a balanced diet (providing the other essential amino acids) are essential.
Leucine's ability to prime the protein-synthesis pump may also be impaired if insulin levels are low. That may explain why most of the studies that did not find a muscle-building effect gave leucine to starving or diabetic subjects, while most of the positive research was done on well-fed humans who received adequate amounts of dietary protein. As a result, it is recommended that one take leucine with a meal that includes a source of carbohydrate as well as protein.
GREGORY CHANDLER, Attorney at Law
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