title: Supplemental dietary leucine and the skeletal muscle anabolic response to essential amino acids.
abstract: Skeletal muscle protein synthesis (MPS) is regulated by a number of dietary factors, to include essential amino acids (EAAs). Leucine, a branched-chain amino acid, has been identified as a stimulator of MPS in many cell culture and animal studies. However, whether supplemental leucine exerts a unique stimulatory effect, as compared to other EAAs, on muscle anabolism in humans has not been clearly demonstrated. A recent study found no improvement in resting MPS in adults who consumed a 10 g EAA supplement providing added leucine (3.5 g leucine) when compared to a control 10 g EAA supplement (1.8 g leucine). These findings suggest that added leucine is unnecessary for the stimulation of MPS when sufficient EAAs are provided; however, the study of supplemental leucine during conditions such as endurance exercise, caloric deprivation, and ageing may be warranted.
authors: Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, Massachusetts 01760, USA.
authors: Stefan M
authors: SM
authors: Pasiakos
authors: James P
authors: JP
authors: McClung
mesh_terms: D000601:Amino Acids, Essential / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000601:Amino Acids, Essential; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D007930:Leucine