Greetings to you, a regular guest of my sports page. I would like to touch upon a topic that vividly concerns all bodybuilding athletes - sports nutrition. Today we will talk about leucine, an amino acid that is part of sports supplements and protein shakes. Leucine in bodybuilding is rightfully considered an indispensable component of sports nutrition, because it is for the muscles of an athlete like gasoline for a car: if you do not pour it, then you will not go far. Well, now everything is in order ...
What is Leucine
Interesting articles about chemical additives and their effect:
Leucine is an essential branched chain amino acid that our bodies cannot produce on their own. Due to the fact that it has a number of beneficial properties, it is included in many products for athletes.
To make it clear to my dear readers why leucine is so important for a bodybuilder, I will tell you about its properties. Strength athletes in sports such as bodybuilding, armwrestling and powerlifting simply cannot imagine their path to success without this substance.
Because leucine in the human body is:
- maintaining nitrogen balance;
- blood glucose control;
- increasing the efficiency of the body;
- building material for muscle fibers;
- preventing muscle breakdown during physical work;
- support in the body of water metabolism, since with a decrease in protein in the blood, edema appears in a person;
- participation in protein synthesis;
- acceleration of metabolism, thereby promoting fat burning;
- increasing the protective properties of the body;
- assistance in the early recovery of strength after training.
Leucine accounts for about 8% of all amino acids in the body. Its miraculous properties are also recognized by official medicine, which uses it for a number of serious diseases (anemia, toxicosis, muscular dystrophy and damage to the central nervous system).
An important property of leucine is the stimulation of collagen synthesis, due to which the articular cartilage is not only not destroyed, but is also able to recover.
The instructions for use do not indicate exactly when it should be taken, so you should assume that this can be done at any time of the day. Bodybuilders recommend taking it either before or immediately after training.
Some professional athletes take 3 to 5 grams of leucine at a time during exercise. It is not recommended to take leucine in its pure form, it is effective in combination with valine and isoleucine in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. In this form and in such proportions, it is equivalent to meat and dairy products.
Now let's see how you should take leucine, depending on the purpose:
- If you are trying to gain weight, then you should take products containing this substance 3 times - before training, during and immediately after. Before taking the amino acid, stir it thoroughly in water and add sugar. This blend will give you the strength and energy for a long, productive workout without feeling tired.
- If you want to achieve muscle drying, then do not add sugar to the shake, and take it additionally between meals. With this scheme of reception, it will be possible to suppress the processes of decay of muscle cells, this will relieve you of the unpleasant feeling of hunger and will promote muscle growth.
Some sports nutritionists believe that there is never too much leucine. However, an example of calculating a dosage for a person can be given. So, an athlete of 50 kg of weight needs to take 1800 mg of leucine at one time.
Thus, 36 grams of this amino acid is relied on for 1 kilogram of the weight of an adult athletic person. Some strength athletes take 5-10 grams of leucine at a time between meals if there is a need to lose weight, for example.
The positive aspect of taking this remedy is the absence of an overdose, regardless of the amount taken, and side effects.
Application in medicine
As already mentioned, even official medicine recognizes and uses leucine in the fight against serious ailments, such as impaired liver function (hepatitis and cirrhosis), reduced body weight (cachexia, dystrophy), metabolic disorders and prevention of immunodeficiencies. Preparations containing this amino acid can be purchased over the counter and at sports nutrition stores.
If you want to make a diet of foods rich in leucine, then you should pay attention to animal and poultry meat, fish, eggs, black and red caviar, dairy products, as well as cereals, nuts and legumes. For effective absorption of this amino acid, it should be consumed with foods rich in B vitamins (B5 and B6). Protein shakes contain ample amounts of leucine.
I will summarize
Leucine refers to essential amino acids. They are considered to be indispensable nutritional factors. Our body receives essential amino acids from protein products. Each amino acid has a number of unique functions. The body uses the amino acid leucine to make protein.Properties of leucine.
Leucine has a number of important functions that are necessary for the human body, these include:
- Essential for the normal functioning of the liver;
- In the postoperative period, it is used to restore skin and bones. Promotes rapid wound healing;
- Reduces blood sugar levels. Leucine breaks down to glutamine and alanine, which maintain blood glucose levels;
- Stimulates the growth of muscle tissue and prevents protein breakdown. This is the function of leucine is important for athletes to build muscle.
- Participates in the metabolism of carbohydrates.
- To strengthen the immune system;
- Prevents the onset of fatigue;
- Effective in the fight against excess weight.
Daily rate of leucine is 5000 mg for an adult, according to I.M. Skurikhin.
What foods contain leucine.
This is found in protein foods.
To obtain daily rate leucine, you need to eat 200g of millet porridge + 115g of rabbit meat.
At lack of leucine there is a mental disorder.
The reason for the lack of leucine is insufficient intake of vitamin B6 into the body.
Excess leucine causes excess ammonia in the body.
Woman for wound healing, received during childbirth, you need to eat foods rich in leucine.
Leucine for nursing mothers. To feed her husband, to keep the house in order, to take care of the baby - all this tires the young mother and leads to constant fatigue and lack of sleep. The easiest way to relieve fatigue is to eat foods that contain essential amino acids, including leucine.
Leucine for children. Every mother is interested in how to protect her child from infections. Not the least role in strengthening the child's immunity is nutrition, and maybe even the first. A child needs to get all the essential nutrients in their diet, including leucine, to be healthy and successful.
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Leucine is an essential amino acid. The discoveries in the field of chemistry had a significant impact on the development of science, industry, medicine, and sports. V last years among athletes, the consumption of various supplements containing essential amino acid leucine... The fact is that it is necessary for protein synthesis in the body. First of all, therefore leucine and became widely known In sports... In addition, it is used for the recovery of patients after surgery and the treatment of sports injuries. Meanwhile, the majority ordinary people leucine is still little known. Now is the time to correct this situation and talk in detail about this substance. In this article we will talk about beneficial properties of leucine, the use of this compound in various fields.
Leucine in its optimal natural form and dosage it is contained in beekeeping products - such as pollen, royal jelly and drone brood, which are part of many natural vitamin and mineral complexes of the Parapharm company: Leveton P, Elton P, Leveton Forte "," Apitonus P "," Osteomed "," Osteo-Vit "," Eromax "," Memo-Vit "and" Kardioton ". That is why we pay so much attention to each natural substance, talking about its importance and benefits for a healthy body.
Leucine: the story of an important
scientific discovery
Let's touch on the history of this important scientific discovery. For the first time, the French scientist Joseph Proust encountered the action of leucine in 1818, when he was studying spoiled cheese. Already in 1820, the Frenchman Henri Braconneau was able to isolate this substance from rotten meat and wool. He also came up with this name. As you know, leucine (Latin name leucine) is an essential amino acid. This means that the human body cannot synthesize it on its own. It is part of the body of all animals and most plants. Leucine also belongs to the group of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). It is such a feature chemical structure makes it unique. The metabolism of this compound occurs not only in the liver, but also widely uses muscle tissue.
In its pure form, leucine is a colorless crystalline powder that is poorly soluble in water. It is included in individual dietary supplements, and is also used in the treatment of many diseases. In addition, it is used for the recovery of patients after surgery and the treatment of sports injuries. The substance is used not only in sports and medicine, but also in Food Industry... Based on the amino acid, scientists have created L-leucine - food additive E 641, which is classified as a flavor enhancer... In our body, this amino acid is mainly found in the muscles and liver. The total amount of BCAAs in muscle tissue is about 35%.
The beneficial properties of leucine:
excellent immunomodulator and anti-catabolic
Meaning leucine for our body is huge, because it has many useful properties... First, it is the main component for building protein. Without leucine, the formation of our muscles would not be possible. It helps the athlete prevent muscle loss after exercise. Why it happens? This amino acid inhibits catabolic reactions in the body. The body's regenerative capabilities also increase, which helps to recover from injuries. Secondly, leucine - excellent immunomodulator.
Another important property of leucine is that it is one of the intermediates for the formation of cholesterol and steroids. This substance is necessary for the synthesis of such an important enzyme as leptin, which is a fat burner. Leucine is also involved in the formation of hormones that have an anabolic effect. It is required for the production of insulin. That is, without this amino acid, muscles will not be built and sexual function will not work.
It must be said about the stimulating effect of leucine on the central nervous system. This property is used to treat mental illness. In addition, the amino acid is necessary for the synthesis of growth hormone, which is so important for the child's body. Therefore, children should be given foods rich in leucine: cheeses, nuts, fish.
The main beneficial properties of leucine:
- participates in protein synthesis;
- maintains the level of serotonin in the body, so we do not get tired longer;
- triggers the production of insulin as well as sugar. Joint reception gives the greatest effect food additive BCAA and sugars, it dramatically increases insulin synthesis.
- promotes rapid wound healing;
- strengthens the immune system;
- lowers blood sugar levels;
- normalizes liver function.
Leucine in sports
: the true love of a bodybuilder.
BCAA food supplement
I must say that leucine is the main component (over 70%) of the popular food additive... Today leucine increasingly use In sports... It's no secret that special love feel for her bodybuilders... But if the athlete takes only leucine, then it will need to be eaten with spoons, and such volumes are harmful to the kidneys. In addition, the full assimilation of amino acids occurs in the presence of B vitamins. It has also been found that two other branched-chain amino acids, isoleucine and valine, greatly enhance the effect of leucine.
Interestingly, leucine, together with other BCAAs, causes the body to release serine and threonine, which form a phosphorylating stream. Such an effect stimulates protein synthesis, which is essential for muscle growth... This is why this amino acid is so loved by bodybuilders and weightlifters. And indeed, correctly, using its capabilities, you can accelerate the growth of muscle mass. Companies producing BCAA nutritional supplements, the most often used is the ratio of leucine to isoleucine and valine: 2: 1: 1. Trainers recommend taking this sports nutrition before and immediately after training to take advantage of the protein-carbohydrate window. A special effect can be achieved by using the supplement during the classes themselves - every 20 minutes.
The use of leucine in medicine
Due to its many properties leucine has long been used in medicine... It is included in medicines used to treat liver diseases, anemia, and mental illness. It is used as a corrector of amino acid imbalance in cancer patients. It is used in preoperative drug preparation, as well as to reduce the cytostatic effect of certain drugs. It is an excellent remedy for recovering from surgeries and sports injuries.
Leucine is also given to patients to strengthen their immunity during radio and chemotherapy. This is a well-known remedy for the basic therapy of a wide variety of immunodeficiencies. It is often prescribed as a prophylactic agent for those who frequently take antibiotics. It can also be used to prevent colds.
In addition, leucine is used to treat Menkes disease, polio, and muscle degeneration. But leucine is not suitable for everyone, in some patients side effects.
Strengthening muscles - losing weight.
Leucine for weight loss
BCAA food supplement- this is a good help for all connoisseurs healthy way life. For example, leucine can be used slimming... Let's say a little about how this supplement works against excess weight... Muscles can be called power plants that use fats and carbohydrates as fuel. If a person does not play sports and eats plentifully, his muscles degrade. As a result, these "power plants" consume little energy, and calories go into the folds of fat. If you decide to get leaner, then leucine will help you cope with the task, as it will strengthen your muscles.
Leucine tricks the body's systems into feeling that the calorie intake is normal. As a result, the body does not try to hold fat masses... In addition, leucine is involved in the formation of an enzyme - leptin, which is an effective fat burner. This enzyme is also called the "satiety hormone". It inhibits the work of neuropeptide Y in the hypothalamus, which causes hunger.
What products
contains leucine
The main sources of leucine are animal products. It is no coincidence that for the first time they managed to isolate it from meat. There is a lot of leucine in cow, sheep and camel milk and all dairy products. Leucine is found in large quantities in eggs, red and black caviar... If you do not eat meat, then fish will help you make up for the lack of leucine, moreover, special attention should be paid to ocean species. However, hardcore plant-based diets don't need to worry, as there are a number of non-killing foods that are rich in leucine. Such people need to eat legumes, cereals (wheat), nuts, pumpkin seeds... It is worth paying attention to such a product as brown rice. If this product is not at hand, then regular peanuts will do. Bakery products Is also an excellent source of leucine.
Daily rate of leucine
A person should receive from 4 to 6 grams of this amino acid per day. Some sources indicate the following rate: 31 mg / kg of body weight, for small children - 425 mg / kg. We translate this figure into food: per day you should eat 3 eggs, 100 grams of cottage cheese, 200 grams of meat, drink 300 grams of milk. But if you seriously decided to fight for sports titles, then you will have to eat six eggs a day, half a kilo chicken meat, 200 grams of cottage cheese, and drink about a liter of milk. Of course, eating this amount of food is quite difficult, which is why athletes so appreciated the appearance of protein mixtures or amino acids in powder form.
Lack of leucine in the body
Deficiency of this amino acid in the body provokes a number of pathological changes. First, there is a negative nitrogen balance in the body, which is especially harmful for children. Secondly, suffer internal organs: kidneys, liver, thyroid gland. Often for this reason, metabolism is disturbed, hypoglycemia can occur, and immunity can be weakened. Typical signs lack of leucine in the body: headaches, dizziness, nervousness, rapid fatigue, weight loss, retardation of child development.
Excess leucine in the body.
Side effects
leucine use
In a number of Western countries, serious research has been carried out on leucine. The United States has been particularly successful in this regard. For example, Columbia University conducted a number of experiments on rodents. It turned out that leucine causes an increase in muscle mass in rats, stimulates the reduction of body fat. In the same time excess of leucine in the body impairs the absorption of other amino acids. As a result, we will miss many nutrients, such as tryptophan. Because of this, irritability, depression, and insomnia can occur.
We can highlight the work of American scientists: Robert A. Harris, Mandara Joshi. They found that leucine plays a leading role in the BCAA supplement. This amino acid promotes protein synthesis and also slows down the destruction of protein structures. At the same time, leucine overdose should not be allowed.
An American researcher like E. Bloomstrand also believes that excess leucine dangerous to the body. If BCAAs are consumed in large quantities, then the concentration of ammonia in the plasma will increase. In turn, this effect can lead to fatigue and reduce motor functions. Therefore, those who are involved in sports where good coordination is needed should be careful when taking this drug. An overdose of leucine negatively affects kidney function, which can lead to disease over time. The main side effects of leucine: skin rashes, itching. You should remember about the possibility of overdose and avoid it. Taking leucine in its pure form does not make much sense and can even cause a decrease in muscle mass. You can get the required amount of this amino acid by using the drug. One of its components contains leucine and other beneficial substances.
Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude: without leucine, our life would be simply impossible. It is essential for human health and is used in medicine, industry, and sports. In addition, leucine can help anyone who wants to.
L-Leucine (C 6 H 13 NO 2) is one of three essential branched chain amino acids. The other two are L-Valine and L-Isoleucine. Leucine cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained through food or dietary supplements. It can be found in nuts, brown rice, and whole grains. Leucine makes up about eight percent of all amino acids in the body and is the fourth most concentrated amino acid in muscle tissue.
A distinctive feature of Leucine is that this amino acid plays an important role in protein synthesis. The term "protein synthesis" can be found quite often, even in ordinary articles concerning the formation of muscle mass. However, what is this process? Simply put, it is the formation of new proteins that occurs in skeletal muscle our body.
If this happens quite intensely, we are talking about skeletal muscle hypertrophy (growth), i.e. about the process of increasing our muscle mass. The purpose of this article is to highlight the effect of dietary intake, in particular leucine, on protein synthesis in skeletal muscle after exercise.
Prerequisites
Different types of exercise affect muscle protein metabolism in different ways.
- Endurance exercises affect protein metabolism in skeletal muscles in the following way: they reduce anabolic processes (the formation of new proteins) and increase the process of catabolism (protein breakdown) causing myopathy - a decrease in muscle mass.
- Exercise for mass is unique in comparison with other types of physical exercise, because at the time of performing these exercises, along with an increase in the breakdown of proteins in muscles, an effective increase in protein synthesis also occurs.
A common effect in both cases is a negative protein balance (general protein breakdown). Thus, in the short term physical exercises cause protein catabolism. However, in the long term, exercise can help maintain or increase muscle mass.
Leucine
It has been established that in order to maintain a positive protein balance after physical training, it is necessary to consume proteins, in particular, the amino acid leucine. Until leucine is supplied with food, the protein balance will remain negative.
Leucine is one of the three and is a unique amino acid that promotes protein synthesis in muscles. In fact, leucine has about 10 times more effect on the formation of new proteins than any other amino acid!
So how does leucine promote muscle protein synthesis? First, we need to learn more about the processes in the body that leucine activates. Leucine has been shown to activate a major anabolic receptor known as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR protein). mTOR is an amino acid receptor in the cell that is sensitive to the concentration of leucine.
A decrease in the concentration of leucine transmits the mTOR signal that there is currently not enough food for the synthesis of new proteins in the muscles, and mTOR is deactivated. As the concentration of mTOR leucine increases, a signal is sent that there are sufficient proteins available to synthesize new muscle proteins, and mTOR is activated.
MTOR activation
Although researchers are not entirely sure exactly how leucine activates mTOR, mTOR has been found to be sensitive to leucine concentration and levels (lowering ATP also deactivates mTOR).
MTOR activation is closely related to increased protein synthesis. mTOR promotes protein synthesis through two different mechanisms.
Mechanism No. 1
Phosphorylation of the binding protein 4E-BP1, which leads to its inactivation. When active, the 4E-BP1 protein binds to the eIF4E protein (initiating factor), preventing it from binding to the next eIF4G protein to form the eIF4E * eIF4G complex.
The formation of this complex is an important factor in starting the process of protein synthesis.
Simply put, mTOR promotes the initiation of the protein synthesis process by inactivating 4E-BP1, thus allowing the formation of the eIF4E * eIF4G complex, which is an important factor in the initiation of the protein synthesis process.
It could be explained in more detail, however, this is superfluous. This diagram is pretty simple to understand the process.
Mechanism number 2
mTOR activates the ribosomal protein S6 (known as rpS6 or p70 S6). The rpS6 protein increases the synthesis of components of the protein synthesis chain. Thus, mTOR not only promotes protein synthesis, but also increases the potential for its synthesis.
By analogy, to help understand this process, consider the example of a contractor building a new skyscraper.
mTOR is a contracting organization. The protein you are trying to synthesize is a skyscraper. The components of the protein synthesis chain are the machines (bulldozers, cranes, etc.) that you use to construct a building. And leucine is the funds needed to carry out design work.
Given enough cash (increasing the concentration of leucine), the contractor can not only start building a skyscraper (synthesize protein in muscles), but also buy more cars (increase the number of components needed for synthesis). This, in turn, will increase the power and speed with which the skyscraper (protein synthesized in the muscles) will be erected.
Leucine also promotes protein synthesis by increasing the availability of the eIF4G protein to form the eIF4G * eIF4E complex through phosphorylation of eIF4G.
In simple terms
Let's leave the gems of science aside and talk about what we've learned from the above. How beneficial is leucine supplementation? Or is it perhaps enough to switch to a high protein diet? There is some evidence to support taking leucine even if you are consuming enough protein in your diet.
Scientists recently conducted an experiment in which three groups of people did weight exercises for forty-five minutes, after which one group of people was given food containing exclusively, the other - carbohydrates and about 30 g of protein, and the third - carbohydrates, protein and leucine.
It was found that in the group of people who ate food containing carbohydrates, proteins and leucine, protein catabolism decreased, and protein synthesis in the muscles increased to a greater extent than in the group of people who ate food containing carbohydrates and proteins, and increased even more. degree than in the group of people who ate food containing exclusively carbohydrates.
A possible explanation for these results is associated with the peak increase in the concentration of leucine in blood plasma, which can be achieved by the free form of ingested leucine. It takes a long time for total protein to travel from the stomach to the small intestine and finally into the bloodstream. Thus, the concentration of proteins in blood plasma increases slowly and plateau-like.
Even when digested quickly, for example, serum leucine can take several hours to be cleared of protein and absorbed into the circulation. In this regard, the concentration of leucine in the blood plasma never reaches a high level.
However, when eating food containing pure leucine, it will be rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, thus reaching its peak concentration in blood plasma, which will cause a sharp increase in the level of intracellular leucine and activation of the above-mentioned anabolic chain.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we come to the obvious fact that leucine promotes protein synthesis by increasing the activity of mTOR and phosphorylation of the eIF4G protein.
Leucine has a much more stimulating effect on protein synthesis than any other amino acid. It has been found that protein synthesis also increases in response to a relatively small dose of leucine in food.
It has also been found that adding leucine to foods high in protein is much more conducive to muscle protein synthesis.
In any case, it remains to be determined how beneficial it is for athletes and bodybuilders to consume leucine in addition to high protein foods to further increase muscle mass in the long term.
Leucine belongs to the group of essential amino acids that are part of all proteins of a living organism. It can be called one of the most important, since at the molecular level it participates in the process of protein formation, which means that it is not only in the group called essential acids, but is also not replaceable for the normal functioning of the entire human body. It is one of the three amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) that are involved in the building and regenerative processes of cells. It was discovered by two scientists Gerard and Laurent. The amino acid itself is a white crystalline substance that is poorly soluble in water, without a characteristic taste or smell. There are a number of foods that are particularly rich in leucine - nuts, meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Also, this amino acid is synthesized chemically and can be bought in the form of a dietary supplement (capsules, tablets, liquid). For diseases, drugs based on leucine are used.
Pharmacological properties
Leucine plays a key role in the building of all muscle tissue, participates in the process of metabolism and energy production, has the ability to lower blood sugar levels, but increase immunity. It is responsible for the growth hormone, so it is important to note that leucine is especially important for the growing body of the child, its deficiency can lead to stunted growth. Also, leucine is a basic substance in the formation of anabolic hormones, which are responsible for the sexual function of men and muscle mass(athletic build). It should be noted the importance of leucine for the central nervous system since the amino acid has a stimulating effect.
Indications for use
Recently, leucine has been on the rise due to the popularity of this amino acid among bodybuilders, athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Therefore, firstly, it is recommended for overweight people, or people who want to build muscle mass. Leucine helps athletes recover from severe physical activity, since one of the most important tasks of an essential amino acid is to regenerate and restore muscle tissue. Liver disease, anemia, high cholesterol, immunodeficiency, long-term therapy with antibiotics, chemotherapy for cancer are a number of direct indications when the amino acid leucine is used.
Contraindications
Pregnancy, lactation, children under 18 years of age, hypersensitivity to leucine.
Side effects
Rash on the skin, accompanied by itching.
