Working out is only part of the equation in the quest to improve fitness, build muscle or lose weight. Another part of the equation is ensuring you get enough rest and adequate nutrition after working out. This is of particular significance if your goal is to gain muscle. The amino acid leucine plays a significant role in post-workout nutrition, and according to the muscle authority site, Bodybuilding.com, it is anti-catabolic, and provides anabolic, or muscle building, conditions in the body.
Identification
Leucine, together with isoleucine and valine, are branch chain amino acids, or BCAAs, which number among the nine essential amino acids that cannot be manufactured in the body and can only be obtained in the diet. According to Nutritionalreviews.org, BCAAs form 35 percent of all the essential amino acids present in muscle protein. Leucine, like isoleucine and valine, is found primarily in meat, poultry and dairy products. Healthvitaminsguide.com notes it is also found in brown rice, beans, nuts and whole wheat. Leucine is also found in whey protein.
Function
According to Healthvitaminsguide.com, leucine assists the growth and repair of skin, bones and muscle and helps to regulate blood-sugar levels. It also helps to prevent the breakdown of muscle protein after severe stress or trauma. It works in conjunction with isoleucine and valine to treat and reverse liver damage in alcoholics.
Exercise
Unlike other amino acids, BCAAs are broken down and used as energy during exercise. Nutritionalreviews.org notes that prolonged or intense exercise results in a significant amount of BCAAs being metabolized and depleted from the muscles.
Supplementation
You must enhance your recovery rate to get the most from your workouts, particularly if you are trying to build muscle. According to Nutritionalreviews.org, research shows that BCAAs supplementation during exercise may improve performance, and supplementation before and after exercise may limit muscle breakdown and quicken recovery. Bodybuilding.com believes that BCAA supplementation results in less muscle protein broken down during training, increased protein synthesis and more muscle growth. The recommended dosage is 77 mg of BCAAs per kg of body-weight.
Other Features
Intense and regular workouts place a lot of stress on your immune system. According to Bodybuilding.com, supplementing with BCAAs helps to boost immune function, keeping colds and minor infections at bay. Leucine and its fellow BCAAs have also been shown to help to reduce visceral fat, which is located deeper in the body, under subcutaneous fat and notoriously resistant to dieting and exercise.
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