A common problem in the United States, obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, heart attack and stroke. By eating healthy and exercising, you can lose weight to promote heart health. While there are innumerable diet and weight-loss methods, eating a diet high in the amino acid leucine can result in weight loss and fat loss.
Leucine
Leucine is an essential amino acid, meaning your body cannot produce it naturally. Therefore, in order to get an adequate supply of leucine, you must get it from your diet or from a dietary supplement. A branched chain amino acid, leucine is metabolized directly into muscle tissue, and has the ability to help to repair and rebuild muscles, says the American Heart Association.
Maintain Muscle
Leucine has various metabolic roles. According to the Whey Protein Institute, recent studies by Dr. Donald Layman -- a professor at the University of Illinois -- have found that, unlike other essential amino acids, leucine can help to preserve lean muscle tissue while promoting fat loss.
Better Build
"The Journal of Nutrition" published on article focusing on a study that compared two groups of people. Both groups ate the same amount of daily calories -- 1,700 -- fat and fiber, but one ate a high-protein diet with 10 g of leucine every day, and the other ate a high-carbohydrate diet with 5 g of leucine every day. At the end of 10 weeks, weight loss was similar, but those who ate the high-protein, high-leucine diet had burned significantly more fat.
Available Sources
Leucine can be obtained from animal foods high in protein, such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy products. A variety of supplements -- typically in the form of powder -- also are available. Supplements can be either pure leucine, or supplements such as whey or soy protein, which contain leucine, according to the website L-Leucine.org, which distributes information about leucine supplements.
Precautions
Though no serious side effects have been discovered when consuming leucine, dietary supplements can interact with other supplements or medications. Therefore, you should consult a doctor before consuming leucine or other dietary supplements.
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