Micronutrients & recovery
Leucine is a critical amino acid that can stimulate muscle protein synthesis, but complete essential amino acids are required for sustained MPS.
While leucine is a key trigger for muscle building, you still need to eat complete proteins containing all essential amino acids. Leucine alone is not enough to sustain muscle growth.
In particular, the amino acid leucine occupies a position of prominence, in that it alone can act as a stimulatory signal for MPS... however, in the absence of substrate (i.e., a full complement of indispensable amino acids), MPS would ultimately slow and eventually revert to basal levels.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple studies cited in the review.
Source
Physiologic and molecular bases of muscle hypertrophy and atrophy: impact of resistance exercise on human skeletal muscle (protein and exercise dose effects)This paper is one of a selection of papers published in this Special Issue, entitled 14th International Biochemistry of Exercise Conference – Muscles as Molecular and Metabolic Machines, and has undergone the Journal’s usual peer review process.
Stuart M. Phillips · Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism · 2009
DOI 10.1139/h09-042
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