Hormonal
Leucine acts as the primary trigger for muscle protein synthesis by activating the mTORC1 pathway, and increasing leucine content in lower-quality proteins can restore the anabolic response in older adults.
Ensure your meals contain enough leucine, the 'trigger' for muscle building. High-quality proteins like whey, eggs, and meat are naturally rich in leucine. If you rely on plant proteins or lower-quality sources, you may need to consume larger portions or combine them to get enough leucine, especially as you age.
The hypothesis stipulates that MPS activation is a function of leucine concentration within the intracellular AA pool [59,64]. Currently, it is known that the increase in intercellular concentration of leucine signals to activate MPS through a mechanism involving the regulation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) [74].
Why this rating
Well-established mechanistic pathway supported by multiple studies cited.
Source
Understanding the effects of nutrition and post-exercise nutrition on skeletal muscle protein turnover: Insights from stable isotope studies
Sophie Joanisse et al. · Clinical Nutrition Open Science · 2021
DOI 10.1016/j.nutos.2021.01.005
More from this paper
- Resistance exercise sensitizes skeletal muscle to amino acids for 24-48 hours, allowing a moderate protein dose (~20g) to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS) without requiring higher doses.Good
- Evenly distributing protein intake across 3-4 meals (approx. 0.3-0.4 g/kg per meal) is a pragmatic strategy to maximize daily muscle protein synthesis, particularly for older adults or during energy restriction, though total daily protein remains the primary driver.Moderate
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