Did you know that leucine was among one of the first amino acids discovered in muscle fiber and wool? Leucine plays an essential role in your body.

However, it might also have the ability to help with muscle recovery. If you’re looking to help your muscles recover more quickly after a workout, this could be the right supplement for you.

Keep reading to learn more about how leucine benefits your muscles and body.

What Is Leucine?

Leucine is one of 20 amino acids found in the human body. Of those 20 amino acids, nine are essential, and leucine makes that list.

This amino acid helps with building muscle, improving physical performance, and muscle recovery. However, studies on these benefits have been unreliable as of now.

There are also a few other things that it might do but are, as of now, unproven.

Possible leucine benefits include:

  • Enhanced fat loss
  • Aid in healing skin and bones
  • Increase production of human growth hormone
  • Aid in controlling blood sugar

Leucine Benefits

If you’re interested in using leucine as part of a post-workout recovery plan, there are a few benefits you should be aware of. Consider the following as you decide whether or not to buy leucine.

One: Builds Muscle

Many bodybuilders and other athletes use leucine because it does help with gaining muscle. There have been some mixed results when it comes to studies on this benefit.

However, one study suggested that when you pair leucine with other amino acids, it’s more effective in helping promote muscle growth. In addition, increasing the amount of protein in your diet can also help to get the most out of leucine.

Proteins contain essential nutrients and amino acids that help muscle growth.

Two: Prevent Muscle Loss

Muscle loss can occur as you age, along with many other changes. Some individuals can develop sarcopenia.

This is the gradual deterioration of your skeletal muscles. Sarcopenia is an age-related process; however, there are risk factors that can make you more likely to struggle with it, such as lifestyle and genetics.

As sarcopenia worsens, it can cause weakness and decreased stamina. This will often lead to a decrease in physical activity.

One thing that leucine can do is help to prevent muscle loss due to aging. Studies done on leucine and muscle loss show that it’s the most effective when the person is taking in enough protein.

Three: Improve Performance

We mentioned earlier that athletes and bodybuilders will often use leucine to help build muscle; however, this isn’t the only reason that they use leucine. Leucine also has the potential to help improve physical performance.

One study looked at competitive canoeists. Over a six-week period, these individuals took leucine.

The results of the study showed that the canoeists not only saw improvement in endurance but also in upper body power.

Four: Helps With Fat Loss

Leucine not only helps with building muscle but can also help you shed the extra body fat you want to get rid of. There have been several studies on this as well.

One study looked at rats who were supplemented with a low dose of leucine over six weeks. During the study, the rats who were given leucine lost more weight than the rats who did not.

Five: Helps With Muscle Recovery

Have you ever left the gym and a few hours later or the next day started experiencing muscle aches and cramps? When you work out and work your muscles harder than they’re used to it is believed that it can cause microscopic damage to the fibers of your muscles. 

This damage is what causes the post-workout soreness.

Using leucine for muscle recovery has the potential to help your muscles recover. One study looked at cyclists and how supplementing with leucine helped.

For these cyclists recovery was improved and they also experienced enhanced high-intensity endurance performance.

Six: Stabilize Blood Sugar

Have you ever been encouraged to eat carbs after you exercise? Eating carbs after you exercise can help to stabilize your blood sugar and promote muscle glycogen recovery.

Studies have looked at eating carbs and taking leucine after a workout and found that in combination, they can help to improve muscle recovery.

Seven: Human Growth Hormone Production

Taking leucine might help to increase the production of human growth hormone or HGH. There are many benefits to HGH; however, over time our bodies naturally begin to reduce the amount of HGH our pituitary glands produce.

There’s a lot of hype around HGH and the potential benefits it provides your body. However, most of the hype surrounds the fact that many people believe it might keep away signs of aging.

But, HGH plays some other essential roles as well. One of the things it does is help to build, maintain, and repair tissue that’s healthy in your brain and organs.

It can also help to speed up healing when you’re injured and with repairing your muscle tissue after you exercise. Other workout-related benefits include that it helps build muscle mass, increase exercise capacity, boost metabolism, and burn fat.

Supplement Your Muscles Today

There are many reasons to use leucine as a part of your workout routine. If you’re looking for ways to boost your workout leucine benefits might provide the answer that you need.

Patch MD wants to help you find the supplements you need to improve your life. We provide patches that help you get the vitamins, amino acids, and essential nutrients your body needs. Take the time to shop our online store today.

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