Chalk one more up for leucine. As you get older, you lose muscle mass. It’s just nature. The muscle loss is because of a loss of appetite and metabolic changes that trigger muscle atrophy. Some of these metabolic changes include insulin resistance, decreased testosterone and inflammation. And we don’t want to lose muscle. Muscle loss can hinder the quality of life of all individuals, not just bodybuilders. What’s more, decreased muscle mass also increases the risk of injury. Is there anything you can do to help keep your muscles? Yes: supplement with leucine.

Researchers have shown that leucine can ward off the loss of muscle mass that comes with age. One reason is leucine’s vital importance for muscle protein synthesis, which means more muscle mass. Also, it’s an important trigger in the mTOR pathway, the biological pathway responsible for muscle hypertrophy. Again, this means more muscle mass.

Leucine isn’t just for older and aging individuals. It also has a place in a bodybuilder’s supplement regimen . It’s one of the keys in the mTOR pathway, and it aids in building more muscle. Plus, it helps aid in recovery during and after a workout. All of this is a great boon to a bodybuilder.