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Leucine May Slow Muscle Loss Due to Aging

Body builders and other athletes reportedly take supplements of the amino acid leucine in the belief that it helps maintain muscle mass. Now an animal study from France suggests that leucine might slow muscle loss among seniors believed to stem from an age-related change in muscle protein synthesis and breakdown. When the French researchers supplemented the diets of elderly rats with leucine, they saw a return of a youthful pattern of protein breakdown. The French team is now conducting a study to determine whether leucine supplementation would work as well for aging humans as it did for elderly rats. Dietary sources of leucine include meat, dairy products, soy, beans, and other foods rich in protein. Previous research has suggested that leucine supplements can help build muscle mass in humans, but the French study may be the first to focus on seniors. The rat study was published in the December 2005 issue of the Journal of Physiology.