Leucine by Itself or BCAA's?

[M302_Imola]

The more and more I read, I'm understanding that Leucine is by far the most superior BCAA in building muscle. In fact, I have read that the other two BCAA's (valine & isoleucine) will actually compete with Leucine for absorption. So should one just supplement with Leucine say first thing in the morn and pwo, rather than all three BCAA's?

[M302_Imola]

bump...damn guys nothing?

[Lemonada8]

that is what I've gathered. Aslo I get most of my AA's from real meat sources. But Leucine is best

[Swifto]

Leucine is a potent activator of mTOR.

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/3/861S.full

When I was at my heaviest I was using a mixture of BCAA+Leucine between meals.

PWO was /Fruit+Whey Iso/Casein/Egg+Leucine+CM+BA.

Intra-WO or pre-WO BCAA+Leucine.

[jimmyinkedup]

Leucine is a potent activator of mTOR.

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/3/861S.full

When I was at my heaviest I was using a mixture of BCAA+Leucine between meals.

PWO was /Fruit+Whey Iso/Casein/Egg+Leucine+CM+BA.

Intra-WO or pre-WO BCAA+Leucine.

The mixture is the key. Most bcaa supps are 4:1:1 ....imo bump the leucine up to 8.
So you have an 8:1:1 ratio. This should optimize desirable effects on Akt/mTOR ....

[jimmyinkedup]

The more and more I read, I'm understanding that Leucine is by far the most superior BCAA in building muscle. In fact, I have read that the other two BCAA's (valine & isoleucine) will actually compete with Leucine for absorption. So should one just supplement with Leucine say first thing in the morn and pwo, rather than all three BCAA's?

Leucine does provide the most benfit (like esentially all) but leucine lowers concentrations of isoleucine and valine so its considered prudent to supplement them in small amounts along with leucine ...

[M302_Imola]

Leucine is a potent activator of mTOR.

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/3/861S.full

When I was at my heaviest I was using a mixture of BCAA+Leucine between meals.

PWO was /Fruit+Whey Iso/Casein/Egg+Leucine+CM+BA.

Intra-WO or pre-WO BCAA+Leucine.

Thanks for the article Swifto. Looks as if the activation of mTOR is very important for us body builders. I will take your advice as always!

The mixture is the key. Most bcaa supps are 4:1:1 ....imo bump the leucine up to 8.
So you have an 8:1:1 ratio. This should optimize desirable effects on Akt/mTOR ....

What's up Jimmy? I like the idea of the 8:1:1 ratio but will the very small amount of valine and isoleucine compete w/ the leucine?

Leucine does provide the most benfit (like esentially all) but leucine lowers concentrations of isoleucine and valine so its considered prudent to supplement them in small amounts along with leucine ...

So Leucine offers the most benefit but will lower concentrations within the body of isoleucine and valine so supplementing a small amount of these is essential w/ the Leucine?

[M302_Imola]

Thanks to everyone that has chimed in!

[LatissimusaurousRex]

Good info, I've wondered this a bit myself.

[jimmyinkedup]

Thanks for the article Swifto. Looks as if the activation of mTOR is very important for us body builders. I will take your advice as always!



What's up Jimmy? I like the idea of the 8:1:1 ratio but will the very small amount of valine and isoleucine compete w/ the leucine?



So Leucine offers the most benefit but will lower concentrations within the body of isoleucine and valine so supplementing a small amount of these is essential w/ the Leucine?

Hey m302 - all is great my man. Hope u r good as well.

Your last response in bold above is right on the money....

[M302_Imola]

Hey m302 - all is great my man. Hope u r good as well.

Your last response in bold above is right on the money....

Glad to hear bro...all is good on my end as well. Thanks for the info and take care!

[Dog-Slime]

I jumped on the bcaa train myself but lately have just been adding 5 grams of leucine to my protein shakes and this seems to work just as well if not better for me. I only use bcaas upon waking and sometimes intra workout. Between meals its a scoop of protein and leucine.

[M302_Imola]

Well I took 1 lb of my normal BCAA's (4:1:1) and then mixed in a 1 lb of Leucine powder to up the ratio of Leucine. Have only been on these for a week (3, 10g servings per day) and the scale is moving in the right direction. Went from 196 to 199 last week in which the gains seem to be muscle not water or fat...fyi I kept my training and diet the same as it has been in which I was holding strong at 196. Not sure if the scale moving is a fluke but next weigh-in (I weigh every mon.) we shall see.

[Swifto]

Well I took 1 lb of my normal BCAA's (4:1:1) and then mixed in a 1 lb of Leucine powder to up the ratio of Leucine. Have only been on these for a week (3, 10g servings per day) and the scale is moving in the right direction. Went from 196 to 199 last week in which the gains seem to be muscle not water or fat...fyi I kept my training and diet the same as it has been in which I was holding strong at 196. Not sure if the scale moving is a fluke but next weigh-in (I weigh every mon.) we shall see.

There are plenty of studies showing the positive effects of Leucine supplementation.

BCAA+Leucine got me to the highest weight I have ever been. I was also at my strongest. Whether or not that is solely down to BCAA+Leucine, I dont know. But I'm assuming it definitely helped.

The thing about BCAA and Leucine is they do NOT mix well with water, unless they're micronized.

myprotein.com does a good bulk deal on micronized BCAA's for those in the UK.

trueprotein.com does a good deal for those in the USA.

[M302_Imola]

There are plenty of studies showing the positive effects of Leucine supplementation.

BCAA+Leucine got me to the highest weight I have ever been. I was also at my strongest. Whether or not that is solely down to BCAA+Leucine, I dont know. But I'm assuming it definitely helped.

The thing about BCAA and Leucine is they do NOT mix well with water, unless they're micronized.

myprotein.com does a good bulk deal on micronized BCAA's for those in the UK.

trueprotein.com does a good deal for those in the USA.

Thanks for the reply Swifto! I hope the weight gain is due to the added Leucine...I will update this thread after my next weigh-in (mon.). Yeah I use trueprotein for most of my supps.

[M302_Imola]

Weighed in at 3lbs heavier this monday, so I'm up 6 lbs. in two weeks. Not sure if all of it is from the addition of Leucine but it has to be helping. I wouldn't have thought that just by supplementing with Leucine I would gain this much weight. My diet, cardio, and workout hasn't changed and my weight before was static. Leucine = good stuff!

[l2elapse]

so youre saying adding Leucine to BCAAs?

[Lemonada8]

Leucine is a BCAA...

It has more benefits than the combination of the 3. but you need all of them but leucine is the most effective

[M302_Imola]

so youre saying adding Leucine to BCAAs?

Yeah I have been adding an extra amount of Leucine to my BCAA's. Most BCAA's are 2:1:1 or 4:1:1 until USP Labs put out "Modern BCAA's" with a ratio of 8:1:1, so I figured I would take a pound of 4:1:1 BCAA's and add 1 lb. of Leucine to up the ratio. I'm not quite sure what this ratio will now be but Leucine is heavily weighted in these compound. Trueprotein.com (no I'm not a sponsor) has good bulk supps such as BCAA's and Leucine.

Leucine is a BCAA...

It has more benefits than the combination of the 3. but you need all of them but leucine is the most effective

Right on the money! Your three BCAA's are Leucine, valine, and isoleucine.

[l2elapse]

what grams per each BCAAs do you guys recommend. Preworkout, post workout and during the day?

[l2elapse]

bump

[M302_Imola]

what grams per each BCAAs do you guys recommend. Preworkout, post workout and during the day?

I like to take 10g first thing in the morn (30 mins before my breakfast shake), 10g preworkout, and 15g pwo.

[PrairieDawg]

From what I read in my wife's nursing text books an imbalance of BCAA's can cause depression. In other words too much of one or another can cause an imbalance. I stopped adding Leucine to my shakes after reading this. I use an intra workout BCAA and throw some in my night time shake just cause I still have some left. If you read your protein containers you'll see they contain more than enough for what you need daily IMO. Intra workout is really the only time you're not getting any which is why I like to sip on some during. Thats just my opinion though.

[Lemonada8]

^^that is a extreme imbalance of BCAA's. But with the diet that the general person has here has sufficient protein to more than account for it.

that is more for people who dont have much dietary protein and that can cause depression

[PrairieDawg]

^^that is a extreme imbalance of BCAA's. But with the diet that the general person has here has sufficient protein to more than account for it.

that is more for people who dont have much dietary protein and that can cause depression

The text didn't specify how much of an imbalance or the person's diet. I'd only be speculating.