ExRx.net

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Thanks TimD.

This is actually the method recommended by Dr Eades in his 6 Week Cure book. However, leucine is very expensive compared to other proteins, about 10 times per gram. It's also found in BCAAs, usually 50%. In both protein and BCAAs it's the leucine you're actually paying for, the rest is along for the ride. Unless you have a reason to want to exclude the other proteins, whole protein is the way to go, from a price point of view.

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

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Thanks TimD.

It seems that locally, leucine is more that 10 times the price per gram than simple whey protein. Perhaps it's cheaper in other places. They probably jack up the price on the little bottles and the protein market is more competitive. Searching around the internet, there does seem to be some deals on luciene that would certainly make it cheaper.

Edit: Here's a source where 1000 grams costs under $50. http://www.nutrabio.com/Products/leucin ... E9cxLJlTw4
The same $50 spent on the same web site would get you 5 lbs of protein containing about 250 grams of leucine.

Spent locally, that $50 would buy a much smaller bottle.

I should have shopped around a bit when I was looking for this earlier.

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

Very nicely put. Sums up the importance and effects of leucine tremedously.
I would personally like to add the importance of Glutamine in the whole deal.

Glutamine is a crucial factor on mTor regulation, and particulary BCAA (leucine) uptake and cell volumization. Shortly, to get BCAA's and especially leucine fully working, you need glutamine. And it's commonly known that glutamine doesn't just work in the muscles, it has several important functions in the cells of your digestive system and immune system. Liver also likes to use glutamine for glycogenesis. That, plus the huge stress and metabolic disturbance caused by resistance training makes the reguirements for glutamine even bigger.

Sources:
Amino acid signaling through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway: Role of glutamine and of cell shrinkage.
Bidirectional transport of amino acids regulates mTOR and autophagy.

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Prove the impossible!

Dub, Glutamine is the most common amino acid found in meat, so you get lots in your everyday diet. Is there evidence that amounts over and above this make any difference, assuming you take a post workout protein shake anyway?

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

Most sources say you need glutamine around 6-20g a day, but it varies so much depending on your daily activities. There are alot of contradicting evidence if huge amounts of glutamine will do any difference: http://www.ergo-log.com/glutaminedoesnothing.html
But there are also lots of evidence (like the ones I linked before), that BCAA + glutamine make the effects even greater than just plain BCAA/Leucine.

But I wouldn't say it is important to add glutamine to your supplementation. I'm trying it myself ATM, 10g post workout (courtesy of John Meadows). But is it necessary if you eat plenty of protein (meat as the most important)? No. But I would maybe suggest it when you want the most bang for your buck when you are under a lot of stress, or having a flu or other sickness.

The main point was that there are other amino acids that we also have to consider when talking about protein intake. You don't have to supplement leucine either if you can handle the meat, but they are options.

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Prove the impossible!

glutamine has been shown to be awesome for gut health. I'm too lazy to supply links but trust me, they're out there