https://doi.org/10.51514/JSTR.6.4.2024.26-31
Deepa Malviya and Chandrakanta Mourya
ABSTRACT
Leucine is an aliphatic, non-polar amino acid, its chemical structure includes a carboxylic and α-amino acid and a unique side chain. It is mainly metabolized in muscular tissue rather than the liver, and this imparts its role in energy production and muscle protein synthesis. Leucine is a dietary amino acid which is oftenly referred as a key amino acid for growth of muscle due to its involvement in initiating MPS (muscle protein synthesis). It possesses the efficiency to directly stimulate the myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis. This effect is the outcomes of its role as a trigger of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a serine-threonine protein kinase which regulates protein biosynthesis and cell growth. The activation of mTOR by leucine is arbitrated through Rag GTPases, leucine binding to leucyl-tRNA synthetase, leucine binding to sestrin2, and possibly other mechanisms.
Leucine performs a numerous function in the body. It helps to produces growth hormone and regulate blood sugar, improves wound healing, but it is commonly known for its function in muscle growth system. Building of Muscle, Regaining of Muscle, Prevention of Muscular Loss, Muscular recovery and preservation, Muscular protein synthesis, developing muscular strength are some its beneficial effects in building muscular health.
Because of its beneficial effect in muscular growth athletes should consume in their diet. But researches studies confirm that Muscular Protein synthesis not only occur by leucine only, but the researches says that MPS activates if leucine combines with the resistance training like weight lifting and other body weight exercises supplemented with other essential amino acids
Keywords: chemical structure, protein synthesis, leucine, growth hormone, muscular strength etc.