New research shows that the amino acid L-leucine may change body composition. The study authors wanted to see how leucine might effect fat and muscle cells.
They had one group that was on a weight maintenance diet and another on a weight loss diet. Both either got about 2 grams of leucine plus vitamin B6 or placebo.
The weight maintenance group lost weight with leucine while placebo did not. In the weight loss group, those getting leucine lost twice as much weight than placebo.
The weight loss benefits are attributed to leucine reducing fat cell storage and increasing muscle cell fat oxidation.
Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2013
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