L-Leucine
Leucine is an amino acid that is used by the body mainly for building muscle and providing energy. It’s widely used to improve strength during exercise and muscle recovery times, which makes it a popular supplement among athletes and gym members.
Similarly to many other amino acids, leucine is found in many foods that are high in protein. Examples include meats (such as fish, chicken, and turkey), dairy products (such as yogurt and cheese), and soybeans. Other foods like eggs, nuts, seeds, and fruit also contain leucine, but to a lesser extent.
Exercise leads to branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) breakdown, especially in the muscles . BCAAs help protein synthesis and prevent protein degradation, which in turn helps prevent muscle fatigue and soreness.
L-Isoleucine
This amino acid is especially important to serious athletes and body builders because its primary function in the body is to boost energy and help the body recover from strenuous physical activity.
Isoleucine is an essential acid, which means that it cannot be manufactured in the body and must be obtained through dietary sources. Good sources of isoleucine include high-protein foods, such as nuts, seeds, meat, eggs, fish, lentils, peas, and soy protein. People that exercise a lot or that have a low-protein diet should consider supplementation.
L-Valine
L-valine is one of the 20 amino acids used to synthesize proteins in the human body, which are chemically known as proteinogenic amino acids. It is named for the valerian plant, from which valine was first derived. The DNA codons for L-valine are GUA, GUC, GUG and GUU. L-valine is non-polar and is one of three proteinogenic amino acids that have a branched chain, along with isoleucine and leucine.
The most common uses of L-valine in health supplements relates to its role in muscle synthesis and maintenance. Additional uses of L-valine include stress management, growth in children and support of the immune system.
Vitamin B6
Our bodies use B vitamins to convert the food we eat into the energy we need to function. Together the complex of eight B vitamins are important for metabolism, brain and liver function, growth, and building blood cells, as well as for maintaining healthy hair, skin, and vision.
More specifically, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) — one of the eight — plays key roles in keeping the brain and nervous system functioning properly, says Sonya Angelone, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Vitamin B6 is involved in production of hemoglobin, the protein in blood that carries oxygen throughout the body.”
