Co-ingestion of leucine with protein does not further augment post-exercise muscle protein synthesis rates in elderly men

Whole-body protein balance was significantly greater in the CHO+PRO+leu treatment at 23.8 micromol/kg per hour compared to 23.2 micromol/kg per hour in the CHO+PRO treatment.

• The study involved eight elderly men with a mean age of 73 years.
• No differences were observed in whole-body protein breakdown and synthesis rates between the two treatments.
• Phenylalanine oxidation rates were significantly lower after co-ingestion of leucine with carbohydrate and protein hydrolysate.
• Mixed muscle fractional synthetic rates were similar in both treatments, averaging around 0.081%/h and 0.082%/h.
• Co-ingestion of leucine does not further increase muscle protein synthesis rates when sufficient protein is consumed.

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