Ep. 248 - Does Leucine Actually Matter?

Leucine had a good run. It’s been nearly two decades at the top, with the result being that even a casually aware meat head can explain that the muscle building quality of a protein source is tied, at least in part, to its leucine content and that you should probably consume protein sources with high leucine content and spread protein feedings evenly throughout your day. Further, if you just so happen to run into a full blown evidence-based meat head in the wild, be ready for them to start throwing phrases at you at like “muscle protein synthesis”, “leucine trigger”, and “refractory period.” But, times are changing. A recent meta-analysis is casting doubt on the relationship between leucine and muscle protein synthesis in lifters. Now they’re saying leucine is done, saying leucine has no chance. Is that true? Join us in this episode as we do a deep dive on this new paper, what it means, and how to reconcile mechanistic and applied data when they seem to diverge. 00:00 Sexual health (and reading reviews) with the Erics Iron Culture Ep. 246- Why Bulking Is NOT The Answer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeEAH9X-cV0 MASS Research Review https://massresearchreview.com/  09:52 A comprehensive break down of the leucine research  Wilkinson 2023 Association of postprandial postexercise muscle protein synthesis rates with dietary leucine: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37537134/ 33:26 Interpretating and applying mechanistic and applied research Pikosky 2008 Increased protein maintains nitrogen balance during exercise-induced energy deficit https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18379214/ 44:30 The current protein landscape in social media fitness and shifting the consensus in the community 52:31 Exploring the boundaries of “optimal” (the two meal per day vegan diet) 58:41 Boundaries of interpretation: the final takeaway

Om Podcasten

Iron Culture was started by Eric Helms and Omar Isuf as a means of exploring the world of physical culture and attempting to distill a unified philosophy of lifting and to help listeners find greater meaning from the iron. The lifting community has become fractured over the last ~70 years and this Podcast will attempt to explore the fundamental threads that unite these different tribes. The Podcast focuses on dispensing practical, useful information to the listener, bouncing from history, to philosophy, to contemporary lifting culture issues, to science. This can range from teaching the audience about lifting, programming, nutrition, supplements/PEDs and the history of lifting culture. The format includes casual conversations between the two hosts on a variety of topics, discussions with a panel of experts and interviews with authoritative figures in the lifting community.