Dietary leucine requirement of older men and women is higher than current recommendations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Current national (34 mg . kg-1 . d-1) and international (39 mg kg-1 . d-1) recommendations for leucine in older adults are based on data from young adults. Evidence suggests that the leucine requirements of older adults are higher than those of young adults.

Objective

The objective of the current study was to directly determine the leucine requirements in healthy older adult male and female study participants aged >60 y.

Methods

Leucine requirement was determined using the indicator amino acid oxidation method (IAAO) with l-[1-13C]phenylalanine as the indicator. Sixteen older adults (n = 7 male and n = 9 female participants) were randomly assigned to receive 3 to 7 leucine intakes from 20 to 120 mg . kg-1 . d-1. The rate of release of 13CO2 from l-[1-13C]ph

SUBMITTER: Szwiega S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7851820 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature