Leucine Helps Ward Off Pre-Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome

BOSTONSupplementing a diet with the amino acid leucine may help ward off pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome by improving insulin sensitivity and the ability to metabolize sugar and fats, according to a new study published in the journal PloS One.

For the study, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center fed mice a high-fat diet and supplemented with double the usual intake of leucine. The results showed reductions in their pre-diabetic conditions and lower blood sugars, with less fat in the livers. Mice fed a normal diet and given leucine showed no significant effects from taking the dietary supplement.

Their glucose tolerance tests improved, and their bodies responded to insulin better than they would have before they got the leucine. It improved their ability to metabolize sugar and fats. It markedly improved their pre-diabetic condition, and their metabolic syndrome also improved," the researchers said.