How Does Leucine Help Shoulder Surgery Recovery?

Leucine is an essential amino acid that is a key mediator of muscle synthesis. Maintenance of muscle hinges on the balance between protein synthesis and breakdown. To increase muscle, synthesis must exceed breakdown. Several studies have shown that leucine protects muscle from breakdown during rest (such as that required after surgery) by acting as a trigger for protein synthesis. Consumption of leucine increases muscle synthesis by 2.5x.

What the evidence shows

Leucine can improve recovery from surgery. For instance, one study evaluated patient mobility after hip surgery. 81% of those who took leucine after surgery were mobile 2 weeks after surgery, compared to only 27% in those patients who did not have leucine supplementation. In other words, those who took leucine were nearly 3x more likely to be mobile after hip surgery. Leucine has also been shown to decrease surgical incision healing time and decrease inflammation.

How much leucine should be taken?

3 g of leucine, the amount that is recommended in scientific studies. Some protocols have evaluated taking this amount twice per day, between breakfast and lunch, then again between lunch and dinner.

How long should leucine be taken after surgery?

This depends on the severity of surgery and age. The most critical period is the first couple of weeks after surgery. For young individuals undergoing minor surgery, we recommend leucine for 1-2 weeks prior to surgery for loading, followed by 2-3 weeks after surgery.

However, for older individuals and with more significant surgery, the scientific evidence supports up to 3 months of leucine. In a study of elderly women, for instance, supplementation with leucine improved strength as well as activity by 20%. In another study, 13 weeks of supplementation reduced inflammatory markers in older adults.

Dr. Patrick Denard has been voted one of the top 20 Shoulder Surgeons in North America, and has been ranked in the top 1% of researchers for shoulder. Dr. Denard is committed to providing the highest level of orthopedic care to his patients, not only from a surgical standpoint, but also by considering the overall picture including avoidance of narcotics, and optimizing nutrition and rehabilitation.

References

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2. Hirsch KR, Wolfe RR, Ferrando AA. Pre- and Post-Surgical Nutrition for Preservation of Muscle Mass, Strength, and Functionality Following Orthopedic Surgery. Nutrients 2021;13.
3. Liberman K, Njemini R, Luiking Y, Forti LN, Verlaan S, Bauer JM et al. Thirteen weeks of supplementation of vitamin D and leucine-enriched whey protein nutritional supplement attenuates chronic low-grade inflammation in sarcopenic older adults: the PROVIDE study. Aging Clin Exp Res 2019;31:845-854.
4. Marshall RN, Smeuninx B, Morgan PT, Breen L. Nutritional Strategies to Offset Disuse-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy and Anabolic Resistance in Older Adults: From Whole-Foods to Isolated Ingredients. Nutrients 2020;12.
5. Negro M, Perna S, Spadaccini D, Castelli L, Calanni L, Barbero M et al. Effects of 12 Weeks of Essential Amino Acids (EAA)-Based Multi-Ingredient Nutritional Supplementation on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength, Muscle Power and Fatigue in Healthy Elderly Subjects: A Randomized Controlled Double-Blind Study. J Nutr Health Aging 2019;23:414-424.