During the process of achieving beautiful and healthy hair, many people usually opt for heavy treatments and products with chemicals. However, getting healthy hair naturally by adding amino acids like leucine into our diet is quite possible. Among the amino acids, leucine is the one that is often overlooked, but it does a great job of maintaining hair health.
This essential amino acid, which can be found in most diets or taken as a supplement in many cases, has a wide range of benefits in maintaining and enhancing hair quality. In this blog, let’s explore a few leucine benefits for hair health.
What is Leucine?
One of the three necessary branched-chain amino acids is leucine. Skeletal muscles can use these amino acids to provide energy when working out. Consuming full protein-rich diets such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk provides an adequate supply of these amino acids.
Consuming amino leucine increases muscle growth, enhances exercise performance, and facilitates recovery from exercise. It may aid in bone and skin repair. It might also promote the growth of lean body mass and muscles. Human growth hormone production also increases through it. But, it is not only the muscle-building aspect that leucine is known for; it also plays a key role in hair health.
Sources of Leucine
You can incorporate leucine into your diet through a variety of foods like:
- Meats and Poultry: Chicken, beef, and turkey
- Fish: Tuna and salmon
- Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, and yogurt
- Legumes and Beans: Lentils, chickpeas, and soybeans
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, peanuts, and sunflower seeds
Those who find it difficult to consume enough leucine in their diet may benefit from leucine supplements, such as l leucine supplements.
How Leucine Benefits Hair?
Given below are the top benefits of leucine for hair health:
- Promotes Hair Growth
Amino leucine plays a critical role in protein synthesis including the production of the hair protein keratin. Leucine, which is responsible for protein synthesis, makes the hair follicles healthy by providing them with the required nutrients. Leucine hair growth promotes strong and healthy hair.
- Improves Hair Strength and Structure
Hair mainly comprises keratin, and enough leucine intake should help keep this protein strong and intact. A healthy keratin structure helps decrease hair breakage and eliminates split ends, which leads to healthier hair.
- Enhances Hair Volume and Thickness
Leucine amino acid may help stimulate the growth of cells inside the hair follicles. This can be a stimulating factor that influences the growth of hair, causing it to become denser and voluminous.
- Reduces Hair Loss
Leucine plays a key role in the care of scalp health, which is a vital factor in preventing hair loss. A healthy scalp is the best foundation for hair follicles, thus decreasing the chances of excessive hair shedding and increasing the ability of new hair strands to grow.
- Improves Hair Elasticity
Leucine is an amino acid that helps maintain structural integrity and improves hair elasticity, making it less vulnerable to damage from brushing, styling, and other environmental stressors.
Choosing the Right Leucine Supplement
Here are some tips to remember while choosing leucine supplements:
- Look for Purity: Ensure the supplement contains pure L-leucine without unnecessary fillers or additives.
- Check Dosage: Follow recommended dosage instructions to avoid overconsumption, which can lead to unwanted side effects.
- Consult a Professional: If unsure about the right supplement, consult a healthcare provider or a nutritionist.
Potential Side Effects of Leucine
While leucine is generally safe, excessive intake can lead to side effects such as:
- Digestive Issues: It is possible to get a stomachache, nausea, and diarrhea after consuming high doses of leucine.
- Imbalance with Other Amino Acids: Amino acid balance in the body can be disturbed if too much supplementation is taken, which may affect overall health.
Conclusion
Leucine is a muscle-building amino acid and a great friend for healthy, strong, and voluminous hair. Leucine amino acid boosts protein synthesis and keratin production, ensuring that your hair grows strong and remains healthy and shiny. Whether you get leucine from food sources rich in leucine or prefer to take high-quality leucine supplements, including leucine in your hair care routine can improve your hair health.
References
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=19&contentid=Leucine
