Applications of Vitasweet® KIC

Recovery from fatigue during acute and extended exercise is associated with reversal of metabolic and non-metabolic fatiguing factors. Known factors that participate in human muscle fatigue/recovery, such as lactate, ammonia, and hydrogen ion, provide an incomplete and unsatisfactory explanation of the fatigue/recovery process, and it is likely that there are additional unknown agents involved.

Alpha.-ketoisocaproate (alpha-KIC) is the ketoacid parent chain of L-leucine (i.e., it is L-leucine without the amino nitrogen), and is the first metabolite in the muscle catabolic pathway of leucine following reversible transmutation to glutamate. The intermediary metabolism of alpha.-KIC and leucine plays a major role in regulatory muscle biochemistry, integrity, and physiology.

Enhancing muscle recovery following trauma occurs not simply by administering oral or intravenous leucine alone, but instead it responds to increasing the steady-state concentration of alpha.-ketoisocaproic acid. This anabolic ketoacid is a major factor in reducing protein catabolism, stimulating muscle synthesis, and sparing glucose oxidation, while stimulating insulin release. Indeed, alpha - ketoisocaproic acid is superior to leucine in this regard in human and rat muscle studies.