10-week Leucine Supplementation in Cerebral Palsy

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of 10-weeks leucine supplementation on muscle growth, metabolism, body composition, inflammation and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults with CP.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by damage to the developing brain and descending pathways, leading to altered patterns of growth and development. Those with CP may encounter early symptoms of paresis and spasticity, leading to progressive secondary musculoskeletal complications, including increased muscle atrophy and abnormal growth of contractile and non-contractile tissue. This causes significant weakness of the muscle and compromises daily motor function, leading to substantial declines in activities of daily living and independence. As such, interventions aimed at increasing muscle mass or preventing muscle atrophy for those with CP must be established. It is well established that dietary protein ingestion stimulates protein synthesis and inhibits proteolytic pathways, resulting in a positive protein balance and net muscle mass gain. In particular, leucine (a branched chain amino acid; BCAA), has been used to facilitate protein synthesis and muscle growth. Leucine also has anti-inflammatory roles, some of which are central in origin and have been shown to effect mood and features of wellbeing. However, there has been no investigation of the effects of leucine supplementation on any of these parameters in CP. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the effects of 10-weeks leucine supplementation on muscle growth, metabolism, body composition, inflammation and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults with CP.