mTOR is a "sensor" within muscles that"s activated with leucine intake. When mTOR is activated a cascade of muscle building pathways are triggered that help the body build and preserve muscle tissue. BCAAs: Comprised of Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine, these are the "Big 3" when it comes to growth. They are used to stimulate protein synthesis (muscle growth) and come into play during long workouts when muscles become depleted of energy. BCAAs can prevent muscle breakdown exerting what"s called an "anti-catabolic" effect. Every serious bodybuilder and athlete desiring substantial gains in mass understands muscle growth is build upon hard training coupled with an adequate intake of protein. One could say protein is the "switch" that determines muscle growth. A bodybuilder could train 3, 4 or 6 days a week and fail to experience visible gains in muscle mass if protein intake is insufficient to meet the demands of hardcore training. On the flip side, the same bodybuilder can readily add slabs of serious, dense muscle with a higher protein intake. When it comes to building mass and mending damaged muscle tissue that results from heavy training, protein is the fundamental nutrient that facilitates muscle repair and growth. A lack of protein equates to no growth. While saturating the body with protein exerts a direct effect on muscle repair. make no mistake, in the quest for muscle mass, protein is the athlete"s best friend! 4 Dimension Casein provides a major distinction to whole foods (chicken, meat and fish) in that it forms a gel in the stomach which, in turn, causes a "slowing effect: where the building blocks of casein, called amino acids, move at a constant pace into the digestive system. Many sports nutritionists refer to this slowing effect as nature"s "time-release" system of protein dispensation. The importance here: a high intake of casein can, by virtue ...