Getting bigger and stronger faster: MuscleTech harnesses novel ingredient for new Peptide 185 product

According to Iovate Health Sciences, Muscle Tech's parent company, the groundbreaking product is designed to redefine the norm.

“We lead the way in innovation, consistently challenging conventional thinking to optimize muscle growth and performance,” Raza Bashir, vice president of scientific affairs and product innovation at Iovate, told NutraIngredients-USA. “We are specifically targeting individuals who are seeking the optimal advantage on their journey to build more muscle, boost strength or transform their physique and attain their ultimate fitness goals.”

Studies show that gaining an “optimal advantage” is more than possible with dileucine. Bashir said participants who ingested 2,000 mg of dileucine revealed an impressive 159% greater activation of muscle protein synthesis compared to baseline.

Peptide 185 is the first commercial product containing the patented dipeptide dileucine, which was developed by Ingenious Ingredients (ING2), an innovation company focused on creating breakthrough bioactives. Gram for gram, it is 60% to 80% better at muscle protein synthesis than essential amino acid leucine, ING2 previously told NutraIngredients-USA​. 

Ralf Jaeger, co-founder of ING2, said to expect dileucine to be commonplace in the sports performance market.

"We will see numerous products in the future with dileucine, as standalone products, or revitalizing the ailing BCAA (branched chain amino acids) category or giving protein products an extra boost for elite athletes, active nutrition and maintaining muscle health while aging," Jaeger said.

MuscleTech is selling Peptide 185 online for $89.99 before extending its presence to other e-commerce platforms and specialty retailers later this year.

How dileucine works​

The launch of Peptide 185 comes on the heels of the completion of the second successful human clinical study proving dileucine’s superior benefits compared to leucine, Jaeger added. When dileucine is combined with athletic training, it results in significant increases in strength and muscular endurance compared to training alone.

Due to its peptide structure, which sets it apart from traditional amino acids, dileucine is absorbed more quickly and more efficiently compared to leucine, the key amino acid for muscle health.

Notably, the small intestines absorb it significantly faster than its single-molecule counterpart. This accelerated absorption and delivery into the muscles can translate into superior results.

In a previous interview with NutraIngredients-USA​, Jaeger said it was commonly believed that dipeptides like dileucine would simply be broken down during absorption into individual amino acids, in this case leucine.

“Our research not only showed that dileucine is partly absorbed intact, resulting in a significant increase in dileucine levels in the plasma,” he said. “Dileucine significantly increases muscle protein synthesis compared to isomolar amounts of leucine.”