Alpha-Hydroxy-Isocaproic Acid (HICA)

HICA is one of several, naturally occurring, bioactive, organic compounds found in the body, that when provided as a supplement, significantly enhances human performance --creatine is another such example.
HICA is the acronym for alpha-hydroxy-isocaproic acid. It is also called leucic acid or DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylvaleric acid. Putting nerd-speak aside, HICA is just a much easier term to remember, and it is actually one of the 5 key ingredients in our MPO (Muscle Performance Optimizer) product.
Now, this may seem like a bit of a tangent but stick with me for a minute. The amino acid leucine activates mTOR and is critical for stimulating muscle protein synthesis, which is the key to either building muscle or preventing muscle breakdown. You may have heard of leucine before because it both a BCAA (branched-chain amino acid) and an EAA (essential amino acid).
Your body naturally produces HICA during the metabolism of leucine. The muscles and connective tissues use and metabolize leucine via one of two different biochemical pathways.
The first pathway, the KIC pathway, takes leucine and creates KIC, an intermediate, which is later transformed into HICA. The other pathway takes available leucine and creates HMB (β-Hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid). Scientists, therefore, call both HICA, and its better-known cousin HMB, leucine metabolites.
Scientists consider HICA to be anabolic, meaning that it enhances muscle protein synthesis. It may do this via a variety of means, but studies indicate that HICA is anabolic because it supports mTOR activation.
HICA has also been sown to have anti-catabolic properties as well, meaning that it helps to prevent the breakdown of muscle proteins found within muscle tissues.
As you exercise intensely, your muscles undergo micro-trauma that causes the muscle cells to break down. We all feel the effects of this micro-trauma 24-48 hours after intense exercise in the form of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). HICA significantly decreases this breakdown or catabolism. The result of this is less DOMS, and more lean muscle to build upon.
Thus, as a supplement, studies indicate HICA is ergogenic. For anyone looking to enhance their athletic performance, they should be using supplements that science proves to be ergogenic.