Does Leucine Cause Pellagra? Understanding the Amino Acid's Role
•
4 min read
Historically, pellagra was common in populations reliant on corn-based diets, which are low in absorbable niacin and tryptophan. While leucine does not directly cause the deficiency disease, research shows that excessively high dietary leucine can interfere with the body's ability to synthesize niacin from tryptophan, triggering or exacerbating pellagra under certain conditions.