In a 10-week study, 2 grams of DL185 a day was linked to bigger lower-body strength gains than placebo, and that's the dose in BodyTech Elite Muscle Growth Peptide. The star of this formula is DL185 from NNB Nutrition, so let's break down what it is, what the research actually found, and what else is in the tub.
What Is NNB Nutrition's DL185?
You probably know leucine as the most anabolic amino acid. It flips the switch for muscle protein synthesis by activating a pathway called mTOR, which is basically your body's "start building muscle" signal. DL185 was developed to see if a different form of leucine could do more.
That's where DL185 comes in. It's two leucine molecules bonded together, called L-leucyl-L-leucine monohydrate, or dileucine. That makes it a dipeptide, which is why this product has "peptide" in its name. Bonding them together changes how your body handles them, because your gut has a completely separate entry point for peptides like this.
What the DL185 Research Found
- Muscle protein synthesis: In a 2021 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology, 10 young men took 2 g of dileucine or 2 g of leucine. Dileucine led to about 60% greater muscle protein synthesis over three hours than leucine.
- Strength over 10 weeks: In a 2024 study in PLOS ONE, resistance-trained men took 2 g a day of dileucine, leucine or placebo while training four days a week for 10 weeks. Compared with placebo, the dileucine group's average lower-body strength gain was 189% bigger and total strength gain was 144% bigger.
What Else Is in BodyTech Elite Muscle Growth Peptide?
The best part about this formula is that it's not just DL185. Here's the full label per scoop:
- DL185 (L-leucyl-L-leucine monohydrate): 2 g
- myHMB: 3 g, to support muscle recovery and help protect the muscle you already have
- Vitamin D3: 50 mcg
- Vitamin C: 70 mg
- Calories: 20, unflavored, so you can mix it with anything
- Price: $64.99 for 30 servings at The Vitamin Shoppe
Taking myHMB right alongside DL185 is a huge win in my book. I like taking it post-workout, and it's a tiny scoop, so don't let the size fool you. Watch my breakdown.
DL185 is also the key ingredient in MuscleTech's Muscle Peptide 185. Check out my breakdown of MuscleTech's Peptide 447 and Muscle Peptide 185 at Walmart.
Bottom Line
BodyTech Elite Muscle Growth Peptide is built around 2 grams of NNB Nutrition's DL185, the same 2 g dose used in the dileucine studies, plus 3 grams of myHMB and vitamin D3 in an unflavored, 20-calorie scoop. The research on DL185 is really interesting, and pairing it with myHMB is a big plus in my book.