Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA)
Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine
The Branched Chain Amino Acids promote normal growth, repair tissues, regulate blood sugar, and provide the body with energy. They also help promote muscle recovery after exercise. In addition, leucine increases production of growth hormones, and helps to burn visceral fat. Valine moreover supports the central nervous system, helps remove potentially toxic excess nitrogen from the liver, and is needed for proper mental functioning. Combination supplements that provide all three BCAAs may be more convenient, and sometimes desirable. The ideal balance is 2 milligrams of leucine and valine for each 1 milligram of isoleucine. Good sources of all three are meat, nuts, and soy products. Isoleucine is also found in seeds, eggs, fish, lentils, and peas; leucine in brown rice, beans, and whole wheat; valine in dairy products, and mushrooms. Dosage is variable. (For more detailed information, please visit ISM’s searchable database: Nutraceutical Search.)
GENERAL CANCER
· The clinical use of BCAA is particularly suitable in critical conditions such as liver cirrhosis, sepsis, surgical or nonsurgical trauma, acute renal failure, acute pancreatitis, cancer, in which energy production from conventional substrates is altered and, at the same time, reduction of protein catabolism and enhancement of synthetic processes is advisable.
o Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol. 1997 Dec; 43(4): 189-96.
Based on the available data, branched-chain amino acids appear to exert significant antianorectic and anticachectic effects, and their supplementation may represent a viable intervention not only for patients suffering from chronic diseases, but also for those individuals at risk of sarcopenia due to age, immobility or prolonged bed rest, including trauma, orthopedic or neurologic patients.o Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2005 Jul;8(4):408-14
Patients with cancer are characterized by decreased muscle protein synthesis and glutamine availability that contribute to an impaired immune response. These abnormalities worsen after surgical stress. We tested the hypothesis that pharmacologic doses of branched-chain amino acids would improve the early metabolic response after major cancer surgery. CONCLUSIONS: An excess of branched-chain amino acids in the presence of an optimal profile of other essential amino acids acutely increased muscle protein synthesis and glutamine flux from skeletal muscle in cancer patients after surgery.o Nutrition. 2006 May;22(5):475-82. Epub 2006 Feb 10.
Prolonged surgical stress and advanced malignant disease lead to systemic catabolism characterized by depletion of muscle protein and oxidation of skeletal muscle BCAA. BCAA oxidation provides energy for muscle and other organs and is the precursor for amino acid synthesis to replenish alanine and glutamine depleted in catabolic states. Persistent excessive catabolism leads to skeletal muscle wasting, negative nitrogen balance, and immune compromise. BCAAs, especially leucine, stimulate protein synthesis, inhibit proteolysis (in cell culture models and in animals), and promote glutamine synthesis. Some studies show improved nitrogen balance, increased skeletal muscle protein synthesis, and reduced skeletal muscle catabolism. More recent trials that evaluate clinical outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma patients show promising results; in addition to improving metabolic parameters, BCAA-enriched oral supplementation improved morbidity and quality of life in patients undergoing major liver resection and chemo-embolization.o J Nutr. 2006 Jan;136(1 Suppl):314S-8S
Based on the available data, branched-chain amino acids appear to exert significant antianorectic and anticachectic effects, and their supplementation may represent a viable intervention not only for patients suffering from chronic diseases, but also for those individuals at risk of sarcopenia due to age, immobility or prolonged bed rest, including trauma, orthopedic or neurologic patients.o Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2005 Jul; 8(4): 408-14.
Oral supplementation with a BCAA preparation that can be administered for a long period improves event-free survival, serum albumin concentration, and QOL in patients with decompensated cirrhosis with an adequate daily food intake.o Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2005 Jul; 3(7): 705-13.