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Effects of amino acid supplementation on muscle mass, muscle performance and functional capacity in subjects undergoing total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to summarize the effectiveness of amino acid supplementation on muscle strength, muscle volume, and functional capacity in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. For this, in November 2022, a search was carried out in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases, identifying a total of 2182 documents, of which only 4 were included in the present review. The included studies had 148 participants (47 men and 101 women), with a minimum age of 53 and a maximum of 92 years, and supplementation times of 13 to 30 days (1 to 3 times a day). For the results, in relation to muscle performance, when comparing the control and experimental groups, greater muscle atrophy was observed in the pre- and post-moments of the control group, in relation to the experimental group. In addition, studies suggest a good tendency for muscle mass gain, and improvement in the functional capacities of patients who used supplementation. Therefore, the use of amino acids after TKA surgery reduces muscle atrophy, which preserves muscle mass and leads to better performance in tests of strength and functional capacity, when compared to the use of a placebo.

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Funding

This study had no financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research and Education Institute of the Orthopedics and Specialized Medicine Hospital (IPE-HOME), SGAS Quadra 613-Conjunto C, Brasília, Distrito Federal, 70200-730, Brazil

    Jose Humberto de Souza Borges, Paulo Lobo Junior, Felipe Fagundes de Brito, Heitor Paes Rezende, Marcos Vinicius de Souza Silva, Marcio Oliveira & Fabrício Reichert Barin

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  1. Jose Humberto de Souza Borges
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  2. Paulo Lobo Junior
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  3. Felipe Fagundes de Brito
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  4. Heitor Paes Rezende
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  5. Marcos Vinicius de Souza Silva
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  6. Marcio Oliveira
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  7. Fabrício Reichert Barin
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Correspondence to Fabrício Reichert Barin.

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As this is a systematic review, an Ethics Committee was not required for this type of study. We are carrying out an ECR on the subject, this one with an approved Ethics Committee.

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de Souza Borges, J.H., Junior, P.L., de Brito, F.F. et al. Effects of amino acid supplementation on muscle mass, muscle performance and functional capacity in subjects undergoing total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 34, 1717–1729 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-023-03824-3

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