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The Effect of Branched Chain Amino Acids-Enriched Nutritional Supplements on Activities of Daily Living and Muscle Mass in Inpatients with Gait Impairments: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the effects of continuous intervention with branched chain amino acids-enriched nutritional supplements from the acute phase to convalescent rehabilitation wards in inpatients with gait impairments.

Design

Open-label, randomized, parallel-group comparison study (UMIN Clinical Trials Registry ID: UMIN000018640).

Setting

Acute care and convalescent rehabilitation wards

Participants

We studied 80 patients undergoing stand/gait training.

Interventions

Participants in the intervention group (RJ group) received nutritional supplements (jelly foods comprising 2500 mg BCAA and 20 IU vitamin D) twice a day until hospital discharge.

Measurements

The primary outcome was the motor components of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM-m), and the secondary outcome was skeletal muscle mass index.

Results

Analyses were conducted on 55 patients who were able to perform stand/gait training continuously from the acute until the recovery phases. FIM-m was significantly elevated in the RJ group and the control group, but no difference was noted between the two groups. Only the RJ group showed a significant increase in skeletal muscle mass index, and the amount of variation was significantly different between the two groups (the control group decreased an average of 2.2% and the RJ group increased an average of 4.3%; P = 0.014). A significant decrease in body weight was found only in the control group (P = 0.084).

Conclusions

Nutritional interventions using branched chain amino acids (BCAA)-enriched nutritional supplements demonstrated no significant difference in activities of daily living; however, an increase in skeletal muscle mass was noted. Skeletal muscle mass and body weight differed significantly between the two groups, and BCAA-enriched nutritional supplements intake in acute and convalescent rehabilitation wards may be effective for the prevention of malnutrition and sarcopenia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Midorigaoka Hospital, 3-13-1 Makami-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan, 569-1121

    Misa Moriwaki & K. Sakata

  2. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Japan

    H. Wakabayashi

  3. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo, Japan

    K. Domen

Authors
  1. Misa Moriwaki
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  2. H. Wakabayashi
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  3. K. Sakata
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  4. K. Domen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Misa Moriwaki.

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Moriwaki, M., Wakabayashi, H., Sakata, K. et al. The Effect of Branched Chain Amino Acids-Enriched Nutritional Supplements on Activities of Daily Living and Muscle Mass in Inpatients with Gait Impairments: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nutr Health Aging 23, 348–353 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-019-1172-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-019-1172-3

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