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Branched Chain Amino Acids and Blood Ammonia

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Book cover Branched Chain Amino Acids in Clinical Nutrition

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

Abstract

Virtuallyall organs are involved in the metabolism of ammonia and arterial ammonia levels are determined by an interaction between ammonia-producing and ammonia- removing organs.Under normal conditions, detoxification of ammonia predominantly takes place in the liver, whereas the major ammonia producing organs are the gut and the kidney. When the liver fails, ammonia homeostasis is profoundly altered and muscle tissue becomes the main alternative organ for at least temporary detoxification of ammonia.Branched–chain amino acids (BCAA; Isoleucine, leucine and valine) have attracted particular interest as they are believed to support this muscle ammonia detoxification. Liver disease represents the field in which the potential ammonia lowering effect of BCAA has been most intensely investigated. In this book chapter organ contribution to ammonia metabolism will be discussed and the potential changes that are induced by ingestion of BCAA.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

    Gitte Dam M.D., Ph.D., Peter Ott M.D., D.M.Sc., Niels Kristian Aagaard M.D., Ph.D. & Hendrik Vilstrup M.D., D.M.Sc.

  2. Department of Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, Gentofte, Denmark

    Lise Lotte Gluud M.D., D.M.Sc.

Authors
  1. Gitte Dam M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Peter Ott M.D., D.M.Sc.
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  3. Niels Kristian Aagaard M.D., Ph.D.
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  4. Lise Lotte Gluud M.D., D.M.Sc.
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  5. Hendrik Vilstrup M.D., D.M.Sc.
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Correspondence to Gitte Dam M.D., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Intensive Care, Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  2. Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

  3. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

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Dam, G., Ott, P., Aagaard, N.K., Gluud, L.L., Vilstrup, H. (2015). Branched Chain Amino Acids and Blood Ammonia. In: Rajendram, R., Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Branched Chain Amino Acids in Clinical Nutrition. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1923-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1923-9_9

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