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Plasma amino acids, adiposity, and weight change after gastric bypass surgery: are amino acids associated with weight regain?

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Abstract

Purpose

Plasma concentrations of several amino acids (AAs) are positively correlated with obesity. The aim of this study was to examine if selected plasma AAs are associated with weight regain from 2 to 4 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).

Methods

In a prospective study with 165 patients, we examined the relationship between plasma aromatic AAs (AAAs), branched chain AAs (BCAAs), and total cysteine (tCys) 2 years after RYGB, with BMI at 2 years and with weight change from 2 to 4 years after surgery. Analyses were adjusted for relevant covariates.

Result

The investigated AAs at 2 years correlated positively with BMI at 2 years (P ≤ 0.003 for all). BCAAs and AAAs at 2 years correlated inversely with % weight loss from 0 to 2 years (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001, respectively), while the association was not significant for tCys (r = −0.14, P = 0.08). Plasma tCys at 2 years correlated positively with BMI at 4 years (P = 0.010) and with weight regain from 2 to 4 years (P = 0.015).

Conclusion

Plasma AAAs, BCAAs, and tCys at 2 years were associated with BMI at 2 years. In addition, plasma AAAs and BCAAs at 2 years were associated with weight loss from 0 to 2 years, while tCys at 2 years was associated with weight regain from 2 to 4 years after RYGB. These results suggest that high tCys at 2 years may be used as a prognostic marker for future weight regain. The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT0 1270451).

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Abbreviations

AA:

Amino acid

AAA:

Aromatic amino acid

BCAA:

Branched chain amino acid

∆BMI:

BMI change

E %:

Energy %

RYGB:

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

tCys:

Total cysteine

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Norwegian ExtraFoundation for Health and Rehabilitation through EXTRA funds, the Throne Holst Foundation, and the Norwegian Research Council. We appreciate the Section of Nutrition and Dietetics, especially Ingunn Bergstad (former chief dietitian), and the Department of Morbid Obesity and Bariatric Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, for contribution in facilitating the project. Furthermore, we appreciate master students in clinical nutrition for data collection, Diabetes Laboratory, and Central Laboratory for blood samples and blood analysis, Oxford University and Oslo University for analysing amino acids, Unit of Learning and Mastery in Health for contribution in the intervention, and the staff at the Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, for their help with analyses of dietary data. The authors’ responsibilities were as follows—SEH, HR, and AMA designed research; SEH conducted research; TM assisted the collection of data to the patient register; SEH, KJV, NEB, CT, EBL, HR, and AMA analysed data; SEH, KJV, TM, HR, and AMA wrote the paper; SEH had the primary responsibility for the final content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Nutrition and Dietetics, Division of Medicine, Department of Clinical Service, Oslo University Hospital Aker, Oslo, Norway

    Susanna E. Hanvold & Anne-Marie Aas

  2. Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Susanna E. Hanvold, Kathrine J. Vinknes, Nasser E. Bastani, Elin B. Løken & Helga Refsum

  3. Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Cheryl Turner & Helga Refsum

  4. Division of Medicine, Department of Morbid Obesity and Bariatric Surgery, Oslo University Hospital Aker, Oslo, Norway

    Tom Mala

  5. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Anne-Marie Aas

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  1. Susanna E. Hanvold
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  2. Kathrine J. Vinknes
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  3. Nasser E. Bastani
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Correspondence to Susanna E. Hanvold.

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Helga Refsum and Anne-Marie Aas share last authorship.

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Hanvold, S.E., Vinknes, K.J., Bastani, N.E. et al. Plasma amino acids, adiposity, and weight change after gastric bypass surgery: are amino acids associated with weight regain?. Eur J Nutr 57, 2629–2637 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-017-1533-9

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