Changes in body composition in heart failure patients after a resistance exercise program and branched chain amino acid supplementation

Abstract

Background & aims: Heart Failure (HF) is a complex syndrome, which can include the physiological, neural hormonal and metabolic complications known as "Cardiac Cachexia" (CC). In the development of CC there is a release of catabolic cytokines (Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, interleukins 1 and 6) that cause a decrease of fat free mass and fat mass. These changes in body composition might be reversed with a therapeutic combination of resistance exercise and branched chain amino acid supplementation (BCAA).

Aim: Evaluate changes in body composition after a resistance exercise program and BCAA supplementation in patients with HF.

Methods: In a randomized clinical trial with 3 month of follow-up anthropometric body composition analysis and stress tests were evaluated at the beginning and in the end of the study. Patients were divided into two groups; the experimental group performed the resistance exercise program and received 10 g/day BCAA supplementation, and the control group only performed the resistance exercise program. Both groups were provided with individualized diets and conventional medical treatment.

Results: Changes were found in hip circumference between the groups (p = 0.02), and muscle strength was increased in the experimental group (8%) and the control group (11.4%) with no difference between them. METS and VO2Max also increased in experimental and control groups (16.6% and 50.1% respectively). Regarding changes in symptoms, improvements in fatigue (45.4%), decubitus intolerance (21.8%) and dyspnea (25.4%) were observed in the overall sample.

Conclusion: Improvements in physical and functional capacities are attributed to resistance exercise program but not to the BCAA supplementation.

Clinical trials identifier: NCT02240511.

Keywords: Branched chain amino acids; Heart failure; Resistance exercise.