title: The importance and dosage of amino acids in nutritional support of various pathological conditions in ICU patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Normal adults require twenty L-amino acids (AA) for protein synthesis. Functional AA regulate key metabolic pathways that are necessary for maintenance, growth, reproduction and immunity. Dietary supplementation with one or a mixture of these AA may be beneficial for ameliorating health problems at various stages of the life cycle and for optimizing of the efficiency of metabolic transformations. During disease, other amino acids also become essential. The principal goal of protein/amino acid administration in various pathological conditions in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is to provide the precursors of protein synthesis in tissues with high turnover and to protect skeletal muscle mass and function. Amino acid requirements in parenteral nutrition (PN) are higher when the patient is stressed/traumatized/infected than in the unstressed state. In severely ill ICU patients a higher provision of protein and amino acids has been associated with a lower mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An overview of the effects and dosage of amino acids in nutritional support of various pathological conditions in ICU patients is presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was demonstrated that 2.0-2.5 g protein substrate/kg normal body weight/day is safe and could be optimal for the most critically ill adults to decrease the risk of morbidity and mortality in some pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pavlickova Aimova
authors.forename: Miloslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hronek
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zadak
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016638:Critical Illness; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000379:methods*; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D011506:Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D011506:Proteins