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


OBJECTIVE
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.


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


BACKGROUND
NCT02240511.
Heart Failure Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "SZ", Mexico City, Mexico.
Juan Antonio
JA
Pineda-Juárez
Heart Failure Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "SZ", Mexico City, Mexico.
Néstor Alonso
NA
Sánchez-Ortiz
Heart Failure Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "SZ", Mexico City, Mexico.
Lilia
L
Castillo-Martínez
Heart Failure Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "SZ", Mexico City, Mexico. Electronic address: oreatart@gmail.com.
Arturo
A
Orea-Tejeda
Rehabilitation Service, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "SZ", Mexico City, Mexico.
Rocío
R
Cervantes-Gaytán
Massachusetts General Hospital Interpreter Services, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address: mieshe@comcast.net.
Candace
C
Keirns-Davis
Rehabilitation Service, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "SZ", Mexico City, Mexico.
Carlos
C
Pérez-Ocampo
Rehabilitation Service, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "SZ", Mexico City, Mexico.
Karla
K
Quiroz-Bautista
Rehabilitation Service, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "SZ", Mexico City, Mexico.
Mónica
M
Tenorio-Dupont
Rehabilitation Service, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "SZ", Mexico City, Mexico.
Alberto
A
Ronquillo-Martínez
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D015444:Exercise; D005221:Fatigue / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D055070:Resistance Training
D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain
Branched chain amino acids; Heart failure; Resistance exercise