Possibilities of using branched-chain amino acids for the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia in elderly and old patients (literature review)

Abstract

Due to the high prevalence of sarcopenia among elderly and old patients, early prevention and treatment of sarcopenia and its complications are relevant. Protein supplements can be used to maintain muscle strength and mass during aging. The possibility of using branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia in geriatric patients is of scientific interest. BCAAs promote the synthesis and inhibit the degradation of muscle tissue proteins, are involved in the regulation of tissue sensitivity to insulin, ammonia utilization, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, etc.Search strategy. The search for scientific articles for literature review was carried out in the PubMed and PubMed Central databases. The selection criterion was scientific articles published up to December 2022. We used the following search keywords: “branched-chain amino acids”, “BCAA”, “body composition”, “sarcopenia”, “aging”. The 2019 European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2) Consensus was included in the list of articles.Conclusions. The possibility of using BCAAs in elderly and old patients for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia is a relevant topic that continues to be actively studied. The effectiveness of BCAA supplementation in the diet is debatable as long as sufficient protein is consumed daily. On the other hand, BCAA supplementation may be justified in cases where it is not possible to consume enough high-quality protein in the diet. More research is needed on this topic.