Research
Micronutrients & recovery
Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation (0.45 g/kg or 12g/day) can improve ammonia metabolism and nitrogen balance in cirrhosis patients, though single doses may transiently raise blood ammonia.
BCAA supplementation (12g/day) is a viable long-term strategy to lower ammonia levels in cirrhosis. Single doses may spike ammonia, so long-term use is preferred.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
BCAA supplementation (0.45 g/kg body weight; 45.5% leucine, 30% isoleucine, and 24.5% valine) as a single dose enhanced BCAAs uptake, glutamine production and ammonia metabolism in muscle of patients with cirrhosis... long-term therapeutic trials reported reduction in blood ammonia levels following BCAA supplementation (12 g/day for 2 years).
Why this rating
Based on specific studies cited, but noted as requiring further prospective trials.
Source
Sarcopenia in cirrhosis: from pathogenesis to interventions
Maryam Ebadi et al. · Journal of Gastroenterology · 2019
DOI 10.1007/s00535-019-01605-6
narrative_reviewCited 291×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- In patients with cirrhosis, sarcopenia is driven by a multifactorial imbalance between protein synthesis and breakdown, specifically involving hyperammonemia, increased autophagy, and impaired mitochondrial function, rather than just caloric deficit.Good
- Moderate exercise combined with appropriate energy and protein intake is a necessary intervention to reverse sarcopenia in cirrhosis, potentially alongside pharmacological agents like BCAAs or testosterone.Moderate
Related findings · Micronutrients & recovery
- Trans fats (industrial trans-fatty acids) are unequivocally harmful and should be completely avoided as they raise LDL-C, TGs, and Apo B while lowering HDL-C.Strong
- For menopausal women with osteoporosis, first-line pharmacologic therapies include alendronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab for the prevention of hip, nonvertebral, and vertebral fractures.Strong
- Folic acid fortification of flour prevents neural tube birth defects, and mandatory fortification is more effective than voluntary supplementation alone.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →