Effects of home-based exercise and branched-chain amino acid supplementation on aerobic capacity and glycemic control in patients with cirrhosis

Yuichiro Nishida; Yasushi Ide; Michiaki Okada; Taiga Otsuka; Yuichiro Eguchi; Iwata Ozaki; Keitaro Tanaka; Toshihiko Mizuta

doi:10.1111/hepr.12748

Effects of home-based exercise and branched-chain amino acid supplementation on aerobic capacity and glycemic control in patients with cirrhosis

Hepatol Res. 2017 Mar;47(3):E193-E200. doi: 10.1111/hepr.12748. Epub 2016 Jun 29.

Authors

Yuichiro Nishida¹, Yasushi Ide², Michiaki Okada², Taiga Otsuka², Yuichiro Eguchi², Iwata Ozaki², Keitaro Tanaka¹, Toshihiko Mizuta³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
² Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, Imari Arita Kyoritsu Hospital, Arita, Japan.

PMID: 27219825
DOI: 10.1111/hepr.12748

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the current study is to examine whether home-based step exercise at anaerobic threshold (AT) and branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation improve aerobic capacity, ectopic fat in liver and muscle, and glycemic control in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods: Six female patients with compensated liver cirrhosis received oral BCAA and were instructed to undertake bench step exercises at an intensity that corresponded to AT, with a goal of performing 140 min of exercise per week at home for 12 months. Fat deposition in liver (liver to spleen ratio) and intramuscular adipose tissue content were assessed at baseline and after 6 and 12 months by computed tomography. Glycemic control indices (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, hemoglobin A_1c [HbA_1c ], glycated albumin [GA] and chronic liver disease [CLD]-HbA_1c [average of HbA_1c and GA/3]) were also measured.

Results: Twelve months of moderate training significantly increased AT, which is an index of aerobic capacity, but no changes were observed in body weight, liver to spleen ratio, or intramuscular adipose tissue content. Glycated albumin significantly decreased (P < 0.05) and there tended to be a similar decrease in CLD-HbA_1c (P < 0.1) after the exercise. The baseline serum triglyceride level correlated with changes in GA (P < 0.01) and CLD-HbA_1c (P < 0.1).

Conclusion: The current results suggest that the combination of home-based step exercise at AT and BCAA supplementation enhances aerobic capacity and potentially improves glycemic control in patients with cirrhosis without changes in body weight. The baseline serum serum triglyceride may partially explain the degree of improvement in glycemic control with exercise and BCAA intervention.

Keywords: aerobic fitness; anaerobic threshold; exercise training; glycated albumin; insulin resistance; liver cirrhosis.