Himchan and University Hospital Sharjah Spine and Joint Centre, University Hospital Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Joint and Arthritis Research, Himchan Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2024 May 10;103(19):e38168. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000038168.
Supplementation with leucine-enriched essential amino acids (LEAAs) has shown efficacy in the recovery of muscle injury and activation of muscle synthesis. Muscle function in knee osteoarthritis is a crucial factor for managing pain and preserving ambulatory function. However, the efficacy and safety of LEAAs supplementation in patients with knee osteoarthritis have not been evaluated.
In this prospective analysis, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of supplementation with 12 g of LEAAs daily for 8 weeks in knee-symptomatic osteoarthritis patients. For assessing the efficacy, clinical pain, calf circumference, and disability were assessed using questionnaires (visual analog scale, Knee Society Score, and 36-item short form survey [SF-36]), laboratory analyses (total protein and albumin), and radiologic study (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [DEXA]) for muscle and bone density. To evaluate safety, generalized or localized protein allergic reactions, complete blood count, liver and kidney function, and serum glucose were measured.
Sixty-five participants, categorized into the experimental (n = 32) and control (n = 33) groups, were included in this 8-week trial from March 2022 to July 2022. A significantly higher efficacy was observed in the experimental group than in the control group, as indicated by muscle density in the DEXA scan (P = .001) and SF-36 (P < .001). The safety evaluation revealed no related generalized or local protein allergy. Hematological findings, serum glucose, and kidney and liver toxicity were not significantly different between the groups.
Supplementation with leucine-enriched proteins is safe and efficacious in the improvement of muscle density and quality of life.
富含亮氨酸的必需氨基酸（LEAAs）补充剂已被证明在肌肉损伤恢复和肌肉合成激活方面有效。膝骨关节炎的肌肉功能是管理疼痛和维持活动功能的关键因素。然而，LEAAs 补充剂在膝骨关节炎患者中的疗效和安全性尚未得到评估。
在这项前瞻性分析中，我们评估了每天补充 12g LEAAs 8 周对膝部症状性骨关节炎患者的疗效和安全性。为了评估疗效，使用问卷（视觉模拟评分、膝关节协会评分和 36 项短表单调查 [SF-36]）、实验室分析（总蛋白和白蛋白）和肌肉和骨骼密度的放射学研究（双能 X 射线吸收法 [DEXA]）评估临床疼痛、小腿围度和残疾。为了评估安全性，测量了全身性或局部性蛋白质过敏反应、全血细胞计数、肝肾功能和血清葡萄糖。
2022 年 3 月至 7 月，65 名参与者（实验组 n=32，对照组 n=33）被纳入这项为期 8 周的试验。实验组的疗效明显高于对照组，DEXA 扫描的肌肉密度（P=0.001）和 SF-36（P<0.001）。安全性评估显示无相关的全身性或局部性蛋白质过敏。两组之间的血液学发现、血清葡萄糖以及肝肾功能毒性无显著差异。
富含亮氨酸的蛋白质补充剂安全且有效，可以改善肌肉密度和生活质量。
