Influence of essential amino acids and keto acids on protein metabolism and anemia of patients on intermittent hemodialysis.

Ten patients were treated with 10 g/day of essential amino acids orally; nine patients received 9.5 g/day of a mixture of essential amino acids (lysine, threonine, tryprophan, histidine, and tyrosine) and keto analogues of isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine, and methionine. A control group of 11 patients received no supplementation. All patients were on a liberal food intake amounting to 1 g of protein per kilogram of body weight and 31 kcal/kg of body weight daily. Before and 3 months after the beginning of the supplementation, the following parameters were measured: amino acids, albumin, transferrin, urea and creatinine concentrations in plasma, hemoglobin, and hematocrit in blood. None of these parameters was altered by either treatment. It is concluded that supplementation with essential amino acids or their keto analogues is ineffective in well-nourished dialysis patients.