Effect of exercise therapy combined with branched-chain amino acid supplementation on muscle strengthening in persons with osteoarthritis

Background: Improving lower limb muscle strength is important in preventing progression of osteoarthritis (OA) and its symptoms. Exercise with branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation has been reported to affect protein anabolism in young and elderly persons. However, few studies provided daily BCAAs for patients with OA. Objective: This study examined the effects of combined BCAAs and exercise therapy on physical function improvement in women with hip OA scheduled for total hip arthroplasty. Methods: The subjects were 43 women with OA (age: 64.2±9.4). The participants were randomly divided into two groups: BCAA (n=21) and control (n=22). The combined therapy was carried out for one month. Exercise intervention involved hip abductor muscle exercise in both groups. For the nutritional intervention, 6g of BCAAs or 1.2g of starch were consumed within 10min before starting the exercise. Results: There was a marginally significant difference in the main effect between the groups in 10-m timed gait time. The improvement rate in hip abductor muscle strength of the contralateral side was significantly greater in the BCAA group. Conclusion: By combining BCAA intake and exercise therapy, a significant improvement in hip abductor muscle strength of the contralateral side was achieved in women with OA