Giving BCAA supplements to rats with liver disease might help them keep more muscle, and it’s linked to changes in certain bile acids in their blood.

51

Pro

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

51

Community contributions welcome

51

Association of lithocholic acid with skeletal muscle hypertrophy through TGR5-IGF-1 and skeletal muscle mass in cultured mouse myotubes, chronic liver disease rats and humans

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2022 Oct 7

The study gave BCAA supplements to rats with liver disease and found their leg muscle got bigger and a specific bile acid (LCA) increased, which may help explain how BCAAs preserve muscle.

Contradicting (0)

0

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Association of lithocholic acid with skeletal muscle hypertrophy through TGR5-IGF-1 and skeletal muscle mass in cultured mouse myotubes, chronic liver disease rats and humans

Score: 51

DOI: 10.7554/eLife.80638

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In people with long-term liver disease, having more of a certain gut-related acid in the blood might be linked to having more leg muscle strength — and this acid could help doctors spot muscle loss early.

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