Essential Amino Acids and Exercise Tolerance in Elderly Muscle-Depleted Subjects with Chronic Diseases: A Rehabilitation without Rehabilitation?

Table 2

Changes in exercise variables observed after EAA supplementation in subjects with chronic heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Exercise variables	Disease	Treatment duration	Changes (% pretreatment)
			Placebo	EAAs
Mechanical work
6 min WT (meters)	CHF	12 weeks	n.d.	+12 [9]
	CHF	8 weeks	+4	+22 [8]
Cycle ergometer (watts)	CHF	8 weeks	+3.5	+18.7 [8]
	CHF	4 weeks	+4	+23 [7]
Steps (number/day)	COPD	12 weeks	−7.8	+78.6 [10]
Metabolic variables during cycling
(a) Aerobic metabolism:	CHF	8 weeks
VO2 peak (mL/Kg/min)			+0.08	+10.4 [7, 8]
(b) Anaerobic metabolism:	CHF	4 weeks
VO2 recovery time (mL/Kg/min)
(i) At 30% postpeak decline			−14	−58 [7]
(ii) At 50% postpeak decline			−1	−49 [7]
Resting plasma lactate (μmol/L)	CHF	8 weeks	+15	−25 [8]
	COPD	12 weeks	+13	−23 [10]
Resting insulin resistance (HOMA index)	CHF	8 weeks	+6.5	−16 [8]

WT: walking test; VO₂: oxygen uptake; CHF: chronic heart failure; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; n.d.: not determined.