ID 442 - Aminokwasy rozgałęzione

PL: Aminokwasy rozgałęzione
EN: Branched chain amino acids
Pdf: branched-chain amino acids

Oświadczenie (2)

1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika

The food constituents that are the subjects of the health claims are proteinogenic branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), which are amino acids having aliphatic side-chains that are non-linear, i.e., leucine, isoleucine and valine. The content of BCAA in foods can be measured by established methods.
Leucine, isoleucine and valine are indispensable amino acids provided by mixed dietary protein intakes from different sources. A claim on protein and growth or maintenance of muscle mass has already been assessed with a favourable outcome (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2010).
BCAA can also be consumed as food supplements. Different mixtures are available in the market. From the references and conditions of use provided in relation to the health claims considered in this opinion, the Panel assumes that the food constituent under evaluation is BCAA consumed in addition to adequate protein intakes.
The Panel considers that the food constituent, branched chain amino acids, which is the subject of the health claims, is sufficiently characterised.

2.1. Wzrost lub utrzymanie masy mięśniowej (ID 442, 444, 445, 447, 448, 451, 1478)

The claimed effects are “reduces protein breakdown after exercise”, “increases protein synthesis”, “recovery/increased protein synthesis in skeletal muscle during recovery from sustained strength exercise” and “muscle metabolism”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
In the context of the proposed wordings, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect relates to the growth or maintenance of muscle mass by either decreasing muscle breakdown, increasing muscle
synthesis or both. Failure to increase muscle mass during growth and development, and the loss of muscle mass at any age, will reduce muscle strength and power.
The Panel considers that growth or maintenance of muscle mass is a beneficial physiological effect.

3.1. Wzrost lub utrzymanie masy mięśniowej (ID 442, 444, 445, 447, 448, 451, 1478)

A number of references provided reported on human intervention studies which investigated the effects of BCAA mixtures on measures of physical capacity, physical performance, muscle soreness, muscle fatigue, plasma and muscle concentrations of BCAA, protein synthesis and/or protein breakdown in which changes in muscle mass were not measured. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these references for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect.
Two human intervention studies, which aimed to investigate the effects of BCAA on surrogate measures of muscle mass (i.e. muscle cross-sectional area estimated from skin fold thickness and circumference measurements), were provided (Bigard et al., 1996; Schena et al., 1992).
The study by Bigard et al. (1996) tested the effect of BCAA supplement (BCAA, 7.8 g/d leucine, 3.4 g/d isoleucine and 11.2 g/d valine, corresponding to 35 %, 15 % and 50 % of total BCAA, respectively, 49 % energy from carbohydrate, 13 % from protein, 38 % from fat, n=11) versus a carbohydrate supplement (control, 98 % energy from carbohydrate, n=11) on surrogate measures of muscle mass in the arm in highly trained subjects who participated in six successive sessions of ski mountaineering (6-8 hr duration, altitude 2,500-4,100 m). The energy content of the total diet was controlled. The protein content in the diets including the supplements was 1.2 g per kg body weight per day in the control group and 1.44 g per kg body weight per day in the BCAA group. In the study by Schena et al. (1992) with a similar design, the effect of a BCAA supplement (BCAA, 7.8 g/d leucine, 3.4 g/d isoleucine and 11.2 g/d valine, corresponding to 35 %, 15 % and 50 % of total BCAA, 49 % energy from carbohydrate, 13 % from protein, 38 % from fat, n=4) versus a carbohydrate supplement (control, 98 % energy from carbohydrate, n=5) on surrogate measures of muscle mass in the arm and thigh was tested during altitude acclimatisation (21-day trekking). The Panel notes that the design of these small studies does not allow any conclusions to be drawn on the effects of BCAA independently of higher protein intakes and that direct comparisons between the intervention (BCAA) and control groups regarding the outcome variables were not reported. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these studies for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of BCAA and growth or maintenance of muscle mass over and above the well established role of protein on the claimed effect.

Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia

77 mg per kg of bodyweight prior to exercise