Patients who received Essential Amino Acids (EAA) 1 wk pre-op and 2 wks post TKA had: 

*2.2 - 4.6X Less quad and hamstring muscle loss (measured by MRI) 

*30 - 55% Accelerated return of functional recovery post surgery

(READ THE STUDY HERE)

Dreyer Clin Invest. 2013

Patients who received Essential Amino Acids 1 wk pre-op and 2 wks post-op showed:

*2 - 3X Faster Functional Recovery

*20% Less Quad Atrophy (ultrasound)

*17% Less Pain (VAS)

*6% Improved serum albumin

(READ THE STUDY HERE)

Ueyama Bone Joint J 2020

Patients who received EAA supplementation 1 wk pre-op to 6 wks post-op had significantly less muscle loss in both operated and contralateral leg.

Quadriceps:

*Operated leg -8.5% vs. -13.4%

*Contralateral leg -1.5% vs -7.2%

Hamstrings: 

*Operated leg -7.4% vs  -12.2%

*Contralateral leg -2.1% vs -7.5%

(READ THE STUDY HERE)

Dryer JBJS 2019

Patients who received HMB/Arg/Gln Supplementation for 5 days pre surgery and for 28 days post surgery showed:

*Significantly improved quad strength

*Improved muscle volume:

The control group lost 4.3% muscle volume lost after surgery

VS

The supplement group GAINED 10% muscle volume

(READ THE STUDY HERE)

Nishizaki J Clin Nutr 2015

Patients received EAA (9 g/day) supplementation from 1 week pre op to 2 weeks post op.

EAA group demonstrated significantly increased outcomes at 2 years after surgery.

*Rectus Muscle Area:

134% vs 114%

*Quad Muscle Area:

159% and 125%

(READ THE STUDY HERE)

Ueyama JBJS 2023

Nutritional Optimization with Amino Acid Supplementation Aids Recovery After Total Knee Arthroplasty

“Perioperative Essential Amino Acid Supplementation Facilitates Quadriceps Muscle Strength and Volume Recovery After TKA. A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial”

(READ THE COMMENTARY HERE)

Reviewed by: Golladay JBJS 2023