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Dietary Patterns (Poster Session)

(P22-038-24) Intake of Branched-Chain Amino Acids Is Associated With Higher Plasma BCAA Concentrations: An Analysis of Data From the PREMIER Study

Monday, July 1, 2024
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM CT
Location: Poster Board 314
Disclosure(s):
Yu Jin Lim, MS: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Plasma levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), specifically isoleucine, leucine, and valine, are directly associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, it remains unclear whether reducing dietary BCAA intakes can substantially reduce plasma BCAA levels. Our objective is to examine the association between BCAA intakes and plasma BCAA levels.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional baseline data from 807 participants of the PREMIER trial who were US adults with pre-hypertension or stage 1 hypertension. Two 24-hour recall interviews were used to assess dietary intakes and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to measure plasma BCAA levels. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between BCAA intakes and BCAA plasma concentrations, adjusted for age, race, region, marital status, education and income level, body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake, total energy intake, and physical activity.

Results: Mean intakes (mg/kg/day) were 37.0 for isoleucine, 62.5 for leucine, and 41.1 for valine, exceeding dietary requirements. The mean plasma levels (µmol/L) were 63.1 for isoleucine, 147.3 for leucine, and 241.6 for valine. A 1mg/kg/day increment in BCAA intake was associated with a 0.20 (SE 0.06) µmol/L higher plasma BCAA level (P value < 0.001), isoleucine (β 0.10, SE 0.04, P value 0.01), leucine (β 0.15, SE 0.05, P value 0.002), and valine (β 0.36, SE 0.10, P value < 0.001) were associated with higher plasma levels of the specific BCAA.

Conclusions: BCAA intake was associated with substantially higher BCAA plasma concentrations in PREMIER study participants. Further investigation is being conducted to explore additional factors influencing plasma BCAA levels, including dietary patterns.

Funding Sources: The project was supported by a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R21HL169803).