Condition
Cachexia
Cachexia is severe, unintended weight loss with muscle wasting, seen in cancer, heart failure, COPD and kidney disease, where inflammation drives muscle breakdown even when eating is adequate. The evidence is strongest for EPA omega-3s, protein, and oral nutritional supplements, which target inflammation, muscle building and calorie intake. Valine has very limited support: a small bed-rest study found less protein wasting, but the credit went to the amino acid mix.
Sources: PMID 10467608
- Supplements studied
- 2
- Graded outcomes
- 2
- Trials
- 2
- People studied
- 188
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appetite Small Increase | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | 164 people | ||
| Quality of Life | Improves (the measure goes up) | 2 studies | 188 people | |||
Studies that measured quality of life
| ||||||
| Weight | Changes; see studies | 24 people | ||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle Wasting Prevention A human study found that BCAA supplementation (including valine) attenuated protein wasting associated with bed rest. However, the effect is attributed to the BCAA mixture rather than isolated valine, and the specific contribution of valine versus leucine remains unclear. | Changes; see studies | Small effect | 5 studies | 60 people | ||
Key findings
- AppetiteImproves (the measure goes up)
- Muscle Wasting PreventionChanges; see studies
The Cachexia Supportive Care protocol
2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA)2–4 g EPA+DHA daily (EPA-predominant formula)
- Protein/Amino Acids1.5–2.0 g/kg body weight daily; high-leucine sources preferred
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Cachexia. If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.
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Studies cited
8 studies from PubMed
- Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Function by Amino Acids.
- Branched Chain Amino Acids: Beyond Nutrition Metabolism.
- Branched-chain amino acids in health and disease: metabolism, alterations in blood plasma, and as supplements.
- Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Brain Metabolism.
- Attenuation of the protein wasting associated with bed rest by branched-chain amino acids.
- Comparison of orally administered cannabis extract and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in treating patients with cancer-related anorexia-cachexia syndrome: a multicenter, phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial from the Cannabis-In-Cachexia-Study-Group
- The Effects of Dosage-Controlled Cannabis Capsules on Cancer-Related Cachexia and Anorexia Syndrome in Advanced Cancer Patients: Pilot Study
- Explorative Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Intervention Study with Low Doses of Inhaled Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol Reveals No Effect on Sweet Taste Intensity Perception and Liking in Humans