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Updated: Dec 2, 2025

Methods to Study Changes in Inherent Protein Aggregation with Age in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: November 26, 2017
Branched chain amino acids, aging and age-related health
David G Le Couteur1, Samantha M Solon-Biet2, Victoria C Cogger1
1The University of Sydney, Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The University of Sydney, ANZAC Research Institute and Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Hospital, Concord, New South Wales, Australia.
Abstract:
Branched chain amino acids (BCAA: leucine, valine, isoleucine) have key physiological roles in the regulation of protein synthesis, metabolism, food intake and aging. Many studies report apparently inconsistent conclusions about the relationships between blood levels of BCAAs or dietary manipulation of BCAAs with age-related changes in body composition, sarcopenia, obesity, insulin and glucose metabolism, and aging biology itself. These divergent results can be resolved by consideration of the role of BCAAs as signalling molecules and the bidirectional mechanistic relationship between BCAAs and some aging phenotypes. The effects of BCAAs are also influenced by the background nutritional composition such as macronutrient ratios and imbalance with other amino acids. Understanding the interaction between BCAAs and other components of the diet may provide new opportunities for influencing age-related outcomes through manipulation of dietary BCAAs together with titration of macronutrient ratios and other amino acids.
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