High-Demand Amino Acids (HDAA) and Muscle Proteolysis: Preventing Stress-Induced Catabolism

The following is a summary of peer-reviewed research by Dunstan, Richard Hugh (2023), published in the Journal of the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, Vol 42, No 4. Read the full article

Accelerated Dermal and Renal Clearance: Metabolic stress from exercise, trauma, or infection rapidly depletes High-Demand Amino Acids (HDAAs)—specifically histidine, serine, glycine, lysine, ornithine, and aspartic acid. 

Catabolic Trigger of Myofibrillar Degradation: Because the human body lacks amino acid storage reservoirs, unmitigated HDAA deficits force immediate skeletal muscle proteolysis to supply metabolic pathways. 

Bypass of Impaired Post-Exertion Digestion: Splanchnic hypoperfusion compromises protein digestion for hours post-exercise, creating a clinical indication for rapidly absorbed, free-form HDAA supplementation to preserve lean mass.

Clinical endpoint: The primary clinical endpoint is the mitigation of stress-induced skeletal muscle proteolysis—evidenced by the preservation of lean tissue mass and the stabilisation of systemic nitrogen balance—through the targeted replenishment of High-Demand Amino Acid (HDAA) deficits during acute physical exertion, trauma, or infection.