The Effects of Supplementation with a Mixture of Arginine, Glutamine, and β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate on the Healing of Colon Anastomoses

Background : Several researchers have investigated how wound healing is effected by supplementation with each of the following amino acids : arginine (Arg), glutamine (Glu), and (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB). This research investigates how a combination of these amino acids improves the wound healing associated with anastomoses. Methods : We tested the effects of a combination of Arg, Glu, and HMB on the healing of colon anastomoses in 50 male rats. We randomly divided the animals into two equal groups. In each animal, the cecum was transected from its midpoint to create an end-to-end anastomosis. During the first postoperative week, Group 1 (G1) animals were fed standard chow, and Group 2 (G2) animals were fed standard chow plus a ready-to-use supplement that contained a mixture of Arg, Glu, and HMB. At the end of the week, all of the rats were sacrificed, and a cecum segment containing the anastomosis line was resected. Bursting pressure and tissue hydroxyproline were measured for all animals. Results : The mean values for hydroxyproline were 0.0013 ng/mg protein/ml (SD +/- 0.00075) and 0.034 ng/mg protein/ml (SD +/- 0.022) for G1 and G2, respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean values for bursting pressure measurements were 122.8 mmHg (SD +/- 9.4) and 192.8 mmHg (SD +/- 31) for G1 and G2, respectively (p < 0.0001). Statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of both bursting pressure levels and tissue hydroxyproline levels were observed. Conclusion : In an animal model of colon surgery, supplementation with a combination of three amino acids seemingly benefits anastomosis healing.