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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in America, with over 11 million sufferers and millions more remaining undiagnosed. With appropriate treatment and essential amino acid nutrition, COPD can be managed, but it can also cause long-term disability and premature death.
COPD refers to two long-term lung diseases—chronic bronchitis and emphysema—that often occur together. COPD makes it hard for you to breathe. In COPD the airways in your lungs become partly blocked by swelling or mucus. In addition, little sacs at the end of the airways called alveoli where oxygen and CO2 are exchanged with the blood become less flexible. In some cases the alveoli can collapse. This makes it harder for the blood to pick up oxygen and get rid of CO2.
Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of CODP. Secondhand smoke can also be a factor. Extended exposure to environmental contaminants like dust, air pollution, or certain chemicals can also contribute to the development of COPD.
Your doctor will diagnose COPD based on your signs and symptoms, such as an ongoing cough, your medical and family histories, and test results.
Your doctor will examine you and use a stethoscope to listen for wheezing or other abnormal chest sounds. Additional tests may be recommended, called pulmonary function tests. Pulmonary function tests measure how much air you can breathe in and out, how fast you can breathe air out, and how well your lungs deliver oxygen to your blood.
Bronchodilators are the first line of medical treatment for COPD. Bronchodilators relax the muscles around the airways, which makes breathing easier. Depending on the severity, short-acting or long-acting bronchodilators may be prescribed. Short-acting bronchodilators last about 4–6 hours and should be used only when needed. Long-acting bronchodilators last about 12 hours or more and are used every day.
In severe cases, inhaled steroids may be added to the bronchodilators to reduce inflammation. Most bronchodilators are taken using a device called an inhaler. This device allows the medicine to go straight to your lungs.
The most important thing you can do is to quit smoking or avoid secondhand smoke at all costs. While this may be easier said than done, smoking is most likely the cause of your COPD and improved health depends on quitting.
Loss of skeletal muscle mass is a byproduct of COPD. There are a number of reasons for the loss of muscle, including inflammation, loss of appetite, and decreased levels of activity. The extent of muscle loss is directly related to mortality from COPD.
Essential amino acids are the most potent dietary stimulators of the production of new muscle protein. Supplementing with essential amino acids has been shown to effectively combat muscle loss in a variety of clinical settings.
Recently, an important study demonstrated the effectiveness of essential amino acids in stimulating muscle growth in individuals with COPD. Patients with moderate to severe COPD consumed either a free essential amino acid mixture or the same amount of a balanced mixture of essential amino acids and nonessential amino acids in the profile found in whey protein. Net protein gain was 49% higher when subjects ingested free essential amino acids. These results support the use of essential amino acid supplements for reducing muscle loss in individuals with COPD.
Supplementing with essential amino acids also helps increase capacity in COPD patients, which should, in turn, promote more favorable outcomes.
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