Oral Branched-chain Amino Acid Supplementation for Cirrhotic Patients With Sarcopenia

In the BCAA group, participants will receive oral BCAA for 24 weeks, with a daily dosage of approximately 13.68 g/day. Each sachet of BCAA will contain 6.84 g of BCAA (valine 1.82 g, leucine 3.29 g, isoleucine 1.72 g), total protein 17.08 g, carbohydrates 25.48 g, fat 5.66 g, providing 221.2 kcal of energy. Each sachet weighs 52 g and should be mixed with 150 ml of water. Participants will consume 2 sachets daily, one after breakfast and one after dinner.

In the placebo group, BCAA will be replaced with maltodextrin. Each sachet of the placebo will contain a total of 5.93 g of protein, 35.87 g of carbohydrates, 6.00 g of fat, providing 221.2 kcal of energy. Like the BCAA sachets, each placebo sachet will weigh 52 g and should be mixed with 150 ml of water. Participants in the placebo group will consume 2 sachets daily, one after breakfast and one after dinner.