Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...
"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."
Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."
Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI
“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.
Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017
“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD
FAQ Minerals Deficiencies: BCAA+G
“The supplement BCAA+G helps builds muscle. Is it a natural remedy that could help my A-Fib? Are A-Fib patients BCAA-deficient?”
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) include the three amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. Along with L-Glutamine (+G), another amino acid, they’re critical to the repair and maintenance of strong muscles, including the heart―which is only a muscle after all.
Athletes and weight lifters use BCAA+G to build muscle, improve exercise performance and decrease post-exercise soreness and recovery time. BCAA+G also claims to increase nitrogen retention. If more nitrogen is consumed than lost, it means that muscle is being created. (I personally take BCAA+G after running and after working out at the gym.)
Our body doesn’t naturally manufacture Branched Chain Amino Acids. They’re essential nutrients that the body obtains from proteins found in food, especially meat, dairy products, and legumes (or through supplementation).
All of your muscles, including your heart, could suffer if you are BCAA-deficient.
I don’t know of anyone who is testing A-Fib patients to see if they are BCAA-deficient. (Heck, most doctors don’t even test for magnesium deficiency which is known to contribute to A-Fib.)
I can’t find any clinical research about BCAA and A-Fib. So, I’d be hard-pressed to draw any direct benefits from BCAA+G for curing A-Fib―except the following personal experinces from two A-Fib patients.
A-Fib.com Patients’ Experience with BCAA+G
In his personal A-Fib.com story, Harold Bosworth writes that Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) coupled with L-Glutamine (Gln or Q) got him out of Chronic (continuous) A-Fib after taking it for 2 days. He’d been in Chronic A-Fib for 3 years.
In another personal story, Tom Lisak wrote: “My doctor wanted to put me on Coumadin…I decided to try the “natural” approach…vitamins, herbs, chiropractic and acupuncture…all to no avail. Then I read Harold Bosworth’s account of his experience with BCAA + Gln. I took a heaping teaspoonful twice a day and in 2-3 days, the A-Fib disappeared.” Read more of his story.
What this means to you: We can’t say that BCAA+G is going to cure your A-Fib. It may help your overall muscle health which in turn may also help the function of your left atrium. It’s worth a try, especially if you exercise a lot.
If you decide to try BCAA+G, talk to your doctor before adding it to your treatment plan. For recommended products and dosage, see my article, ‘Natural’ Supplements for a Healthy Heart.
Return to: FAQ Minerals & Supplements
Last updated: Monday, June 18, 2018
