Abstract
Branched chain amino acids (BCAA), isoleucine 25mg, leucine 50mg and valine 30mg per 100 g of diet, were added to casein 10% diet and wheat gluten 30% diet. SD strain male rats (body weight 160-170g) were raised on four kinds of diets casein, gluten, casein+BCAA and gluten+BCAA diets, in a cage with a wheel for voluntary exercise for 31 days. After 19th day of the experiment, rats in BCAA added diet groups were given non-BCAA diets and rats in non-BCAA diet groups were given BCAA added diets. The number of revolutions of the wheel was used as the amount of the voluntary exercise. The amount of voluntary exercise was greater in casein and casein+BCAA groups than gluten and gluten+BCAA groups respectively, though the difference was not significant statistically. The amount was significantly greater in casein+BCAA group than casein group and tended to be greater in gluten+BCAA group than gluten group. The amount decreased significantly when casein+BCAA diet was changed to casein diet, and tended to decrease when gluten+BCAA diet was changed to gluten diet. It was concluded that the addition of BCAA to the diet increased the amount of voluntary exercise in rats.
