Nutritional Amino Acid Supplementation Reduces Severity and Enhances Recovery of Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis: A Triple-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.
J Oral RehabilJun 25, 2026 (epub)
Fatma E A Hassanein, Doha E Ahmed, Sarah Elkot et al.
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In 30 seconds
This triple-blind randomized clinical trial evaluated the effects of oral L-arginine and L-glutamine supplementation on radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM) in 84 head and neck cancer patients. At Week 5, severe mucositis was observed in 92.9% of controls, compared to 17.9% in the arginine group and 3.6% in the glutamine group (p < 0.001), indicating significant benefits from supplementation.
Key findings
- Severe mucositis occurred in 92.9% of controls vs 17.9% in the arginine group and 3.6% in the glutamine group (p < 0.001).
- Intervention groups showed lower IL-6 and NO levels and higher EGF levels (p < 0.001).
- IL-6 demonstrated excellent discrimination of severe mucositis with an AUC of 0.988.
Why it matters
Radiation-induced oral mucositis can severely impact patient quality of life and treatment adherence. Nutritional interventions like amino acid supplementation may mitigate these effects, enhancing patient recovery and comfort during radiotherapy.