Since a blunted febrile response to infections represents a poorer prognosis in the elderly (Norman, 2000), enhancing BCAA catabolism, for example, by α-lipoic acid supplementation or inhibition of BCKDH kinase activity (BDK, an inhibitory kinase of BCKDH), may represent effective means to alleviate age-associated decline in fever responses. Here, PPM1K is linked to infection.