Essential Amino Acid and Tea Catechin Supplementation after Resistance Exercise Improves Skeletal Muscle Mass in Older Adults with Sarcopenia: An Open-Label, Pilot, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Tea catechins (TCCs) have gained significant attention owing to their health effects. However, evidence is limited regarding the benefit of TCC and essential amino acids (EAAs) ingestion plus that of TCC ingestion after resistance exercise (RE) among older individuals with sarcopenia. We aimed to evaluate whether a 24-week nutritional program involving EAA and TCC supplementation after RE improved skeletal muscle mass (SMM) among older adults with sarcopenia. METHODS: We conducted an open-label, pilot, randomized controlled trial among older adults with sarcopenia at the Harima Care Center or community in Hyogo, Japan. Participants were allocated to RE (n = 18), RE with EAA supplementation (RE + EAA, n = 18), or RE with EAA and TCC supplementation (RE + EAA + TCC, n = 18) groups. Sarcopenia was defined using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. A 24-week resistance exercise program was carried out twice weekly, with an intake of 3,000 mg and 540 mg of EAA and TCC supplements, respectively. SMM was the primary outcome parameter.The mean adherence rate to exercise and supplementation intake over the 24-week intervention period was 86.8% in the RE + EAA + TCC group, 86.4% in the RE + EAA group, and 85.4% in the RE group. A significant group-by-time interaction was identified for SMM (p = 0.010). The pre- to post-intervention increase in SMM was significantly higher in the RE + EAA + TCC group than in the RE group (p = 0.010).These results suggest that supplementation with EAA and TCC after RE, compared to RE only, improves SMM in older people with sarcopenia. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of TCC supplementation on SMM in older people with sarcopenia.Supplemental data for this article is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2022.2025546.

Chronic Intake of a Meal Including Alaska Pollack Protein Increases Skeletal Muscle Mass and Strength in Healthy Older Women: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: In animal studies, a meal containing Alaska pollack protein (APP) induces fast-twitch muscle hypertrophy. To our knowledge, no interventional studies have examined the benefits of APP intake on muscle mass and muscle weakness and the prevention of sarcopenia in older individuals. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the effects of APP intake on skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance among healthy community-dwelling older Japanese women. METHODS: In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, healthy women ≥ 65 y old were allocated to an APP or whey protein control (CON) group. Participants ingested test protein meals (5.0-5.1 g protein/serving) daily for 24 wk. Between-group differences in the change of skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) as the primary outcome and muscle strength as a secondary outcome were tested using multifrequency BIA and a handheld dynamometer, respectively, at baseline, and 4, 12, and 24 wk. The mean changes in the measured primary and secondary outcome variables from baseline to 4, 12, and 24 wk were compared using unpaired t tests. RESULTS: There were no between-group differences in nutritional status, food intake, or total energy and protein intakes at baseline, 12 wk, or 24 wk. The change in SMI was 0.12 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.23 kg/m2) and 0.11 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.19 kg/m2) greater in the APP group than in the CON group at 12 wk and 24 wk (P ≤ 0.03) and knee extension strength was 0.07 Nm/kg BW (95% CI: 0.02, 0.12 Nm/kg BW) and 0.05 Nm/kg BW (95% CI: 0.00, 0.09 Nm/kg BW) higher in the APP group than in the CON group at these times (P ≤ 0.015), respectively. The groups did not differ at 4 wk. CONCLUSIONS: Daily intake of a meal containing APP compared with whey protein increases skeletal muscle mass and lower-extremity muscle strength in healthy older women, suggesting that an APP-containing meal may be useful in the prevention of sarcopenia in this group.This trial was registered at as UMIN000035718.

Effect of ingestion of essential amino acids and tea catechins after resistance exercise on the muscle mass, physical performance, and quality of life of healthy older people: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the effectiveness of a 24-week nutritional ingestion program involving essential amino acid (AA) and tea catechin (TC) intake after performing resistance exercise in increasing the skeletal muscle mass, physical performance, and quality of life of healthy older people. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: An open-label randomized controlled trial involving 84-healthy older individuals (age ≥65 years) without sarcopenia, diabetes, and kidney disease, was conducted. They were allocated to the exercise (n=28), exercise and essential AA ingestion (n=28), and exercise, essential AA, and TC ingestion groups (n=28). The participants underwent a 24-week program of resistance exercise (performed twice per week) along with essential AA and TC intake (3,000 and 540 mg, respectively). RESULTS: Six participants could not complete the intervention after randomization. After the 24-week intervention period, the exercise, essential AA, and TC ingestion groups showed an increase in the skeletal muscle mass index, one-legged balance test, and physical quality of life score (skeletal muscle mass index, p=0.004; one-legged balance test, p=0.045; physical quality of life, p=0.020). After the 24- week intervention period, the exercise and essential AA ingestion group showed an increase in the skeletal muscle mass index and physical quality of life score (skeletal muscle mass index, p=0.014; physical quality of life, p=0.041). However, the exercise group did not show an increase in the skeletal muscle mass index. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that resistance exercise, essential AA, and TC intake in healthy older people could improve physical performance.

Differences and overlap between sarcopenia and physical frailty in older community-dwelling Japanese.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sarcopenia and frailty result in loss of function and independence. Sarcopenia may be a risk factor for frailty; however, risk factors for sarcopenia with frailty, and associated incidence of falls and poor quality of life remain unclear. We investigated the clinical characteristics and relevant factors for sarcopenia with frailty in older community-dwelling Japanese. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This cross-sectional study included 331 Japanese community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years. We assessed falls history in the past year, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), including physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS), age, total energy intake per ideal body weight (TEI/kg IBW), total protein intake/kg IBW, vitamin D intake, and exercise habits. Sarcopenia was determined using low hand grip strength or slow gait speed and low skeletal muscle mass index. Frailty was determined if ≥3 components, such as unintended weight loss, exhaustion, low muscle strength, slow gait speed, and low physical activity were present. RESULTS: The prevalence of sarcopenia with frailty was 3.6%; such participants had a higher risk of recurrent falls and lower PCS and MCS scores than robust participants. Age, TEI/kg IBW, total protein intake/kg IBW, and vitamin D intake were significantly associated with risk of sarcopenia with frailty by multivariate logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that sarcopenia with frailty was had higher incidences of recurrent fall and poor HRQOL than robust older adults. Aging and poor energy, protein, and vitamin D intake, may be relevant factors for sarcopenia with frailty.

Effect of whey protein supplementation after resistance exercise on the muscle mass and physical function of healthy older women: A randomized controlled trial.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of a 24-week program of nutritional supplementation using whey protein, ingested after resistance exercise, in increasing muscle mass and physical function among community-dwelling healthy older Japanese women. METHODS: We carried out a randomized controlled trial, with 81 healthy women, aged 65-80 years, allocated to three groups of 27 participants each: the exercise and protein supplementation group, the exercise only group, and the protein supplementation only group. A 24-week program of resistance exercise, carried out twice per week, was combined with whey protein supplementation, containing 22.3 g of protein. The total protein intake for participants in all three experimental groups was adjusted to a level of at least 1.2 g/kg bodyweight/day, and more during the intervention period. Between-group differences in the pre- to post-intervention change in skeletal muscle mass and physical function were evaluated using an analysis of variance. RESULTS: The pre- to post-intervention increase in the skeletal muscle mass index was significantly higher for the exercise only group than for the protein supplementation only group (P =0.008), and significantly higher for the exercise and protein supplementation group than for either the exercise only (P =0.007) or protein supplementation only (P <0.001) groups. Similarly, the increase in grip strength and gait speed was significantly greater for the exercise and protein supplementation group than for the protein supplementation only group (grip strength P =0.014, gait speed P =0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Whey protein supplementation, ingested after resistance exercise, could be effective for the prevention of sarcopenia among healthy community-dwelling older Japanese women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1398-1404.