Abstract
The combined intake of citrulline (CIT) and leucine (LEU) can stimulate protein synthesis. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of combined intake of CIT and LEU accompanied by exercise for 20 weeks on body composition, physical activity (PA), and amino acid concentrations in older Japanese women with low body mass index (BMI) (16 to 21 kg/m2) using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. The supplement was administered twice a day for 20 weeks (Ex (exercise) + CIT·LEU group, n = 10: mainly 0.8 g CIT and 1.6 g LEU; Ex + Placebo group, n = 13: mainly 3.5 g carbohydrate). Additionally, both groups exercised (weight-bearing exercise, square stepping exercise) once a week for 75 min. Body composition, PA, and amino acid concentrations in the plasma were measured. Body weight, BMI, body mass, household PA, total PA, and phenylalanine significantly increased in the Ex + CIT·LEU group (p < 0.05) post intervention. This study suggests that the combined intake of CIT and LEU accompanied by exercise can improve body weight, BMI, body mass, and PA in older women with low BMI, which may prevent sarcopenia and frailty.
Highlights
Accepted: 9 December 2021Aging strongly affects the body’s composition, bone mass, muscle mass, and estimated somatic cell mass from intracellular fluid volume [1]
Muscle mass begins to decrease at age 25, with the decrease accelerating at age 50, and by 80 years has decreased by an average of 40% compared with age 20 [2]
Results of this study indicated that CIT and LEU intake combined with exercises could promote improvement on body weight and lean mass
Summary
Accepted: 9 December 2021Aging strongly affects the body’s composition, bone mass, muscle mass, and estimated somatic cell mass from intracellular fluid volume [1]. Loss of body weight and muscle mass with aging, which is accelerated because of nutritional deficiencies (dietary protein), leads to a decrease in physical function and physical activity [3]. The low BMI of older individuals is strongly associated with sarcopenia, i.e., age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function [4]. Sarcopenia has been associated with disabilities in the performance of instrumental activities of daily living, poor physical functioning, low nutritional intake, and mortality [6]. The combined intervention of amino acid intake and exercise has been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis (MPS) [7] and leg muscle mass [8] in older adults. Combined intervention of nutrition and exercise has shown more
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