Abstract
Early prevention of sarcopenia could be an important strategy for muscle retention, but most studies have focused on subjects aged 65 or older. Therefore, in this study we investigated the effects of leucine-enriched protein supplementation on muscle condition in a sample including late middle-aged adults. A 12-week intervention was performed for 120 healthy community-dwelling adults by providing either leucine-enriched protein supplement [protein 20g(casein 50%+ whey 40%+ soy 10%, total leucine 3000 mg), vitamin D 800IU(20 ug), calcium 300 mg, fat 1.1 g, carbohydrate 2.5 g] or isocaloric carbohydrate supplement twice per day. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) and lean body mass (LBM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. A total of 111 participants completed the study, with a dropout rate of 9.2%. LBM normalized by body weight (LBM/Wt) was significantly increased (p < 0.001) in the intervention group (0 wk: 63.38 ± 0.85 vs. 12 wk 63.68 ± 0.83 in the intervention group; 0 wk: 63.85 ± 0.82 vs. 12 wk: 63.29 ± 0.81 in the control group). In subgroup analyses, significant differences remained only in subjects between 50 and 64 years of age. We concluded that leucine-enriched protein supplementation can have beneficial effects by preventing muscle loss, mainly for late middle-aged adults.
Highlights
Healthy aging, along with healthy living, is becoming more important due to the extension of life expectancy
The age of the participants was significantly different between groups (61.23 ± 6.87 years for the intervention group and 58.38 ± 5.72 years for the control group, p = 0.015). eGRF data are not shown because all participants had levels greater than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 both before and after the study
We explored whether the provision of a leucine-enriched protein mixture would help individuals over the age of 50 to maintain or strengthen their muscle health when muscle reduction began to occur, and/or would help maintain muscle mass and function among elderly individuals for whom strength and muscle function reduction had already occurred
Summary
Along with healthy living, is becoming more important due to the extension of life expectancy. According to data from Health Statistics Korea, the life expectancy of Koreans averaged 82.7 years in 2017, and the elderly aged 65 and older accounted for 15.5% of the population in. As the elderly population increases, interest in maintaining health in old age is increasing. The preservation of skeletal muscle mass is necessary for maintaining physical function and the muscle strength necessary for physical activity [2]. Sarcopenia, which increases with age, increases the risk of falls and fractures due to decreases in athletic ability. Loss of independence due to decrease in activities of daily living (ADL) increases the risk of death [3]. The risk of Nutrients 2020, 12, 1816; doi:10.3390/nu12061816 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients
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