Abstract
Age-related sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder associated with adverse outcomes. Herein, we evaluate the effects of a combination of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and a whey-based nutritional supplement (with or without polyphenols and fish oil-derived omega-3 fatty acids) on muscle function and size. Free-living elderly participants with mobility limitations were included in this study. They received 2 sessions of EMS per week and were randomly assigned to ingest an isocaloric beverage and capsules for 12 weeks: (1) carbohydrate + placebo capsules (CHO, n = 12), (2) whey protein isolate + placebo capsules (WPI, n = 15) and (3) whey protein isolate + bioactives (BIO) capsules containing omega-3 fatty acids, rutin, and curcumin (WPI + BIO, n = 10). The change in knee extension strength was significantly improved by 13% in the WPI + BIO group versus CHO on top of EMS, while WPI alone did not provide a significant benefit over CHO. On top of this, there was the largest improvement in gait speed (8%). The combination of EMS and this specific nutritional intervention could be considered as a new approach for the prevention of sarcopenia but more work is needed before this approach should be recommended. This trial was registered at the Japanese University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) clinical trial registry (UMIN000008382).
Highlights
IntroductionSarcopenia and frailty are detrimental health-related events highly prevalent in elderly adults [2,3]
The world population is aging rapidly [1]
(33 females, 8 males) with mobility limitations were recruited based on the following inclusion criteria: mobility limitations according to the long-term care insurance (LTCI) system of Japan, age between 60 and 90 years and gait speed below 1.5 m·s−1
Summary
Sarcopenia and frailty are detrimental health-related events highly prevalent in elderly adults [2,3]. Both are associated with a loss of functional capacity and a dramatic decrease of quality of life. Inter-related factors contribute to the progressive loss of muscle mass and function: lifestyle changes [4], metabolic changes, such as anabolic resistance [5]. An association between protein intake and muscle mass [9] or muscle functionality was established [10,11,12]. Current experts’ suggestion for healthy older adults is to consume an average daily protein intake of 1.0 to
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
