A Five-Ingredient Nutritional Supplement and Home-Based Resistance Exercise Improve Lean Mass and Strength in Free-Living Elderly

Abstract

Old age is associated with lower physical activity levels, suboptimal protein intake, and desensitization to anabolic stimuli, predisposing for age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia). Although resistance exercise (RE) and protein supplementation partially protect against sarcopenia under controlled conditions, the efficacy of home-based, unsupervised RE (HBRE) and multi-ingredient supplementation (MIS) is largely unknown. In this randomized, placebo-controlled and double-blind trial, we examined the effects of HBRE/MIS on muscle mass, strength, and function in free-living, older men. Thirty-two sedentary men underwent twelve weeks of home-based resistance band training (3 d/week), in combination with daily intake of a novel five-nutrient supplement (‘Muscle5’; M5, n = 16, 77.4 ± 2.8 y) containing whey, micellar casein, creatine, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, or an isocaloric/isonitrogenous placebo (PLA; n = 16, 74.4 ± 1.3 y), containing collagen and sunflower oil. Appendicular and total lean mass (ASM; +3%, TLM; +2%), lean mass to fat ratios (ASM/% body fat; +6%, TLM/% body fat; +5%), maximal strength (grip; +8%, leg press; +17%), and function (5-Times Sit-to-Stand time; −9%) were significantly improved in the M5 group following HBRE/MIS therapy (pre vs. post tests; p < 0.05). Fast-twitch muscle fiber cross-sectional areas of the quadriceps muscle were also significantly increased in the M5 group post intervention (Type IIa; +30.9%, Type IIx, +28.5%, p < 0.05). Sub-group analysis indicated even greater gains in total lean mass in sarcopenic individuals following HBRE/MIS therapy (TLM; +1.65 kg/+3.4%, p < 0.05). We conclude that the Muscle5 supplement is a safe, well-tolerated, and effective complement to low-intensity, home-based resistance exercise and improves lean mass, strength, and overall muscle quality in old age.

Barriers to physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic in adults: a cross-sectional study

“…Therefore, it is possible to assume that many individuals under social isolation do not consider the home as an environment conducive to physical activity [14]. As closures of parks, trails, gyms and beaches make it more difficult for individuals to be active, it is important that health professionals should provide information to population about different possibilities of home exercise programs [40][41][42]. Lack of motivation was the second most prevalent barrier in the current study, although in relative terms it was less than other studies conducted before the pandemic.…”

Association between Changes in Nutrient Intake and Changes in Muscle Strength and Physical Performance in the SarcoPhAge Cohort

“…These exercises may enhance the myofibrillar protein synthesis, and it has been suggested that it was due to nutrient-stimulated vasodilatation and improvement in nutrient delivery to muscle [ 68 ]. Additionally, the results indicated that the effects of these types of physical activity, particularly resistance training, may be impacted by nutritional status [ 69 ] and nutrient supplementation [ 70 ]. Ethnicity is also known to influence muscle parameters and nutritional status [ 71 , 72 ], but we did not adjust our analyses on this variable since the included participants in our cohort were homogeneous in terms of ethnicity.…”

Creatine in Health and Disease

“…As performance-related studies assessed health and safety markers, evidence began to accumulate that creatine supplementation may also offer some health and/or therapeutic benefits as we age [ 4 , 12 , 14 , 67 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 131 ]. In this regard, creatine supplementation has been reported to help lower cholesterol, triglycerides and/or manage blood lipid levels [ 77 , 132 , 133 ]; reduce the accumulation of fat on the liver [ 133 , 134 ]; decrease homocysteine thereby reducing risk of heart disease [ 30 , 135 ]; serve as an antioxidant [ 30 , 136 , 137 , 138 , 139 ]; enhance glycemic control [ 1 , 11 , 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 ]; reduce the progress of some forms of cancer [ 8 , 17 , 18 , 135 , 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 ]; increase strength and muscle mass [ 2 , 9 , 13 , 67 , 70 , 71 , 93 , 99 , 101 , 148 , 149 , 150 , 151 , 152 ,…”