Daily consumption of milk fat globule membrane plus habitual exercise improves physical performance in healthy middle-aged adults

Abstract

Our recent studies demonstrated that habitual exercise plus dietary supplementation with milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) improved endurance capacity and muscle function by stimulating neuromuscular development in mice. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of dietary MFGM supplementation plus habitual exercise on the physical performance of middle-aged Japanese adults in a pilot randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Forty-four subjects (men, n = 22; women, n = 22) were randomly assigned into two groups: one received placebo tablets (placebo group, n = 22 [men, n = 11; women, n = 11]), while the other received MFGM tablets (MFGM group, n = 22 [men, n = 11; women, n = 11]). The subjects ingested either MFGM (1 g/day) or placebo (1 g/day of whole milk powder) tablets every day for the 10-week study period and engaged in an exercise training program twice per week. A physical function test was performed at baseline and at 5 and 10 weeks. A significant group-by-time interaction was found for the side step test, muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), and muscle fiber conduction velocity (MFCV). In the placebo group, there were no significant intragroup differences. In the MFGM group, side step score and muscle CSA were significantly greater at 10 weeks compared to the baseline, and MFCV was significantly higher than that in the placebo group at 10 weeks. The changes in percentage of the side step score, muscle CSA, and MFCV in the MFGM group were significantly higher than in the placebo group at 10 weeks. These results suggest that daily MFGM ingestion combined with regular exercise might enhance physical performance such as agility in middle-aged adults.

Effects of Nutritional Supplementation with Milk Fat Globule Membrane on Physical and Muscle Function in Healthy Adults Aged 60 and Over with Semiweekly Light Exercise: A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial

“…This was inconsistent with our previous study in which a similar exercise program did not alter the physical performance of the middle-aged adults (14). Contrary to our hypothesis, the beneficial effect of MFGM supplementation on physical performance in particular could not be distinguished from the effect of regular light exercise alone in the present study.…”

“…Daily ingestion of MFGM with semiweekly light exercise increased 1) muscle strength and mass, and 2) muscle fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) in healthy Japanese adults aged 60 and over. The results are consistent with the findings of our previous study, namely that dietary MFGM plus regular exercise improved agility, muscle mass, and MFCV in Japanese middle-aged adults (14). This study was the first to demonstrate that daily MFGM intake, when combined with semiweekly light exercise, improves muscle function by increasing the conduction velocity of action potentials in the motor unit along the muscle fiber from Values are means6SE of 11 (Placebo group, male/female55/6) and 11 (MFGM group, male/female55/6) participants.…”

“…In addition, a seminal study by Arimura et al has demonstrated that Dok-7-mediated enhancement of NMJ formation enlarged NMJs and substantially increased motor function in mice with functionally inefficient NMJs (27). Overall, the increased MFCV and muscle strength following daily MFGM consumption found in this study, which aligns with the results of our previous studies on mice (12) and humans (14), suggesting that daily MFGM supplementation combined with light exercise improved motor unit action potential conduction, thereby increasing muscle strength in adults aged 60 y and over.…”

“…Since MFCV is an indicator of action potential conduction velocity in the motor unit, these findings suggest that neuromuscular function was improved by MFGM supplementation. This was also true for middleaged adults according to our previous study (14).…”

“…Since the motor unit is the critical functional unit involved in physical movement, an increase in active motor units may lead to improvement in physical function. In fact, our recent study has demonstrated that MFGM intake along with regular exercise enhanced physical agility by promoting fast-type motor unit maintenance in middle-aged adults (14).…”