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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2020 Aug 10;12(8):2391.
doi: 10.3390/nu12082391.

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

Mats I Nilsson  1   2 , Andrew Mikhail  1   3 , Lucy Lan  1 , Alessia Di Carlo  1 , Bethanie Hamilton  1 , Kristin Barnard  1 , Bart P Hettinga  2 , Erin Hatcher  1 , Milla G Tarnopolsky  1 , Joshua P Nederveen  1 , Adam L Bujak  2 , Linda May  1 , Mark A Tarnopolsky  1   2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

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

Mats I Nilsson et al. Nutrients. .

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.

Keywords: COVID-19; creatine; multi-ingredient supplement; omega-3; randomized clinical trial; resistance exercise; sarcopenia; vitamin D; whey.

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Conflict of interest statement

Exerkine Corporation is a biotechnology company that develops and commercializes therapies based on nutritional supplements, exercise-derived factors (‘exerkines’), and extracellular vesicles to treat and diagnose genetic disorders, chronic diseases, and aging. M.A.T. is the founder, C.E.O., and C.S.O. of Exerkine Corporation, which provided support in the form of salaries for M.I.N., A.L.B., and B.P.H. M.A.T., M.I.N., A.L.B., B.P.H., and L.M. are shareholders in the company. A patent has been issued (Canadian Patent # 3052324. US Patent # 16/182891 (pending)) for the multi-nutrient supplement (Muscle5, M5) based upon the initial studies that were completed by Stuart Phillips, Jennifer Heisz, and Gianni Parise [53,69,70] and occurred prior to these investigators gaining shares in Exerkine.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Experimental design.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percent changes in lean mass following 12 weeks of multi-component therapy (HBRE/M5) in old males. Abbreviations: M5; ‘Muscle5’ Multi-Ingredient Supplement, HBRE; Home-Based Resistance Exercise, ASM; Appendicular Lean Mass, TLM; Total Lean Mass. * Significantly increased vs. baseline by two-way repeated measures ANOVA (p ≤ 0.05). Y-axis value 0 = baseline. Absolute values are shown in Table 1.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Percent changes in lean mass-to-body fat ratios following 12 weeks of multi-component therapy (HBRE/M5) in old males. Abbreviations: M5; ‘Muscle5’ Multi-Ingredient Supplement, HBRE; Home-Based Resistance Exercise, ASM; Appendicular Lean Mass, TLM; Total Lean Mass. * Significantly higher vs. baseline by two-way repeated measures ANOVA (p ≤ 0.05). Y-axis value 0 = baseline. Absolute values are shown in Table 1.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Percent changes in muscle fiber cross-sectional areas (CSAs) following 12 weeks of multi-component therapy (HBRE/M5) in old males. Abbreviations: M5; ‘Muscle5’ Multi-Ingredient Supplement, HBRE; Home-Based Resistance Exercise, CSAs; muscle fiber cross-sectional areas. * Significantly larger vs. baseline by two-way repeated measures ANOVA (p ≤ 0.05). Y-axis value 0 = baseline. Absolute values are shown in Table 4.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Percent changes in upper and lower body maximal strength following 12 weeks of multi-component therapy (HBRE/M5) in old males. Abbreviations: M5; ‘Muscle5’ Multi-Ingredient Supplement, HBRE; Home-Based Resistance Exercise. * Significantly increased vs. baseline by two-way repeated measures ANOVA (p ≤ 0.05). Y-axis value 0 = baseline. Absolute values are shown in Table 1.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Percent changes in performance following 12 weeks of multi-component therapy (HBRE/M5) in old males. Abbreviations: M5; ‘Muscle5’ Multi-Ingredient Supplement, HBRE; Home-Based Resistance Exercise. * Significantly increased vs. baseline by two-way repeated measures ANOVA (p ≤ 0.05). # Significantly higher vs. baseline by paired t-test (p ≤ 0.05). Y-axis value 0 = baseline. Absolute values are shown in Table 1.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Percent changes in muscle quality (MQ) following 12 weeks of multi-component therapy (HBRE/M5) in old males. Abbreviations: M5; ‘Muscle5’ Multi-Ingredient Supplement, HBRE; Home-Based Resistance Exercise. * Significantly improved vs. baseline by two-way repeated measures ANOVA (p ≤ 0.05). Y-axis value 0 = baseline. Absolute values are shown in Table 1.
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