Amino Acid Supplementation Increases Lean Body Mass, Basal Muscle Protein Synthesis, and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Expression in Older Women

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 94; no. 5; pp. 1630 - 1637
• Main Authors: Dillon, Edgar L., Sheffield-Moore, Melinda, Paddon-Jones, Douglas, Gilkison, Charles, Sanford, Arthur P., Casperson, Shanon L., Jiang, Jie, Chinkes, David L., Urban, Randall J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Oxford University Press 01.05.2009; Copyright by The Endocrine Society; Endocrine Society; The Endocrine Society
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Aged; AKT protein; Amino acids; Amino Acids, Essential - therapeutic use; Anabolic Agents - pharmacology; Androgen receptors; Androgens; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Body Composition - drug effects; Body mass; Dietary intake; Dietary Supplements; Endocrinopathies; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Insulin - blood; Insulin-like growth factor I; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - biosynthesis; Insulin-like growth factors; Kinases; Kinetics; Lean body mass; Medical sciences; Muscle Proteins - biosynthesis; Muscle strength; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Original; Phenylalanine - pharmacology; Placebos; Protein biosynthesis; Protein expression; Protein synthesis; Proteins; Rapamycin; Receptors, Androgen - biosynthesis; Repetition; Sarcopenia; Supplements; TOR protein; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Human; Obesity; Nutrition; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; Increase; Gene expression; Insulin like growth factor 1; Protein synthesis; Aminoacid; Lean body mass; Female; Muscle; Supplementation; Woman; Elderly; Endocrinology; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/jc.2008-1564

Context: Inadequate dietary protein intake has been implicated in sarcopenia. Objective and Design: The objectives of this study were to determine whether: 1) chronic essential amino acid (EAA) supplementation improves postabsorptive muscle protein fractional synthesis rate (FSR), lean body mass (LBM), and one-repetition maximum muscle strength, and androgen receptor and IGF-I muscle protein expression; and 2) the acute anabolic response to EAA ingestion is preserved after a 3-month supplementation period. Using a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled design, older women (68 ± 2 yr) were assigned to receive either placebo (n = 7), or 15 g EAA/d [supplemented treatment group (SUP)] (n = 7) for 3 months. Metabolic outcomes were assessed in association with stable isotope studies conducted at 0 and 3 months. Setting: The study was performed at The University of Texas Medical Branch General Clinical Research Center. Results: Ingestion of 7.5 g EAA acutely stimulated FSR in both groups at 0 months (P < 0.05). Basal FSR at 3 months was increased in SUP only. The magnitude of the acute response to EAA was unaltered after 3 months in SUP. LBM increased in SUP only (P < 0.05). One-repetition maximum strength remained unchanged in both groups. Basal IGF-I protein expression increased in SUP after 3 months (P = 0.05), with no changes in androgen receptor or total and phosphorylated Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin, S6 kinase, and 4E-binding protein. Conclusions: EAA improved LBM and basal muscle protein synthesis in older individuals. The acute anabolic response to EAA supplementation is maintained over time and can improve LBM, possibly offsetting the debilitating effects of sarcopenia.