Effect of ingestion of essential amino acids and tea catechins after resistance exercise on the muscle mass, physical performance, and quality of life of healthy older people: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition pp. 1 - 21
• Main Authors: Yasunobu Tokuda, Hiroyasu Mori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: HEC Press 11.03.2013
• Subjects: healthy older people; essential amino acid; physical performance; resistance exercise; tea catechins
• ISSN: 0964-7058
• DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.202104/PP.0007

Background and Objectives: We evaluated the effectiveness of a 24-week nutritional ingestion program involving essential amino acid and tea catechin intake after performing resistance exercise in increasing the skeletal muscle mass, physical performance, and quality of life of healthy older people. Methods and Study Design: An open-label randomized controlled trial involving 84-healthy older individuals (age ≥65 years) without sarcopenia, diabetes, and kidney disease, was conducted. They were allocated to the exercise (n=28), exercise and essential amino acid ingestion (n=28), and exercise, essential amino acid, and tea catechin ingestion groups (n=28). The participants underwent a 24-week program of resistance exercise (performed twice per week) along with essential amino acid and tea catechin intake (3,000 and 540 mg, respectively). Results: Six participants could not complete the intervention after randomization. After the 24-week intervention period, the exercise, essential amino acid, and tea catechin ingestion groups showed an increase in the skeletal muscle mass index, one-legged balance test, and physical quality of life score (skeletal muscle mass index, p=0.004; one-legged balance test, p=0.045; physical quality of life, p=0.020). After the 24-week intervention period, the exercise and essential amino acid ingestion group showed an increase in the skeletal muscle mass index and physical quality of life score (skeletal muscle mass index, p=0.014; physical quality of life, p=0.041). However, the exercise group did not show an increase in the skeletal muscle mass index. Conclusions: These results suggested that resistance exercise, essential amino acid, and tea catechin intake in healthy older people could improve physical performance.