Whey Protein Supplement May Benefit Muscle Building in the Elderly

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Whey Protein Supplement May Benefit Muscle Building in the Elderly

http://www.vitasearch.com/CP/weeklyupdates/

Reference: " Whey protein ingestion in elderly persons results in

greater muscle protein accrual than ingestion of its constituent

essential amino acid content, " Katsanos CS, Chinkes DL, et al, Nutrition

Research, 2008; 28(10): 651-8. (Address: Christos S. Katsanos, Center

for Metabolic Biology, Arizona State University, PO Box 873704, Tempe,

AZ 85287-3704, USA. E-mail: christos.katsanos@... ).

Summary: In a study involving 15 elderly subjects randomly assigned to

ingest a bolus of: a) 15 g of whey protein; 6.72 g essential amino

acids; or c) 7.57 g of nonessential amino acids, ingestion of whey

protein was found to improve skeletal muscle protein accrual " through

mechanisms that are beyond those attributed to its essential amino acids

content. " Leg phenylalanine balance - an index of muscle protein accrual

- was found to improve in the subjects consuming whey protein (-216 vs

-105 nanomoles per minute per kilograms of lean leg mass), but not in

those consuming essential amino acids (-203 vs -172) or non-essential

amino acids (-203 vs -204). In addition, insulin response was lower in

the essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids groups, as

compared to the whey protein group. These results suggest that the

beneficial effects of whey protein on muscle protein anabolism are due

to something other than just its am ino acid content. The authors

conclude, " This finding may have practical implications for the

formulation of nutritional supplements to enhance muscle anabolism in

older individuals. "

--

ne Holden, MS, RD

" Ask the Parkinson Dietitian " http://www.parkinson.org/

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