Amino acid and vitamin supplementation improved health conditions in elderly participants

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementation with amino acids and vitamins on health conditions in unhealthy older people. One bedridden inpatient group (n = 10; mean age, 79.8 ± 8.5 y) and one outpatient group (n = 9; mean age, 72.9 ± 12.2 y) participated in this study. A mixture supplementation with amino acids containing arginine (500 mg/day), glutamine (600 mg/day), and leucine (1200 mg/day), and 11 kinds of vitamins was daily administrated for 8 weeks. In both groups, general blood biomarkers such as white blood cell count, natural killer cell activity, and C-reactive protein levels were measured. All measurements were taken before (baseline), at 4 weeks (mid-point), and after each trial (post-point). At mid-point, natural killer cell activity in the outpatient group increased significantly compared to baseline. At post-point, natural killer cell activity in the outpatient and inpatient groups increased significantly compared to baseline. The other blood biomarkers did not show any significant change throughout the trial. This pilot study suggested that a mixture of arginine, glutamine, leucine, and vitamins is useful to support innate immunity in unhealthy older people, even if their diseases, symptoms, and prescribed medicines are different.

Effect of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation on Recovery Following Acute Eccentric Exercise

“…Coombes and McNaughton [ 8 ] showed that increases in serum CK concentrations following 120 min cycling at 70% of each participant’s maximal oxygen uptake were significantly lower for the males consuming 12 g per day of BCAA with an additional 20 g consumed immediately pre- and post-cycling exercise. Data from Ohtani and colleagues [ 52 ] demonstrated that 6.6 g/day of a mixed amino acid supplement (BCAA, arginine, glutamine) attenuated increases in serum CK activity during recovery from strenuous long-distance running. However, following marathon performance, 5 g/day of BCAA did not attenuate changes in myoglobin, another indirect biochemical marker of muscle injury (e.g., sarcolemma disruption) [ 17 ].…”

Effect of amino-acid intake on physical conditions and skin state: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial

“…In addition, subjects in those studies were person with specific disease, aged people, or athletes though there are a few reports on the healthy young subjects. (18,19) Based on these situation and backgrounds, we performed a clinical trial using healthy young Japanese women who have no fitness habits to make clear the function(s) caused by an amino acid-containing supplement enriched with the three amino acids, i.e., L-leucine, L-arginine, and L-glutamine. The trial is a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study in which the subjects ingested the supplement enriched with the amino acids for a prescribed period, and cosmetic and health effects were examined by skin tests and observations of body composition change, respectively.…”

Effects of Glutamine on Healing of Traumatic Oral Mucosal Lesions: An Experimental Study

“…Requirement for total parenteral nutrition and treatment of infections, long duration of febrile neutropenia, using higher doses of opioid analgesics for oral mucositis lead to a prolonged hospitalization period, thereby increasing treatment costs. Amino acids and vitamins are used to support the immune system (3). Glutamine (GLN) has an important role in the synthesis of nucleotides in rapidly dividing cells (4).…”