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Leucine Supplementation in Sarcopenic Older Individuals

Phase 1
Completed
Conditions
Frail Elderly Syndrome
Sarcopenia
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Leucine
Dietary Supplement: Placebo
Registration Number
NCT03831399
Lead Sponsor
University of Valencia
Brief Summary

Caring with older people in west societies has becoming a challenge for all health professional and any measure that can increase health or well-being will be ultimately improve quality of life and life expectancy. Frailty is a geriatric syndrome describing physical and functional decline that occurs as a consequence of certain diseases (e.g., cancer, chronic infection, etc.) but also even without disease. Frailty is characterized by an increased risk for poor outcomes such as incident falls, fractures, disability, comorbidity, health care expenditure and premature mortality. The aetiology of frailty is not well understood but it has been associated with changes in several physiologic systems, including inflammation, metabolic and micronutrients deficits.

The investigators wish to test with a confident perspective that any measured that improve the efficiency of muscular system can prevent the progression of frailty syndrome and that can have many others effects since it has been consistently demonstrated that a proper muscular function in aging is associated with other signs and symptoms. Looking at the literature, there are two clinical trials that evaluated the effect of leucine supplementation in older individuals with beneficial effects. The investigators wish to replicate those findings and to extend the analysis of the effect afforded by leucine supplementation in sarcopenia, frailty and cognitive function in individuals living in nursing homes in Valencia and province. This trial will show the eventual effects of leucine supplementation in elderly people may be also useful to afford some beneficial effects (sleep, cognitive function, depressed mood, balance and gait, etc) by modulating the function of muscular and metabolic system and in reduce the progression of sarcopenia and loss of muscular function.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
59
Inclusion Criteria
  • Ability to walk alone or with help of a can or a walker
  • Age 60 years or older
  • Cognitive function equal or higher than 21points in Mini-mental examination score
  • Both genders
  • Institutionalized in nursing homes for at least 6 months
Exclusion Criteria
  • Clinical diagnosed severe dementia
  • Severe psychiatric disease (i.e. schizophrenia)
  • Glomerular filtrate <30 ml/min/1,73m2

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Intervention GroupLeucineSubjects in intervention group will receive leucine 6g/day, in tin two doses, in two spoon at noon (12 pm) and in the late afternoon (8 pm) for 13 weeks. The product will be delivered in powder, in white jars, without label, and will only carry the patient number on the outside, 4 jars per participant.
Control GroupPlaceboSubjects in control group will receive placebo (lactose) 6g/day in two doses, in two spoon at noon (12 pm) and in the late afternoon (8 pm) for 13 weeks. The product will be delivered in powder, in white jars, without label, and will only carry the patient number on the outside, 4 jars per participant.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Lean mass4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated according to European Group of Working Sarcopenia in older people criteria:

Skeletal muscle mass index (kg/m2)

Strength4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated according to European Group of Working Sarcopenia in older people criteria:

Handgrip Strength (kg)

Physical performance4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated according to European Group of Working Sarcopenia in older people criteria:

Walking speed (m/s)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Cholesterol4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated with a blood analysis to determine total, HDL and LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)

Glucose4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated with a blood analysis to determine glucose (mg/dL)

Isoleucine4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as isoleucine concentration (mg/mL)

Creatinine4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated with a blood analysis to determine creatinine (mg/dL)

Triglycerides4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated with a blood analysis to determine triglycerides (mg/dL)

IL-64 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as:

IL6 (pg/mL)

TNF-alfa4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as:

TNF-alfa (pg/mL)

IGF-14 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as:

IGF-1 (mg/mL)

Leucine4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as leucine concentration (mg/mL)

Valine4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as valine concentration (mg/mL)

Glutamine4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as glutamine concentration (mg/mL)

B-alanine4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as B-alanine concentration (mg/mL)

Albumine4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as:

albumine (g/L)

Transthyretin4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as:

transthyretin (mg/L)

Myostatin4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, metabolic biomarkers related to sarcopenia and muscular function of all participants will be evaluated as:

myostatin (ng/mL)

Body mass index4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated as:

Body mass index (kg/m2)

Body perimeters4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated as:

Abdominal and calf perimeter (cm)

Body composition4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated as bioimpedance to know fat and lean mass (kg)

Comorbidities4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated as Charlson index score (absence of comorbidity: 0-1 points, low comorbidity: 2 points, and high comorbidity \> 3 points)

Type and number of drugs used4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, the drugs consumed by each participant will be collected

Gait and balance4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated with Tinetti index Scale(0 to 28 points, 19-24 risk of falling, \<19 high risk of falling)

Basic activities of daily living4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated with Barthel index Scale to measure the activities of daily living and mobility (o to 100 points, \< 60 dependence)

Cognitive performance4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated with Mini-mental score examination Scale (MMSE - 0 to 30 points, \<24 points cognitive impairment, \<21 mild cognitive impairment)

Depression4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated with Yesavage Scale for geriatric depression (0 to 15 points, \>5 points high risk of depression)

Forced spirometry4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated as forced spirometry parameters (measured with a spirometer)

Respiratory muscles strenght4 months

Before starting and after finishing administration of Leucine supplement or placebo, all participants will be evaluated as maximal respiratory pressures (measured with a respiratory pressure gauge)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Valencia

🇪🇸

Valencia, Spain

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