Supplementing amino acids may enhance muscle mass in older people

A supplemental drink used to treat muscular dystrophy may also help improve muscle mass in older
, according to a new study. The results were announced at the 95th annual meeting
The
Endocrinology Society of the United States, held in San Francisco. This supplement contains
3
amino acids, including arginine. Amino acids are the components of proteins and play an important role in cell growth and repair. Arginine is particularly important because it promotes the production of growth hormone, which promotes the body to produce a key protein called insulin-like growth factor
1
(
IGF-1
). This protein promotes growth and development, and as its name suggests, it is similar to the structure of insulin.previous studies have shown that amino acid supplementation can improve muscle mass in people with AIDS or cancer. These early findings led the researchers
of the
study to come up with the
hypothesis that higher insulin-like growth factors in the blood may be the cause of improved muscle mass. They suggest that raising protein levels could also bring the same benefits to older people. As we get older, myerogen secretion decreases, and these older people also experience reduced muscle mass and decreased strength.found significant increases in degreasing weight in participants who took amino acid supplements. Those who received a placebo did not change. In addition, the blood concentration of
IGF-1
was increased in the participants who took the supplement, but not in the placebo-taking group. However,
association between increased
blood concentration and increased muscle tissue in IGF-1 was not statistically significant.Amy C. Ellis
, an associate professor at the University of Alabama, said of the study's lead author,
"The amino acid mixture as a dietary supplement seems to have the hope of improving muscle mass in healthy older adults." However, more research is needed to determine the causal relationship and the mechanisms by which amino acid supplementation may have beneficial effects on the physical structure of healthy older people. Thestudy was conducted
29
healthy
between
and
87
years of age. For six months, each of them received an amino acid supplement or placebo twice a day, which they took with their meal. At the beginning and end of the study, the researchers used a special test to measure their fat-free weight. They also assessed the concentration of IGF-1
blood after
fasting.the National Institutes of Health
the Center for Technology at
University of Alabama at Birmingham. Abbott offers dietary supplements and placebos.