Summary This systematic review summarizes the effect of
combined exercise and nutrition intervention on muscle mass
and muscle function. A total of 37 RCTs were identified.
Results indicate that physical exercise has a positive impact
on muscle mass and muscle function in subjects aged 65 years
and older. However, any interactive effect of dietary supplementation
appears to be limited.
Introduction In 2013, Denison et al. conducted a systematic
review including 17 randomized controlled trials
(RCTs) to explore the effect of combined exercise and
nutrition intervention to improve muscle mass, muscle
strength, or physical performance in older people.
They concluded that further studies were needed to provide
evidence upon which public health and clinical
recommendations could be based. The purpose of the
present work was to update the prior systematic review
and include studies published up to October 2015.
Methods Using the electronic databases MEDLINE and
EMBASE, we identified RCTs which assessed the combined
effect of exercise training and nutritional supplementation on
muscle strength, muscle mass, or physical performance in
subjects aged 60 years and over. Study selection and data
extraction were performed by two independent reviewers.
Results The search strategy identified 21 additional RCTs giving
a total of 37 RCTs. Studies were heterogeneous in terms of
protocols for physical exercise and dietary supplementation
(proteins, essential amino acids, creatine, β-hydroxy-β-methylbuthyrate, vitamin D, multi-nutrients, or other). In 79%
of the studies (27/34 RCTs), muscle mass increased with exercise
but an additional effect of nutrition was only found in 8
RCTs (23.5%). Muscle strength increased in 82.8% of the
studies (29/35 RCTs) following exercise intervention, and dietary
supplementation showed additional benefits in only a
small number of studies (8/35 RCTS, 22.8%). Finally, the
majority of studies showed an increase of physical performance
following exercise intervention (26/28 RCTs, 92.8%)
but interaction with nutrition supplementation was only found
in 14.3% of these studies (4/28 RCTs).
Conclusion Physical exercise has a positive impact on muscle
mass and muscle function in healthy subjects aged 60 years
and older. The biggest effect of exercise intervention, of any
type, has been seen on physical performance (gait speed, chair
rising test, balance, SPPB test, etc.). We observed huge variations
in regard to the dietary supplementation protocols.
Based on the included studies, mainly performed on wellnourished
subjects, the interactive effect of dietary supplementation
on muscle function appears limited.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)