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Fuller JC, Baier S, Flakoll P, Nissen SL, Abumrad NN, Rathmacher JA. Vitamin D status affects strength gains in older adults supplemented with a combination of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, arginine, and lysine: a cohort study. JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition. 2011 Nov;35(35). 757-62.
Abstract
Background
Older adults supplemented for 1 year with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, arginine, and lysine (HMB/ARG/LYS) were previously shown to have significant gains in fat-free mass (FFM) but not muscular strength.
Objective
Recently, increasing levels of serum vitamin D have been associated with an increase in muscle function, particularly in the elderly. To determine if vitamin D status may have limited strength gain in participants supplemented with HMB/ARG/LYS, the authors performed post hoc analysis of strength based on the participants' vitamin D status.
Methods
Elderly (age 76.0 ± 1.6 years) adults were recruited for a double-blinded, controlled study and were randomly assigned to either an isonitrogenous control (n = 37) or HMB/ARG/LYS (n = 40) for the yearlong study. Participants were further segregated based on their vitamin D status of either
Results
Regardless of vitamin D status, HMB/ARG/LYS resulted in significantly increased FFM (P
Conclusions
The nutrient cocktail of HMB/ARG/LYS alone was effective in increasing muscle mass regardless of vitamin D status, but accompanying strength increases were observed only when participants also had adequate vitamin D status indicating a synergistic effect between the HMB/ARG/LYS and vitamin D.