Protein Supplement and Exercise Training for the Treatment of Sarcopenia Risk in Older Adults

To explore the effectiveness of a 12-week resistance exercise programme plus or minus an oral nutritional supplement on the nutritional status of community-dwelling older adults who receive home care and are at risk of sarcopenia.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of consuming a whey-based protein ONS enriched with leucine and vitamin D, in conjunction with an online resistance-based exercise programme, versus the effectiveness of an online exercise programme alone, for twelve weeks, in a cohort of older adults who are at risk of sarcopenia and who require supportive home care. The primary outcome will be functional and nutritional status measured using the Timed get Up and Go (TUG) test and the full form of the mini-nutritional assessment (MNA-FF). The secondary outcomes include feasibility of implementation, defined by recruitment, retention and adherence rates, measures of body composition, muscle strength and quality of life. The groups will be as follows: (i) whey protein ONS enriched with leucine and vitamin D plus an online exercise programme or (ii) an online exercise programme alone. The exercise programme will be comprised of two sessions per week for 12-weeks and will be delivered using the UCD Zoom platform. The exercise programme will include strength movements that are intended to build muscle mass and improve physical function. The exercise programme will involve four phases split over the 12-week intervention: phase 1 (2 weeks), phase 2 (3 weeks), phase 3 (3 weeks) and phase 4 (4 weeks). The ONS is a high protein, leucine and vitamin D enriched drink. Participants randomised to the ONS group will be asked to consume the drink twice a day for 12 weeks.