Aging
Conditions
Keywords
Muscle, Diet, Sarcopenia, Vascular health
Brief summary
Two of the most effective lifestyle-based approaches to reduce the risk of adverse health events and enhance quality of life with aging are exercise and a healthy diet. Currently, the Canadian recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 g/kg/day, however, several expert groups have advocated for a higher RDA of protein (\ 1.2 g/kg/day), along with more evenly distributed daily consumption, in older persons. Eggs are considered a nutrient-rich protein source but have recently been scrutinized. This study will compare a high-protein, egg-containing diet and a high-protein, non-egg diet in healthy older persons.
Detailed description
This study will examine the impacts of an egg-containing diet and a non-egg diet in healthy older persons. Briefly, participants (healthy persons, age 60-75 years old) will consume their normal diet or their normal diet plus 4 eggs completing a structured exercise program (designed to meet Canada's Physical Activity Guidelines) for a total of 12 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to the Egg or Control (non-egg) group. Before and after the 12-week intervention, participants' undergo assessments of diet-quality, muscle health, fitness, bone health, and vascular health.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALExercise
Participants will exercise in a supervised facility twice weekly and consume their habitual diet.
BEHAVIORALExercise plus diet (egg)
Participants will exercise in a supervised facility twice weekly and consume an addiitonal 4 eggs per day.
Sponsors
McMaster University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
The study will be a randomized parallel-group trial
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
60 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Exclusion criteria
1. Use assistive walking devices (e.g. cane or walker) 2. Consume any analgesic (pain-relieving) or anti-inflammatory drug(s), prescription or non-prescription, chronically 3. A history of neuromuscular problems or muscle-wasting diseases 4. Any acute chronic illness, cardiac, pulmonary, liver, or kidney abnormalities, uncontrolled hypertension, insulin or non-insulin dependent diabetes or other metabolic disorders- all ascertained through medical screening questionnaires 5. Chronic consumption of statins (particularly simvastatin/Zocor and atorvastatin/Lipitor) used to lower cholesterol 6. Be on any medications known to affect protein metabolism (i.e. corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or prescription-strength acne medications) 7. Have allergies or are not willing to consume eggs 8. Consume a vegetarian diet 9. Had significant weight gain or loss in the past 6 months 10. Have injuries preventing the safe completion of the exercise
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary protein intake. | Pre- and post-intervention over 12 weeks | Dietary protein intake (specifically meal-to-meal distribution) will be measured in all participants using a 3-day food log. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in lean mass | Pre- and post-intervention over 12 weeks | Composition by DXA |
| Strength | Pre- and post-intervention over 12 weeks | Handgrip strength |
| Vascular health | Pre- and post-intervention over 12 weeks | Measures of arterial compliance |
| Change in body fat mass | Pre- and post-intervention over 12 weeks | Composition by DXA |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed