Leucine‐enriched whey protein supplementation, resistance‐based exercise, and cardiometabolic health in older adults: a randomized controlled trial

Background Increasing protein intake (above the Recommended Dietary Amount) alone or with resistance‐based exercise is suggested to improve cardiometabolic health; however, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to confirm this. Methods The Liverpool Hope University‐Sarcopenia Aging Trial (LHU‐SAT) was a 16 week RCT (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02912130) of 100 community‐dwelling older adults [mean age: 68.73 ± 5.80 years, body mass index: 27.06 ± 5.18 kg/m2 (52% women)] who were randomized to four independent groups [Control (C), Exercise (E), Exercise + Protein (EP), Protein (P)]. E and EP completed supervised and progressive resistance‐based exercise (resistance exercise: two times per week, functional circuit exercise: once per week), while EP and P were supplemented with a leucine‐enriched whey protein drink (three times per day) based on individual body weight (0.50 g/kg/meal, 1.50 g/kg/day). Outcome measures including arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity), fasting plasma/serum biomarkers [glucose/glycated haemoglobin, total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), high‐density lipoprotein, insulin, resistin, leptin, adiponectin, C‐reactive protein, tumour necrosis factor‐alpha, interleukin‐6, cystatin‐C, & ferritin], insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), and kidney function (eGFR) were measured before and after intervention. Results Total protein intake (habitual diet plus supplementation) increased to 1.55 ± 0.69 g/kg/day in EP and to 1.93 ± 0.72 g/kg/day in P, and remained significantly lower (P 0.05), and kidney function (eGFR) remained unaltered. Conclusions Sixteen weeks of leucine‐enriched whey protein supplementation alone and combined with resistance‐based exercise improved cardiometabolic health markers in older adults.