The current study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of supplemented essential amino acids (EAA) on depressive symptoms, nutrition, muscle function, daily physical activity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in institutionalized elderly patients. Forty-one patients (58.5% women; mean age 79.8 years) with sequelae of coronary artery disease (73%) and femoral fracture (34%) were randomly assigned to receive oral EAA (4 grams 2 times a day) or an isocaloric placebo for eight weeks. Before randomization and eight weeks after the protocol started, the following variables were measured: depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS), nutritional panel (Mini Nutritional Assessment, MNA; serum albumin and prealbumin levels), muscle strength (Hand Grip, HG), Activity Daily Life (ADL), Quality of Life (SF-36, HRQoL), and amino acid profile. Compared with the placebo group, EAA patients experienced improved nutrition (MNA score p < 0. 04, albumin p < 0.01), GDS (< 0.001), HG (p = 0.001), ADL (p < 0.04), and both physical and mental components of SF-36 (p < 0.002). The authors concluded that oral supplementation with EAA improved several determinants of quality of life in institutionalized elderly patients, including depressive symptoms, nutrition, muscle function, and daily life activity. Clin Nutr. 2011 May 31. PMID: 21636183.
