Many people hear that exercise is one of the best ways to stay healthy as they grow older. Regular movement can help protect the heart, strengthen muscles, improve balance, and support brain health.
Exercise can also lower the risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and dementia. However, for many older adults, staying active is not always easy.
As people age, they often face health problems that make exercise more difficult. Weak muscles, joint pain, obesity, low energy, poor sleep, and health conditions can all make physical activity harder. Some older adults also struggle with low mood, lack of motivation, or feelings of fatigue that make it difficult to continue exercising regularly.
Fatigue is more than simply feeling tired after a busy day. It can affect both the body and the mind. Some people may physically be able to move but still feel mentally exhausted or unmotivated before they even start an activity. This type of mental fatigue can reduce quality of life and make healthy habits difficult to maintain.
Now, researchers from UT Health San Antonio have found that a simple nutritional supplement may help older adults feel better during exercise programs. Their findings suggest that branched-chain amino acids, commonly called BCAAs, may improve energy, mood, and physical performance when combined with exercise.
The study was published in Diabetics.
BCAAs are nutrients found naturally in foods rich in protein, such as meat, eggs, dairy products, and beans. The three main BCAAs are leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
Scientists have long known that these amino acids help build and repair muscles, especially after exercise. More recently, researchers have started exploring whether BCAAs may also affect the brain, mood, and mental energy.
The study involved 20 older adults with obesity who were around 70 years old. Although the study was small, it was carefully designed. Half of the participants received a drink containing BCAAs, while the other half received a placebo drink with no active ingredients. Both groups followed the same eight-week exercise program.
The exercise plan included light aerobic activity and strength training. Aerobic exercises help improve heart and lung health, while strength training helps maintain muscles and physical function. The researchers wanted to see whether adding BCAAs could improve the effects of exercise.
Dr. Jason O’Connor, one of the study’s researchers, explained that inflammation inside the body may change how amino acids are used by the brain. These changes may contribute to central fatigue, which is the type of fatigue linked to mental exhaustion and low motivation.
According to the researchers, adding BCAAs through supplements may help correct some of these imbalances. This could help people feel more energetic, emotionally positive, and willing to stay active.
After eight weeks, the differences between the two groups became very noticeable.
The placebo group showed very little improvement in strength or endurance. In fact, their fatigue levels increased by about 5 percent, and symptoms of depression also became worse during the study period.
The group taking BCAAs experienced much more positive results. Their fatigue dropped by 45 percent, and symptoms of depression decreased by 29 percent. They also showed modest improvements in strength and endurance.
The researchers had expected exercise alone to improve how people felt. However, the results from the placebo group suggest that exercise may not always be enough for some older adults, especially those already struggling with fatigue or low mood.
Dr. O’Connor believes this may explain why many older adults stop exercising after starting a new program. If people do not feel physically or emotionally better, they may lose motivation and stop participating. The addition of BCAAs may help break this cycle by making exercise feel more rewarding and manageable.
The research team now hopes to continue studying this approach in larger groups of people. They are especially interested in helping older veterans, who often face additional health challenges as they age.
The scientists are also studying the effects of BCAAs in older mice, and early findings from those studies also appear promising. In the future, the researchers want to better understand how BCAAs affect inflammation, the immune system, brain function, and healthy aging.
Although more research is still needed, the study offers hope for older adults struggling with low energy, poor mood, and difficulty staying active. A simple nutritional supplement combined with regular movement may one day help many people enjoy healthier aging, better physical function, and improved quality of life.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about nutrients that could combat inflammation in older people, and essential foods for healthy aging.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the link between processed foods and chronic diseases, and a simple diet change for a healthier life after 65.
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