Exercise is often called one of the best ways to stay healthy. It can help protect the heart, strengthen muscles, improve balance, and lower the risk of many diseases. It can also lift mood and support brain health.
However, for many older adults, staying active is much harder than it sounds. As people age, they often lose muscle strength, have more pain, gain weight, and feel tired more easily. Many also struggle with low mood or a lack of motivation, making it difficult to keep exercising.
A new study from UT Health San Antonio suggests that a simple nutritional supplement may help. Researchers found that adding branched-chain amino acids, also known as BCAAs, to a regular exercise program helped older adults feel less tired, improved their mood, and slightly increased their physical performance. The research was published in the journal Diabetics.
The study involved 20 adults with obesity who were about 70 years old. The researchers divided them into two groups. One group drank a supplement containing BCAAs, while the other group received a placebo drink that did not contain the active ingredients.
Both groups followed the same eight-week exercise program, which included gentle aerobic exercise and strength training.
BCAAs are three important amino acids called leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They are naturally found in foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, beans, and other protein-rich foods.
Scientists have long known that BCAAs help muscles grow and recover after exercise. More recently, researchers have begun studying whether they also influence the brain, mood, and feelings of energy.
The scientists wanted to know whether BCAAs could reduce fatigue. Fatigue is more than simply feeling sleepy after a busy day. Some people experience ongoing physical and mental exhaustion that makes everyday activities seem difficult. This can reduce motivation to exercise and make it harder to stay healthy.
Dr. Jason O’Connor, one of the study’s authors, explained that inflammation in the body may change how the brain uses certain amino acids.
These changes may contribute to what scientists call central fatigue, a type of tiredness that starts in the brain and makes people feel drained even before they begin exercising. The researchers believed that BCAA supplements might help restore this balance.
After eight weeks, the results were encouraging. The people taking the placebo showed almost no improvement in strength or endurance. Their fatigue actually increased by about 5%, and symptoms of depression became slightly worse.
The participants who received the BCAA supplement experienced much better results. Their fatigue dropped by 45%, symptoms of depression fell by 29%, and they showed modest improvements in strength and endurance. Although the study was small, the differences between the two groups were clear.
The researchers had expected that exercise by itself would help everyone. Instead, the placebo group saw very little benefit. Dr. O’Connor said this may help explain why some older adults stop exercising.
If they continue to feel tired or discouraged, they may lose the motivation to keep going. If BCAAs help people feel better while exercising, they may be more likely to stay active over the long term.
The research team now hopes to study larger groups of people, including military veterans, who often face additional health challenges as they age. They are also studying older mice to better understand how BCAAs affect the body.
Future research will explore whether the supplements reduce inflammation, improve brain function, strengthen the immune system, and support healthier aging.
The researchers stress that this is still an early study. Because only 20 people participated, larger clinical trials are needed before doctors can recommend BCAA supplements for everyone. Even so, the findings offer hope that combining good nutrition with regular exercise may help older adults enjoy greater energy, better mood, and a higher quality of life.
If you care about muscle, please read studies about factors that can cause muscle weakness in older people, and scientists find a way to reverse high blood sugar and muscle loss.
For more health information, please see recent studies about an easy, cheap way to maintain muscles, and results showing these vegetables essential for your muscle strength.
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