Efficacy of a novel formulation of L-Carnitine, creatine, and leucine on lean body mass and functional muscle strength in healthy older adults: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
a novel combination of L-Carnitine, creatine and leucine | increase | the primary composite outcome | healthy older adults aged 55-70 years | 63.5 percentage points | improved | #1 |
L-Carnitine combined with creatine and L-leucine | increase | the composite score which reflects muscle mass and strength | older adults | - | significantly improved | #2 |
The combination | increase | mTOR protein level | - | - | showed an increase | #3 |
The combination | increase | muscle strength | - | - | translated to an improvement | #4 |
BACKGROUND: Progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass and function are growing concerns in an aging population. Diet and physical activity are important for muscle maintenance but these requirements are not always met. This highlights the potential for nutritional supplementation. As a primary objective, we sought to assess the effect of a novel combination of L-Carnitine, creatine and leucine on muscle mass and performance in older subjects. METHOD: Forty-two healthy older adults aged 55-70 years were randomized to receive either a novel L-Carnitine (1500 mg), L-leucine (2000 mg), creatine (3000 mg), Vitamin D3 (10 μg) (L-Carnitine-combination) product ( RESULTS: The primary composite outcome improved by 63.5 percentage points in the L-Carnitine-combination group vs. placebo ( CONCLUSIONS: The trial did reach its primary objective. L-Carnitine combined with creatine and L-leucine significantly improved the composite score which reflects muscle mass and strength, at the end of the study compared to placebo. The combination showed an increase in mTOR protein level, a driver for increased muscle mass which translated to an improvement in muscle strength. This new combination may provide a potential nutritional intervention to promote muscle growth and improved physical functioning in older adults.