Oral Administration of Amino Acidic Supplements Improves Protein and Energy Profiles in Skeletal Muscle of Aged Rats: Elongation of Functional Performance and Acceleration of Mitochondrial Recovery in Adenosine Triphosphate After Exhaustive Exertion

Carol Chen Scarabelli, Roy B. McCauley, Zhaokan Yuan, Justin Di Rezze, David Patel, Jeff Putt, Riccardo Raddino, Zuhair Allebban, John Abboud, Gabriele M. Scarabelli, Karuna Chilukuri, Julius Gardin, Louis Saravolatz, Giuseppe Faggian, Alessandro Mazzucco, Tiziano M. Scarabelli

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Sarcopenia is an inevitable age-related degenerative process chiefly characterized by decreased synthesis of muscle proteins and impaired mitochondrial function, leading to progressive loss of muscle mass. Here, we sought to probe whether long-term administration of oral amino acids (AAs) can increase protein and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content in the gastrocnemius muscle of aged rats, enhancing functional performance. To this end, 6- and 24-month-old male Fisher 344 rats were divided into 3 groups: group A (6-month-old rats) and group B (24-month-old rats) were used as adult and senescent control group, respectively, while group C (24-month-old rats) was used as senescent treated group and underwent 1-month oral treatment with a mixture of mainly essential AAs. Untreated senescent animals exhibited a 30% reduction in total and fractional protein content, as well as a 50% reduction in ATP content and production, compared with adult control rats (p <0.001). Long-term supplementation with mixed AAs significantly improved protein and high-energy phosphate content, as well as the rate of mitochondrial ATP production, conforming their values to those of adult control animals (p <0.001). The improved availability of protein and high-energy substrates in the gastrocnemius muscle of treated aged rats paralleled a significant enhancement in functional performance assessed by swim test, with dramatic elongation of maximal exertion times compared with untreated senescent rats (p <0.001). In line with these findings, we observed that, after 6 hours of rest following exhaustive swimming, the recovery in mitochondrial ATP content was ∼70% in adult control rats, ∼60% in senescent control rats, and normalized in treated rats as compared with animals of the same age unexposed to maximal exertion (p <0.001). In conclusion, nutritional supplementation with oral AAs improved protein and energy profiles in the gastrocnemius of treated rats, enhancing functional performance and accelerating high-energy phosphate recovery after exhaustive exertion.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)S42-S48
JournalAmerican Journal of Cardiology
Volume101
Issue number11 SUPPL.
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2 2008
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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