Arginine Plus Fish Oil May Help Manage Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia is a common condition in older adults that involves the gradual loss of muscle mass and strength. It can make everyday activities such as walking, standing up from a chair, or carrying objects increasingly difficult and is linked to frailty and falls. The new clinical study therefore investigated whether taking a combination of the amino acid arginine and fish oil could help improve muscle function and reduce inflammation in older adults with this condition.

The study was a 12-week randomized clinical trial involving 29 older adults diagnosed with sarcopenia. Participants were divided into two groups: one group received daily supplements of arginine (14 grams) and fish oil (6 grams), while the other group received a placebo. Researchers measured several indicators of physical ability, including walking speed, hand-grip strength, and the ability to repeatedly stand up from a chair. They also examined markers of inflammation in the blood, along with other factors such as frailty, physical activity levels, and overall quality of life.

After three months, participants who took the arginine and fish oil supplements showed clear improvements in walking speed and grip strength compared with those taking the placebo. The supplement group also experienced reductions in key markers of inflammation, while inflammation increased in the placebo group. In addition, participants receiving the supplements reported improvements in physical activity and frailty scores. The researchers concluded that combining arginine with fish oil may help older adults with sarcopenia improve muscle performance and reduce inflammation, suggesting it could be a promising nutritional strategy for managing this age-related condition.

To read how, when combined with resistance training, supplementation with vitamins C and E daily for 12 weeks has been shown to improve muscle mass and strength in older women with sarcopenia, see this news story on our website.