Condition
Frailty
Frailty is a state of reduced resilience in which a minor event, like an infection or a medication change, can trigger a big drop in everyday function. The evidence is rated strongest for protein and vitamin D, though whey protein trials in about 1,400 people found no clear difference in function. A small zinc study found function improved, but that evidence is limited.
- Supplements studied
- 5
- Graded outcomes
- 4
- Trials
- 5
- People studied
- 35,074
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Functionality in Elderly or Injured Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 61 people | |||
| IGF-1 | Improves (the measure goes up) | 2 studies | 61 people | |||
Studies that measured igf-1
| ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Fat Small Decrease | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 56 people | |||
| Muscle Mass | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 56 people | |||
| Strength | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 168 people | |||
Studies that measured strength | ||||||
| Walking Ability | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 168 people | |||
DHEA
- Body Fat
- Estrogen: changes; see studies
- Testosterone: improves
Whey Protein
- Functionality in Elderly or Injured
- Muscle Mass: improves
- Strength: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Functionality in Elderly or Injured No effect | NoneNo effect | 1,398 people | ||||
| Muscle Mass | Improves (the measure goes up) | 5 studies | 1,398 people | |||
Studies that measured muscle mass
| ||||||
| Strength | Improves (the measure goes up) | 2 studies | 1,398 people | |||
Studies that measured strength | ||||||
Vitamin D
- Fracture Risk: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fracture Risk | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 42,279 people | |||
Studies that measured fracture risk | ||||||
Key findings
- Functionality in Elderly or InjuredImproves (the measure goes up)
- Body FatImproves (the measure goes down)
The Frailty Prevention and Management protocol
2 primary supplements · 6 supporting supplements
- Protein Supplements1.2–1.5 g protein/kg body weight daily (include leucine-rich sources)
- Vitamin D1,000–4,000 IU daily (higher if deficient)
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Studies cited
30 studies from PubMed
- Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on cardiovascular risk factors in older women with frailty characteristics.
- Short-term zinc supplementation in women with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: effects on plasma 5'-nucleotidase activities, insulin-like growth factor I concentrations, and lipoprotein oxidation rates in vitro
- Zinc increases the effects of essential amino acids-whey protein supplements in frail elderly
- Whey Protein Supplementation with or without Vitamin D on Sarcopenia-Related Measures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- Effect of Whey Protein Supplementation on Perioperative Outcomes in Patients with Cancer-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PROSPERO 2020: CRD42020188666).
- Effects of Whey Protein Alone or as Part of a Multi-ingredient Formulation on Strength, Fat-Free Mass, or Lean Body Mass in Resistance-Trained Individuals: A Meta-analysis.
- The effect of resistance training combined with timed ingestion of protein on muscle fiber size and muscle strength
- Whey Protein Before and During Resistance Exercise Has No Effect on Muscle Mass and Strength in Untrained Young Adults
- Effect of protein-supplement timing on strength, power, and body-composition changes in resistance-trained men
- The effects of protein and amino acid supplementation on performance and training adaptations during ten weeks of resistance training
- Prevention of nonvertebral fractures with oral vitamin D and dose dependency: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Medium-chain triglycerides (8:0 and 10:0) are promising nutrients for sarcopenia: a randomized controlled trial
- A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial Assessing If Medium-Chain Triglycerides in Combination with Moderate-Intensity Exercise Increase Muscle Strength in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults
- Medium-chain triglycerides (8:0 and 10:0) increase muscle mass and function in frail older adults: a combined data analysis of clinical trials
- A dose-response and meta-analysis of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on testosterone levels: perinatal prediction of randomized clinical trials.
- Androgens and sexual function: a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study of testosterone vs. dehydroepiandrosterone in men with sexual dysfunction and androgen deficiency
- Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation on cognitive function and activities of daily living in older women with mild to moderate cognitive impairment
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials of DHEA supplementation of bone mineral density in healthy adults.
- Dehydroepiandrosterone replacement therapy in older adults: 1- and 2-y effects on bone
- Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation and bone turnover in middle-aged to elderly men
- Effect of acute DHEA administration on free testosterone in middle-aged and young men following high-intensity interval training
- Effects of short-term dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation on body composition in young athletes
- Effect of oral DHEA on serum testosterone and adaptations to resistance training in young men
- Impact of DHEA supplementation on testosterone and estradiol levels in postmenopausal women: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing dose and duration effects.
- Lack of dehydroepiandrosterone effect on a combined endurance and resistance exercise program in postmenopausal women
- Short-term dehydroepiandrosterone treatment increases platelet cGMP production in elderly male subjects
- Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation on bone mineral density, bone markers, and body composition in older adults: the DAWN trial
- Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone vs androstenedione supplementation in men
- Dehydroepiandrosterone replacement in healthy men with age-related decline of DHEA-S: effects on fat distribution, insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism
- Dehydroepiandrosterone combined with exercise improves muscle strength and physical function in frail older women