Effect of the Consumption of Cookies Enriched With Plant Proteins and of a Vitamin D Supplement on the Progression of Sarcopenia in the Elderly

The ageing population makes it necessary to find effective strategies for the prevention of sarcopenia (the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength and a decline in physical performance) that can be counteracted with foods containing protein and adequate intake of vitamin D. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of consuming a food based on plant proteins and vitamin D supplementation. Intervention studies in humans conducted to date have mostly focused on the effect of animal proteins (mainly from whey) on disease progression. A study on the effect of pea proteins has not yet been conducted and will provide information on the effectiveness of these proteins in modulating markers linked to the disease. The effect on the gut microbiota will also be considered, as the existence of a gut-muscle axis has been suggested, in which microbial genera producing short-chain fatty acids have been linked to a positive effect on muscle mass through anabolic stimulation. Thus, the analysis of the modulation of the intestinal microbiota, through the dietary intervention proposed in this study, may represent a further step in research related to the prevention of this disease. Sarcopenic volunteers aged between 65 and 80 will be recruited to consume either a shortbread biscuit made with wheat flour enriched with hydrolysed pea protein and a vitamin D supplement in extra virgin olive oil, or a control biscuit and a placebo (extra virgin olive oil) for 12 weeks. The study will be randomised, parallel, single-blind. The effect of consuming the experimental biscuit and vitamin D supplementation compared to that of a traditional control biscuit and a placebo oil solution will be evaluated on certain markers related to sarcopenia. In particular, the following will be considered: muscle strength, measuring grip strength and leg strength (chair stand test); muscle mass through the measurement of appendicular muscle mass, and the calculation of the appendicular muscle mass index; physical performance using the Short Physical Performance Battery; the inflammatory response and other blood biomarkers related to sarcopenia. In addition, the following will be assessed: dietary habits through a food diary and quality of life through the SarQoL questionnaire. Finally, the effect of nutritional intervention on the modulation of the gut microbiota will be evaluated through 16S rRNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis of the data.