Untargeted Metabolomic Assay of Prefrail Older Adults after Nutritional Intervention

Abstract

Frailty is a geriatric syndrome causing a reduction in the body’s functional reserves. Proper nutrition may be helpful in delaying transitioning older adults from pre‐frail to frailty syndrome. The present study evaluates the nutritional status of pre‐frail patients who underwent nutritional intervention and metabolomic changes resulting from this intervention. Sixteen pre‐frail patients (68.4 ± 5.5 years old; 81.3% women) were enrolled for nutritional intervention, and twenty-nine robust elderly people (69.3 ± 5.3 years old; 82.8% women) were the control group. Pre‐frail patients consumed 1.0 g protein/kg BW/day for eight weeks through diet modification and an additional daily intake of a protein powder formula. Taken measurements included: Nutritional anthropometry, assessment of food intake, and blood serum analysis with an untargeted metabolomic assessment. Protein consumption increased by 25.8%; moreover, significant increases in body weight (+1.2 kg; p = 0.023) and muscle mass index (+0.1 kg/m2; p = 0.042) were also observed. The untargeted metabolomic assay showed a significant increase in arachidonic acid (p = 0.038), and valine (p = 0.008) among pre‐frail patients. Increased protein consumption is reflected in improved anthropometric and biochemical parameters of pre‐frail patients. Moreover, metabolomic assay can be a useful tool in determining compliance with dietary recommendations.