Combine These Supplements with Exercise for Healthy Aging

Scientists have tested the effects of supplemental Vitamin D3, marine Omega 3 fatty acids, and a simple home exercise program on frailty prevention in generally healthy older adults.

Frailty is an age-related condition affecting older adults, leading to an increased susceptibility of the individual against multiple negative health outcomes. The negative impact of frailty is expected to increase substantially with the growth of the global population of older adults.

However, frailty is potentially reversible if detected early. Previous studies suggested that the supplementation of key nutrients, including Vitamin D and Omega 3, complemented by physical activity, could have positive effects on the progression of frailty in older adults. Preventing pre-frailty among robust older adults appears important, as pre-frail individuals are at risk of adverse outcomes including falls and disability.

The DO-HEALTH study of generally healthy older European adults reported that 43% of their participants at baseline were considered pre-frail. The broad aim of DO-HEALTH is to prolong healthy life expectancy in European seniors. The specific aim is to establish whether Vitamin D, Omega 3 fatty acids, and a simple home exercise program can prevent frailty.

The participants in the DO-HEALTH trial are more than 2,000 community-dwelling men and women, 70 years old or older. The trial was based on a simple home exercise program and supplements, over a 3 year period.

The participants were divided into random groups to separate the effects of individual interventions. The groups were:

• Vitamin D3, Omega 3, and exercise
• Vitamin D3 and Omega 3
• Vitamin D3 and exercise
• Vitamin D3 alone
• Omega 3 and exercise
• Omega 3 alone
• Exercise alone
• Placebo

Each participant received two study capsules per day. Each active Vitamin D capsule contained 1000 IU of Vitamin D3. Each active Omega 3 capsule contained 500 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in a ratio of 1:2. Each placebo capsule contained high oleic sunflower oil.

The simple home exercise program included an unsupervised strength-training exercise of 30 minutes (three times per week). It also included an attention control exercise program focused on joint flexibility of 30 minutes (three times per week).

The results of the study are published in The Journal of Frailty & Aging. They indicate that the combined supplementation of Vitamin D3 plus Omega 3, plus the home exercise program, had significant benefits with regard to the prevention of pre-frailty. However, this benefit was not significant for the 3 treatments individually, highlighting the importance of the additive effect of all three preventive strategies.

The scientists conclude that the combined effects of daily supplementation of Vitamin D3 and Omega 3, plus a simple home exercise program, should be further investigated. It may help to perform an in-depth study of the complex underlying mechanisms on the molecular level.

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