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A randomized trial in older men found that four weeks of alternate-day fasting was associated with weight and lean-mass loss. Protein and leucine supplements did not prevent that loss or provide additional benefits over a calorie-matched control supplement; the researchers say resistance training may be worth pairing with nutrition during weight loss.
A four-week randomized trial in older men found that adding protein or leucine to an alternate-day fasting plan did not prevent lean-mass loss compared with a calorie-matched control supplement. The findings, published in Nutrients, suggest supplements alone may not preserve muscle during weight loss, a concern for older adults at risk of age-related muscle decline.
The researchers recruited 80 men aged 60 to 89; 61 completed the intervention and were included in the analysis. Participants were assigned to one of three groups: a leucine supplement, a protein-and-leucine supplement, or a control chocolate supplement without added protein or leucine. Supplements were matched for calories per kilogram of body mass.
On feeding days, participants took three servings of their assigned supplement. On fasting days, they took one serving and could eat a self-selected meal of up to 600 calories between noon and 2 p.m. The protein group received 0.4 grams of protein and 0.04 grams of leucine per kilogram per serving; the leucine group received 0.08 grams of leucine per kilogram per serving.
Across the study, participants lost an average of about 2.2 kilograms of body mass, including approximately 1.3 kilograms of fat mass and 0.9 kilograms of lean mass. The reported changes in lean mass did not differ significantly by supplement group. Some measures changed over time, including reductions in systolic blood pressure and several lipid measures. The report also describes modest improvements in physical-function tests, while appendicular lean mass index fell slightly.
Supplements Did Not Preserve Lean Mass
The result matters because weight-loss plans for older adults need to account for more than changes on the scale. Lean mass includes muscle and other non-fat tissue, and losing muscle can be a particular concern with age, when the body may respond less strongly to protein and amino acids. The study tested whether extra protein or leucine could address that concern during alternate-day fasting; neither supplement showed an added protective effect in this trial.
The researchers suggest that resistance training could be paired with nutrition during weight loss to support muscle-related outcomes. That is a proposed implication, not a result tested by this study: participants were not assigned a resistance-training program. The findings also do not establish that fasting is unsafe or that supplements never help; they describe outcomes in this small, specific trial over four weeks.
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How the Fasting Trial Was Run
Alternate-day fasting alternates days with restricted intake and days with more typical eating. The study focused on older men with a body mass index of at least 23 who were considered suitable for fasting and physical testing. People with certain health conditions, including diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or kidney or liver conditions, were excluded, as were smokers, vegetarians and vegans, and people with dairy allergies or intolerance.
Researchers assessed body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and measured blood lipids, glucose-related markers, blood pressure, strength, walking speed, and other physical-function indicators. They also used a cognitive screening tool. The work addresses a particular question: whether body-mass-scaled protein or leucine supplementation changes outcomes during a short fasting-based weight-loss intervention in older men.
“Body-mass-scaled protein and leucine supplementation did not prevent lean mass loss or confer additional benefits as compared with a control supplement.”
— The study authors, as summarized in the News-Medical report
Limits of the Four-Week Findings
The study was short and limited to older men, and 61 of the 80 recruited participants completed the intervention and were analyzed. The supplied report does not provide enough detail to determine whether the findings apply to older women, people with excluded health conditions, or other fasting schedules. It also does not establish what happens to muscle or cardiometabolic measures over a longer period.
Although several measurements changed during the intervention, the report says the supplements did not produce additional benefits over the control. The supplied material does not give full numerical results for every blood marker or explain the clinical importance of each change. The possible role of resistance training remains untested within this trial.
Longer Trials and Training Comparisons
The immediate next step for research is to test whether resistance training alongside fasting and nutritional support can better preserve muscle in older adults, and whether any benefit lasts beyond four weeks. Studies including older women and participants with a broader range of health backgrounds could clarify how widely the result applies.
For now, this report describes a completed trial rather than a new clinical recommendation. The published findings establish that the tested supplements did not spare lean mass under these study conditions; they do not settle how best to structure weight loss for every older adult.
Key Questions
Did protein supplements prevent muscle loss during fasting in this study?
No. In the four-week trial, protein and leucine supplements did not prevent lean-mass loss compared with a calorie-matched control supplement.
How much weight did participants lose?
Participants lost an average of about 2.2 kilograms over four weeks, including roughly 1.3 kilograms of fat mass and 0.9 kilograms of lean mass.
Did the study test resistance training?
No. Resistance training was not tested as an intervention. The authors suggested it may be useful alongside nutrition during weight loss, based on the results and previous research.
Do the findings apply to all older adults?
That is unclear. The trial analyzed 61 men aged 60 to 89 who met its eligibility criteria. It does not directly establish outcomes for older women, people with excluded medical conditions, or longer fasting programs.
Source: rss
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