This 3 months randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled supplementation trial tested the hypothesis that nutritional supplementation with whey protein, essential amino acids and vitamin D concurrent with regular, controlled physical activity would increase muscle mass, strength, physical functional, quality of life, and decrease the risk of malnutrition and inflammation in sarcopenic elderly.

This 3 months randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled supplementation trial tested the hypothesis that nutritional supplementation (32 g) with whey protein, essential amino acids and vitamin D concurrent with regular, controlled physical activity would increase muscle mass (assessed by DXA), strength (assessed by handgrip dynamometer), physical functional (assessed by ADL), quality of life (assessed by SF-36), and decrease the risk of malnutrition (assessed by MNA and IGF-I) and inflammation (assessed by C-reactive protein) in sarcopenic elderly.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Eligible patients were aged 65 years or older with appendicular skeletal muscle mass/height2 2SD below mean of young adults (Baumgartner R, 1998), so with relative muscle mass < 7.26 kg/m2 for men and < 5.5 kg/m2 for women.
• Patients were not affected by acute illness, severe liver, heart or kidney dysfunction, and had a body weight which had been stable for 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects with altered glycometabolic control, disthyroidism and other endocrinopathies and cancers, as well as patients treated with steroids and heparin, or with total walking incapacity were excluded.