Resveratrol and exercise combined to treat functional limitations in late life: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Sara A Harper; John R Bassler; Sujitha Peramsetty; Youfeng Yang; Lisa M Roberts; Devin Drummer; Robert T Mankowski; Christiaan Leeuwenburgh; Karina Ricart; Rakesh P Patel; Marcas M Bamman; Stephen D Anton; Byron C Jaeger; Thomas W Buford

doi:10.1016/j.exger.2020.111111

Resveratrol and exercise combined to treat functional limitations in late life: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Exp Gerontol. 2021 Jan:143:111111. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.111111. Epub 2020 Oct 15.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Center for Exercise Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Kinesiology and Health Science Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA; Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA. Electronic address: sara.harper@usu.edu.
² Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: jbassle1@uab.edu.
³ Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Integrative Center for Aging Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: gperam@uab.edu.
⁴ Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Integrative Center for Aging Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: youfengyang@uabmc.edu.
⁵ Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Center for Exercise Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Integrative Center for Aging Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: lmroberts@uabmc.edu.
⁶ Center for Exercise Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: drummerd@uab.edu.
⁷ Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Electronic address: r.mankowski@uflu.edu.
⁸ Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Electronic address: cleeuwen@flu.edu.
⁹ Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: karinaricart@uabmc.edu.
¹⁰ Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: rakeshpatel@uabmc.edu.
¹¹ Center for Exercise Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: mbamman@uab.edu.
¹² Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Electronic address: santon@ufl.edu.
¹³ Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: bcjaeger@uab.edu.
¹⁴ Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Center for Exercise Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Integrative Center for Aging Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; UAB Nathan Shock Center on the Basic Biology of Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. Electronic address: twbuford@uabmc.edu.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and feasibility of combining exercise (EX) and resveratrol to treat older adults with physical function limitations.

Methods: Three-arm, two-site pilot randomized, controlled trial (RCT) for community-dwelling adults (N = 60), 71.8 ± 6.3 years of age with functional limitations. Participants were randomized to receive either 12 weeks of (1) EX + placebo [EX0], (2) EX + 500 mg/day resveratrol [EX500], or (3) EX + 1000 mg/day resveratrol [EX1000]. EX consisted of two sessions a week for 12 weeks of center-based walking and whole-body resistance training. Safety was assessed through adverse events and feasibility through exercise session and supplement (placebo, or resveratrol) protocol adherence. Outcome measures included a battery of indices of physical function as well as skeletal muscle mitchondrial function. Data were adjusted for age and gender using the Intent-To-Treat approach.

Results: Adverse event frequency and type were similar between groups (n = 8 EX0, n = 12 EX500, and n = 7 EX1000). Overall, 85% of participants met the supplement adherence via pill counts while 82% met the exercise session adherence. Adjusted within group mean differences (95% confidence interval) from week 0 to 12 for gait speed ranged from -0.04 (EX0: -0.1, 0.03) m/s to 0.04 (EX1000: -0.02, 0.11) and the six-minute walk test mean differences were 9.45 (EX0: -9.02, 27.7), 22.9 (EX500: 4.18, 41.6), and 33.1 (EX1000: 13.8, 52.4) meters. Unadjusted mean differences for citrate synthase were -0.80 (EX0: -15.45, 13.84), -1.38 (EX500: -12.16, 9.39), and 7.75 (EX1000: -4.68, 20.18) mU/mg. COX activity mean within group changes ranged from -0.05 (EX0) to 0.06 (EX500) k/s/mg. Additional outcomes are detailed in the text.

Conclusion: The pilot RCT indicated that combined EX + resveratrol was safe and feasible for older adults with functional limitations and may improve skeletal muscle mitochondrial function and mobility-related indices of physical function. A larger trial appears warranted and is needed to formally test these hypotheses.

Keywords: Aging; Clinical trial; Exercise; Functional status; Mitochondria.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Exercise Therapy
Exercise*
Humans
Pilot Projects
Resveratrol
Walking*

Substances

Resveratrol

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding