Therapeutic Nutrition Drink Treats Age-Related Muscle Wasting

A U.S. study testing the impact of a dietary supplement beverage (Juven) on 29 healthy adults over age 65 found that participants who drank the supplement twice a day had significant increases in lean body mass. Those who drank a placebo beverage did not have any change in muscle mass. Juven, manufactured by Abbott Nutrition, contains three amino acids required for cell growth and repair. The amino acid arginine also increases production of growth hormone and, in turn, a growth factor called IGF-1. Participants who took Juven had increased blood concentrations of IGF-1. Previous studies have shown that Juven successfully treats muscle-wasting in patients with cancer and AIDS.