Threonine Requirement in Adults >60 Years of Age

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

threonine: There are 7 different threonine test levels ranging from 5 to 45 mg of threonine per kilogram body weight per day.

Study summary

Threonine is an essential amino acid and must be obtained from the diet. The body's capacity to maintain adequate mucin synthesis is directly related to the bioavailability of certain amino acids, including threonine, serine and proline (1). Moreover, the rate of mucin synthesis has been demonstrated to be directly related to the availability of dietary threonine in healthy rats (2) and piglets (3,4). Intestinal inflammation is known to increase gastrointestinal threonine uptake and mucin synthesis in enterally fed minipigs (5). Additionally, in animals, mucin function/barrier has been shown to decline with age, leaving them more susceptible to bacterial penetration. Thus, with advancing age (6), a higher dietary supply of threonine may be needed for maintaining intestinal mucosal health. Despite this, the current threonine requirement is based on studies conducted exclusively in young adults. Thus, there is a need to determine the threonine requirement directly in older adults.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Determination of threonine requirements in adults >60 years of age — up to 24 months
  To measure the threonine requirement investigators will collect breath samples from participants. From these samples, investigators will measure the amount of amino acids oxidized and how much is retained in the body when graded intakes of threonine are consumed by the participants consuming a controlled diet.

Trial sites (1)

More The Hospital for Sick Children trials in Canada

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