Oral Multienzyme Supplementation Alters Postprandial Plasma Nutrient Concentrations after a Mixed Meal in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial.

BACKGROUND

Age-related decline in digestive function increases malnutrition risk. Supplementing meals with digestive enzymes may improve macronutrient digestion and bioavailability in adults reaching older ages.

OBJECTIVES

To assess postprandial plasma nutrient concentrations after co-ingestion of a mixed meal and a mixture of 6 enzyme preparations (ENZ), including proteases, lipase, amylase, and glucoamylase.

METHODS

Thirty middle-aged and older adults (56 ± 11 y; 18 females, 12 males) ingested chicken, peas, potatoes, and butter (435 kcal; 34 g protein, 51 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat) with either ENZ or placebo (PLA) in a randomized crossover fashion. Blood samples were collected at baseline and throughout a 0-5 h postprandial period for measurement of plasma amino acid, insulin, glucose, and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. Clustering of postprandial amino acid responses was conducted in MFuzz, and logistic regression for response groups was conducted in JMP 18.2.0 (JMP Statistical Discovery LLC).

RESULTS

Plasma amino acid concentrations were not statistically different between treatments (PLA compared with ENZ) over the postprandial period (all P > 0.05). Leucine time to maximum concentration was significantly faster (P = 0.047) with ENZ (121.2 ± 55.9 min) compared with PLA (141.0 ± 49.2 min). Postprandial plasma glucose concentrations (P = 0.04) and total NEFA (P = 0.001) were higher with ENZ compared with PLA. Three distinct response patterns (clusters) were detected within and across all postprandial amino acid categories. Differences in habitual macronutrient intake and interactions between sex, lean mass, and BMI distinguished participants with an earlier time to maximum postprandial leucine concentration when consuming ENZ compared with PLA from those with stable responses.

CONCLUSIONS

Multienzyme supplementation improved macronutrient digestion of a mixed meal in middle-aged and older adults. For plasma amino acids, this benefit was most pronounced in adults with lower BMI and higher lean mass, and the effect was sex-dependent. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05211440.