title: Fasting plasma amino acids in elderly men.
abstract: The fasting amino acid profile in 22 healthy young men aged 25-35 y (group A) was compared with the fasting profile in 21 healthy independent men aged 65-85 y (group B), in 23 orally-fed nursing home men with dementia aged 65-92 y (group C), and in 17 tube-fed nursing home men with dementia aged 65-88 y (group D). Groups B, C, and D had significantly (p less than 0.05) lower levels of methionine and branched-chain amino acids than group A. Methionine was significantly lower in groups C and D than in group B. The ratio of essential to nonessential amino acids was significantly lower in groups B, C, and D than in group A. The data suggest that the intake of essential amino acids may often be suboptimal in both independent and institutionalized elderly men.
authors.affiliation: Medical Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, North Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rudman
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Mattson
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Feller
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005215:Fasting; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009752:Nutritional Status
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids