Physical Exercise and Nutritional Supplements to Enhance Physical and Cognitive Health, Study Suggests

Feb, 2021 - By WMR

According to a new study led by the researchers of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have suggested that exercise and nutrient beverage enhances physical and cognitive health in individuals. In the study, researchers involved 148 active-duty Air Force airmen and evaluated the effects of a 12-week exercise regimen. Out of 148 participants, 50% of them received a twice-daily nutrient beverage including the omega-3 fatty acid, protein, phospholipids, vitamin D, DHA, lutein, Vitamin B complex, and other micronutrients, along with a muscle-promoting compound ‘HMB’. Researchers observed improvement in physical and cognitive function in both the groups, however group with additional nutrients beverage performed better than the other group.

Researchers explained that study participants were assigned into two groups randomly and instructed to undergo exercise regimen that included high-intensity interval aerobic fitness challenges and combined strength training. Moreover, one group received the nutritional beverage and the other group were provided with a placebo beverage devoid of additional nutrients.

Aron Barbey from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign stated, “The exercise intervention alone improved strength and endurance, mobility and stability, and participants also saw increases in several measures of cognitive function. They had better episodic memory and processed information more efficiently at the end of the 12 weeks. Those who also consumed the nutritional supplement saw all of these improvements and more”.

In addition, researchers informed that exercise regimen reduced participants' fat percentage in the body and augmented their oxygen-uptake efficiency and also performed better, in comparison to initial phase of the study. Moreover, study participants with nutritional beverage exhibited improvements in their ability to retain and process information, in comparison to participants who received placebo.