DIETARY MILK FAT GLOBULE MEMBRANE WITH SEMIWEEKLY LIGHT EXERCISE IMPROVES CHOICE STEPPING REACTION TIME IN HEALTHY JAPANESE ELDERLY SUBJECTS: A RANDOMIZED DOUBLE BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

This study aimed to demonstrate the beneficial effects of nutritional supplementation with milk fat globule membrane combined with light exercise on agility, which predicts falls in the elderly. Twenty-five healthy volunteers (aged 60-74 years old; male/female = 11/14) were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study. The subjects ingested placebo or milk fat globule membrane (1 g/day) tablets daily for 5 weeks and engaged in a 30-min light exercise program semiweekly. After 5 weeks, agility was evaluated using the choice stepping reaction time. The milk fat globule membrane group had significantly shorter motion start and reaction times compared to the placebo group. The reduction in motion start and reaction times was significantly greater in the milk fat globule membrane compared to the placebo group. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that dietary milk fat globule membrane supplementation improves choice stepping reaction time and agility in the healthy elderly population.