METHOD OF IMPROVING THE MUSCLE QUALITY OF OBESE AND/OR SARCOPENIC MAMMALS USING PHYTOECDYSONES
Phytoecdysones for use in improving muscle quality in obese and/or sarcopenic mammals, preferably, obese mammals subjected to a low-calorie diet. The phytoecdysones are advantageously incorporated into a food composition. The phytoecdysones can be derived from plants, such as quinoa.
1 . A method of improving or maintaining muscle strength in at least one of the following: an obese mammal or a sarcopenic mammal, comprising the step of administering phytoecdysones to said mammal.
2 . A method of reducing fat content or increasing protein content of muscle, comprising the step of administering phytoecdysones to a mammal suffering from obesity or sarcopenic obesity.
3 . The method of maintaining muscle strength according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of administering phytoecdysones to the mammal while said mammal is subjected to a weight-loss low-calorie diet.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the phytoecdysones administered consist of 20-hydroxyecdysone.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the phytoecdysones being administered are provided in the form of a plant extract enriched with one or more phytoecdysones.
6 . The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the extract comprises at least 1% by weight of phytoecdysones.
7 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the plant extract is derived from quinoa.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the phytoecdysones are incorporated in a composition suitable for oral administration.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the phytoecdysones are administered to the mammal at a concentration of 40 mg of phytoecdysones per kg of food.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the phytoecdysones are administered to the mammal at a dose of 5 mg of phytoecdysones per kg of body weight per day.
11 . A method of one or more of the following:
improving or maintaining muscle strength in a mammal;
reducing fat content or increasing protein content of muscle in a mammal; or
maintaining muscle strength in a mammal during subjection of said mammal to a weight-loss low-calorie diet; and
wherein said method comprises the step of administering phytoecdysones to said mammal suffering from sarcopenia, obesity, or sarcopenic obesity.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of evaluating treatment progress by one or more of the following: measuring said mammal's lean body mass; measuring muscle triglyceride content; measuring muscle protein content; measuring gene transcript quantities in a muscle; measuring the energy balance of said mammal in terms of energy expended versus caloric intake; and measuring muscle strength using a grip test.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the measurement of said mammal's lean body mass is performed on said mammal's defatted carcass.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said mammal's lean body mass is measured in a DXA scan analysis of body composition.