The formulation contained vitamins, minerals and other nutrients “which can be summarized in tonic-energizing, immune-modulating and antioxidant,” wrote researchers from Pharmanutra Spa, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and other institutions in Italy.
Participants took a double dose of the supplement for a week, followed by a single dose for the following four weeks.
“Looking at the time-course of the effects of supplementation, it is remarkable the improvement of the mental component at the end of the first week,” the researchers noted in Nutrición Hospitalaria.
“This indicates that the initial improvement in mental well-being of the individuals is tangible and is the first benefit appreciated; the physical component gradually improves although less rapidly than the mental one.”
Targeting fatigue in later life
Studies suggest that over 20% of adults worldwide may experience general fatigue, and over 10% may have chronic fatigue lasting more than six months.
Symptoms of fatigue include tiredness, weakness and difficulty concentrating. Fatigue can be a normal physiological response to stress or activity that resolves after rest. However, if symptoms persist after rest, chronic fatigue can be a medical issue that impairs quality of life.
Older adults may be at risk of fatigue for several reasons. These include lifestyle factors, chronic conditions such as heart disease and arthritis, side effects from drugs and emotional exhaustion.
Making changes such as exercising, eating a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol can help to address fatigue symptoms.
In addition, food supplements have been well documented in improving fatigue, quality of life and exercise capacity.
Study details
The recent study, funded by Pharmanutra Spa, involved 458 individuals aged 50 and over who experience fatigue that doctors attributed to old age or chronic conditions such as obesity, depression or arthritis.
Participants consumed Pharmanutra Spa’s ApportAL supplement for 35 days, with a dosage of two daily sachets for the first week and one thereafter. The researchers stated that the purpose of this was see if the higher initial dose could provide rapid benefits.
The supplement formula contains 19 nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin D, sucrosomial forms of minerals, amino acids, plant extracts such as Panax ginseng and Eleutherococcus senticosus, and antioxidants.
The researchers evaluated fatigue and quality of life using questionnaires at days one, seven and 35.
They reported an improvement of “46% of the worst fatigue experienced and of 47.5% in the interference score.”
Both physical and mental components of quality of life improved, with benefits observed as early as the first week and continuing to increase throughout the study. There were self-reported mild adverse effects of 10.3% after the first week, decreasing to 8.5% at day 35.
Acknowledging the study’s limitations, including the lack of placebo and anthropometric data and reliance on self-reporting, the researchers noted that a two-arm randomized controlled trial would better evaluate the outcomes.
Source: Nutrición Hospitalaria 06137. doi: 10.20960/nh.06137. “Efficacy and safety of a nutritional supplement based onvitamins, minerals, amino acids and plant extracts on a large population of older adults experiencing fatigue”. Authors: S. Giovannini, et al.
