Does extra protein protect aging muscle during fasting?
News-Medical reports on a small, four-week randomized controlled trial in Nutrients involving 61 older men (aged 60-89 years) on alternate-day fasting. Body mass fell by approximately 2.2 kg, including 0.9 kg lean mass. Body mass-scaled protein or leucine supplements did not prevent lean mass loss versus a calorie-matched control. Without a non-fasting group, the study cannot attribute changes to fasting. The authors propose pairing nutrition with resistance training.
Why it matters: Relevant to relatively healthy older men considering fasting-based weight loss, and to clinicians who refer them for medical weight loss or rehabilitation care.
A summary of another publisher's reporting, written with AI and checked automatically against the story. The reporting belongs to news-medical.net. October 8, 2026.