Essential Blends, LLC — Department of Health and Human Services STTR Phase II: NIA

Description

Project Summary Abstract We have developed a nutritional formulation of amino acids called UpBeat that is designed to promote physical function and quality of life in older individuals with heart failureReduced exercise capacity is a prominent clinical feature of heart failureThis leads to progressive muscle weakness and a vicious cycle of sedentary behaviorweight gainand subsequent development of metabolic abnormalities and sarcopeniaThe impairment of physical function limits the health related quality of lifeBecause of the limited capacity for exercise in most individuals with heart failure and the failure of drug therapy to completely resolve the symptomsa wide variety of nutritional products have been marketed for therapy for heart failureThe data supporting the value of nutritional supplements for heart failure currently on the market either do not exist or are equivocalUpBeat differs from most nutritional products for heart failure because it targets skeletal muscle functionand its value is supported by strong preliminary dataIt is the goal of the current proposal to perform a randomized clinical trialRCTto test the ability of UpBeat to improve physical function and quality of life in older individuals with heart failureThe Specific Aims of this Phase II project are as followsSpecific AimWe propose thatweeks of regular consumption of UpBeat will improve physical function in individuals with heart failureSpecific AimWe propose that regular consumption of UpBeat will improve health related quality of lifeSpecific AimWe propose that regular consumption of UpBeat will lower the fasting concentrations of blood glucose and insulinas well as triglycerides and low density lipidsPositive results of this randomized clinical trial will provide evidence of the benefits of UpBeat for therapy of heart failureIn a more general sensepositive results will substantiate the benefits of targeting skeletal muscle function as a means to improve physical function and quality of life in heart failure