FAITH dietary supplements trial needs Baby Boomer participants

This is the question healthy ageing researchers in Sydney are hoping to answer in a new study.

Healthy ageing and microbiome researchers are seeking more than 150 Sydney-based older adults, aged 60-70 years, for a trial testing whether taking dietary supplements can help improve frailty and inflammation.

The Frailty, Ageing and Inflammation Trial for Health (FAITH) is being led by researchers from the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute, the School of Population Health at UNSW Sydney, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and the Microbiome Research Centre (MRC), St George & Sutherland Clinical School.

It is also being funded by a seed grant from the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute.

Like many countries, Australia has an ageing population and the number and proportion of older Australians is only expected to continue to grow. By 2057, it is projected there will be 8.8 million older people in Australia, representing 22 per cent of the population.

The reports Poor Diet (2019) and Nutrition Across The Life Stage (2018) published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) confirmed that older Australians are not meeting Australian Dietary Guidelines.

Data from various health surveys over the last 10 years have demonstrated that on average Australian older adults over the age of 70 do not meet the recommended daily serves of four out of five food groups and may be missing key nutrients.

Meeting dietary guidelines can become more challenging with ageing and in particular lower fruit, vegetable and fibre intakes are observed, which leads to a reduction in the production of beneficial short chain fatty acids.

Short chain fatty acids are important in influencing the microbiome. In the absence of these fatty acids, the body is unable to dampen down inflammation, which may promote the onset of age-related illnesses.

"Diet plays a fundamental role in shaping the gut microbiome, and diet and nutritional status are among the most important, modifiable determinants of human health. It is exciting that we are starting to understand the links between brain, body and gut health," chief investigator Dr Adrienne Withall said.

The FAITH study will provide valuable information about whether key nutrients can improve low grade inflammation and affect the microbiome in older Australian adults.

The hypothesis underlying this research has come from over 18 years of clinical experience from dietitian Milena Katz.

This research is the focus of Ms Katz's PhD and she approached a major Australian supplement provider to see if they would donate the products to test her theory.

"They liked our proposed trial and agreed to donate their supplements. Now we need people to get involved," Ms Katz said.

"Importantly, this information will help to inform medical dietary therapy to help older people to age well."

Participation in the FAITH trial involves a biological sample collection at the start and end of the trial, completing surveys and taking nutritional supplements for four months.

All participants enrolled in the study receive a four months' supply of dietary supplements, regular monitoring and dietary advice. The participants allocated into the control group will receive the intervention supplements after the trial is completed.