▁younger ▁people ▁and ▁may ▁require ▁higher ▁amounts ▁to ▁prevent ▁mus cle ▁at ro phy . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁expert ▁groups ▁have ▁proposed ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁di et ary ▁protein ▁recommend ations ▁for ▁older ▁age ▁groups ▁to ▁ 1 . 0 - 1 . 2 ▁g / kg ▁body ▁weight ▁per ▁day . ▁Ens uring ▁ade qu ate ▁nut r ition ▁in ▁older ▁adult s ▁is ▁of ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁prevent ion ▁of ▁s arc open ia ▁and ▁fra ilty , ▁since ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁simple , ▁low - cost ▁treatment ▁approach ▁without ▁major ▁side ▁effects . ▁ ▁Supp lement s ▁A ▁component ▁of ▁s arc open ia ▁is ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁ability ▁for ▁ag ing ▁ske let al ▁mus cle ▁to ▁respond ▁to ▁an abol ic ▁stim uli ▁such ▁as ▁am ino ▁ac ids , ▁especially ▁at ▁lower ▁concentr ations . ▁However , ▁ag ing ▁mus cle ▁retain s ▁the ▁ability ▁of ▁an ▁an abol ic ▁response ▁to ▁protein ▁or ▁am ino ▁ac ids ▁at ▁larger ▁dos es . ▁Supp lement ation ▁with ▁larger ▁dos es ▁of ▁am ino ▁ac ids , ▁particularly ▁le uc ine ▁has ▁been ▁reported ▁to ▁counter act ▁mus cle ▁loss ▁with ▁ag ing . ▁Ex erc ise ▁may ▁work ▁syn erg ist ically ▁with ▁am ino ▁acid ▁supp lement ation . ▁▁ β - h ydro xy ▁ β - m eth yl but yr ate ▁( H MB ) ▁is ▁a ▁met abol ite ▁of ▁le uc ine ▁that ▁acts ▁as ▁a ▁sign alling ▁mole c ule