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The effects of dietary licorice flavonoid oil supplementation on body balance control in healthy middle-aged and older Japanese women undergoing a physical exercise intervention: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

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Abstract

Aims

In this study, the effects of licorice flavonoid oil (LFO) supplementation on mobility functions were evaluated in middle-aged and older women who underwent daily physical exercise.

Methods

The 73 women aged 59–85 years (71.2 ± 5.2 years) were randomly assigned to the LFO group (n = 37) or the placebo group (n = 36). For 16 weeks, the LFO group consumed a daily capsule containing 300 mg of LFO, while the placebo group consumed a placebo capsule. All participants were instructed to complete a strength training program during the 16 weeks and to increase their daily step count by 1000. 10-m walking speed (with/no obstruction), one-leg standing time with eyes open, handgrip strength, isometric knee extension strength, and body composition were evaluated at baseline and every eight weeks.

Results

In the 10-m walking speeds (with/no obstruction), LFO supplementation did not show significant improvements. One-leg standing time was significantly prolonged with LFO intake (LFO: baseline 73.9 s vs 16 weeks 93.5, placebo: baseline 82.8 vs 16 weeks 87.1, p = 0.03). In addition, a significant decrease in BMI and body fat percentage with LFO was found (p = 0.01, p = 0.03, respectively).

Discussion

Since a lower BMI corresponds to a lighter physical load on the lower limb, in addition, since LFO might improve skeletal muscle function by antioxidant activity, participants could stand longer and body balance control was improved.

Conclusion

LFO supplementation improved body balance control and may contribute to fall prevention in healthy middle-aged and older women having daily physical exercise.

Trial Registration

UMIN Clinical Trial Registry No. 000029712.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the participants and staff of the health and welfare department in Iyo city.

Funding

This study was supported by funding from the Kaneka Corporation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Special Course of Food and Health Science, Department of Bioscience Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan

    Tetsu Kinoshita & Koutatsu Maruyama

  2. Institute of Community Life Sciences Co., Ltd, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan

    Tetsu Kinoshita

  3. Faculty of Collaborative Regional Innovation, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan

    Naofumi Yamamoto

  4. Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan

    Isao Saito

Authors
  1. Tetsu Kinoshita
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  2. Koutatsu Maruyama
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  3. Naofumi Yamamoto
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  4. Isao Saito
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Contributions

TK, KM, IS: Conceived and designed this study. NY: Completed physical exercise program. TK: Acquired data. KM, IS: Analyzed data. IS: supervised this study. TK: Wrote the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tetsu Kinoshita.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Tetsu Kinoshita (first author) is head of the Institute of Community Life Sciences Co., Ltd. This study received financial support from the Kaneka Corporation (Osaka, Japan) based on the contract agreement between Kaneka and the Institute of Community Life Sciences. Kaneka had no contribution to data analysis and interpretation. The other authors have no personal or financial conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Ehime University Hospital (authorization number: 1408029) and registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Center in Japan (UMIN number: 000029712). Written informed consent was obtained from the participants.

Statement of human and animal rights

All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the Japanese ethical guidelines for medical and health research involving human subjects.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was obtained from the participants.

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Kinoshita, T., Maruyama, K., Yamamoto, N. et al. The effects of dietary licorice flavonoid oil supplementation on body balance control in healthy middle-aged and older Japanese women undergoing a physical exercise intervention: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Aging Clin Exp Res 33, 3099–3108 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-020-01513-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-020-01513-3

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