Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Tebet Regional General Hospital, South Jakarta, Indonesia
2
Universitas Bhayangkara Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
10.30476/ijns.2026.108108.1543
Abstract
Sarcopenia, the age-associated decline in skeletal muscle mass and function can be a significant risk in elderly patients by increasing their vulnerability to complications, prolonging hospital stays, and impairing the recovery. Whey protein, due to its rich leucine content and rapid digestibility, has emerged as a promising intervention to counteract muscle wasting in this population. This review synthesized findings from 25 eligible studies published between 2015 and 2025, selected through a rigorous PRISMA-guided search across four major databases of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest. Included studies encompassed randomized controlled trials, cohort analyses, systematic reviews, and narrative syntheses, with participants aged 60 years and older who experienced critical illness in ICU or postacute settings. The results consistently demonstrated that whey protein supplementation, either alone or as part of multimodal nutritional strategies could contribute to improvements in muscle mass, strength, physical function, and nitrogen balance. Early initiation of whey-based nutrition was particularly beneficial when combined with rehabilitation protocols. However, considerable heterogeneity was observed across studies in terms of protein formulation, dosage, intervention duration, and sarcopenia assessment methods. Despite these variations, the overall evidence supports the clinical utility of whey protein in attenuating sarcopenia progression in critically ill older adults. Further standardized and multicenter trials are warranted to optimize protein dosing, timing, and delivery strategies tailored to this vulnerable population.
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