Combining vitamin E-functionalized CHOcolate with physical exercise to reduce the risK Of protein energy malnutrition in pre-dementia AGEd people. CHOKO-AGE

The Choko-agE  granted project consists in the development of a vitamin E-functionalized chocolate rich in polyphenols to be studied during a randomized clinical trial in combination with physical exercise to prevent protein-energy malnutrition in a defined population of elderly patients affected by cognitive decline. More in detail, in our project we hypothesize that the antioxidant and cytoprotective functions of vitamin E, may combine with the cortisol lowering effect of chocolate polyphenols and physical exercise, to help preventing muscle loss (primary end-point in the study) in these elderly patients. Besides to muscle mass, a multiomics approach will be implemented to explore underlying biological and molecular pathways beyond clinical manifestations of protein-energy malnutrition and the response to the proposed intervention, including skeletal muscle mitochondrial function and nutrient metabolism, insulin and cortisol signaling, and enzymatic and free radical-derived metabolites of vitamin E that will be explored for the first time in the human muscle.