Study of Dietary and Exercise Interventions to Improve Muscle Mass and Function in Adults With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction

What this Trial Is About

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction HFrEF often leads to loss of muscle mass and sarcopenia, which can reduce exercise ability, quality of life, and increase mortality risk. Despite new drug treatments, there are few proven non-drug approaches to prevent muscle loss. This trial aims to study how a high-protein DASH diet, resistance exercise, and their combination affect muscle mass, heart function, lab markers, and quality of life in people with HFrEF. Participants are randomly assigned to one of four groups standard medical care, resistance exercise training using elastic bands guided by a rehabilitation specialist, a personalized 14-day DASH diet meal plan with high protein, or a combination of both diet and exercise. These interventions are designed to be followed over a 6-month period. During the study, participants will have their skeletal muscle mass measured at the start and after 6 months. Researchers will also monitor exercise ability, quality of life, heart ultrasound parameters, and laboratory tests. This study focuses on how these combined lifestyle changes might improve health outcomes in HFrEF patients over the six-month duration.

Dietary Intervention and Physical Activity in Patients With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction