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Influence of Reduced Daily Step Count and Anabolic Interventions on Muscle Protein Metabolism in Older Persons

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McMaster University

Status

Completed

Conditions

Older Adults
Reduced Physical Activity
Muscle Protein Synthetic Response to Protein

Treatments

Other: step-reduction
Other: step-reduction plus resistance exercise

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

Details and patient eligibility

About

As the loss of muscle mass with aging is associated with a dysregulation of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) that is generally characterized by an 'anabolic resistance' to nutrients, the primary outcome of the trial is to investigate the effect of a mixed macronutrient beverage on post-prandial myofibrillar MPS. However, the 'anabolic resistance' of aging may be predominantly influenced by the contractile activity of skeletal muscle; for example, the investigators have demonstrated that 2 weeks of reduced habitual activity (i.e. daily step count) induces anabolic resistance in otherwise healthy older adults. In contrast, resistance exercise is well-known to enhance muscle mass and can increase the sensitivity of skeletal muscle to dietary amino acids. Therefore, all participants will undergo a 2-week reduced step count intervention combined with a unilateral leg resistance exercise protocol to induce an 'unhealthy' or 'anabolically resistant' leg and a relatively 'healthy' or 'anabolically sensitive' leg, respectively; this within subject model will be utilized to investigate the effect of the mixed macronutrient beverage in both relatively 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' older muscle. The investigators will also measure changes in muscle mass, muscle function, and cardiovascular health of both legs before and after the 2-week intervention to determine the effect of reduced activity and the protective effect of minimal, low-intensity exercise on these outcomes.

Enrollment

30 patients

Sex

Male

Ages

65 to 80 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • Non-smoker

Exclusion criteria

  • Health problems such as: heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, poor lung function, uncontrolled hypertension, or any health conditions that might put the participant at risk for this study
  • Failed clearance for exercise participation by the participants family physician/medical doctor
  • Failed an exercise strength test.
  • Regular consumption of any analgesic or anti-inflammatory drug(s), prescription or non-prescription, chronically will be excluded.
  • Taking any medications known to affect protein metabolism (i.e. corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or prescription strength acne medications).
  • Factors that may exclude a participant from an MRI scan (i.e. various implants, metal in the eyes etc)
  • Participants who complete fewer than 5000 steps per day (as assessed by pedometer prior to the study).

Trial design

Primary purpose

Prevention

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Quadruple Blind

30 participants in 3 patient groups

Isolated Whey Protein
Active Comparator group
Description:
20 g isolated whey protein + 15 g non-essential amino acids
Treatment:
Other: step-reduction
Other: step-reduction plus resistance exercise
Micellar Whey Protein
Experimental group
Description:
20 g micellar whey protein + 15 g non-essential amino acids
Treatment:
Other: step-reduction
Other: step-reduction plus resistance exercise
Micellar Whey Protein + Citrulline
Experimental group
Description:
20 g micellar whey protein + 5 g citrulline
Treatment:
Other: step-reduction
Other: step-reduction plus resistance exercise

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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