Investigating the Role of Resistance Exercise Frequency in the Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Mass (EXFREQ)

University of Birmingham

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Activity

Treatments: Behavioral: High Frequency Condition; Behavioral: Low Frequency Condition

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03275779

ERN_17-0997

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will investigate whether manipulating resistance exercise frequency impacts muscle protein synthesis rates. The investigators will test the hypothesise that a higher resistance exercise frequency will result in greater muscle protein synthesis rates than a lower resistance exercise frequency.

Full description

Resistance exercise is currently the most effective means of building or maintaining muscle mass. Resistance exercise guidelines generally suggest that those looking to increase muscle mass should train each muscle group once to twice per week. However, it has been proposed that it may be of greater benefit to train a muscle group with a higher frequency (i.e., four to six times per week) than currently suggested. If true, completing the same total volume of resistance exercise in more frequent, smaller bouts could prove to be a more beneficial strategy to optimally build or maintain muscle mass.

Therefore, this study will investigate whether manipulating resistance exercise frequency impacts cumulative muscle protein synthesis rates in young individuals. Participants will undergo a 7 day period of habitual activity before completing the same total volume of resistance exercise as either; i) one isolated bout (low frequency) or ii) five smaller bouts (high frequency) over a period of 7 days.

Enrollment: 9 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Body mass index (18.5-29.99 kg/m2)
• Untrained - defined as: Perform activities of daily living and recreation but have completed no regular lower body resistance-type exercise (e.g., weight training) activity in the last year.
• Good general health

Exclusion criteria

• Lidocaine allergy
• Hypertension (≥140/90 mmHg)
• Current participation in another clinical study
• Previous participation in this study
• Bleeding disorder/s
• Current or recent smoker
• Vegetarian or vegan
• Past history of substance abuse and/or taking prescription or non-prescription medication (e.g., beta-blockers, insulin or thyroxine) or supplements that may influence normal metabolic responses.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

9 participants in 2 patient groups

Low Frequency Condition

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete 7 days of habitual physical activity followed by a 7 day period where participants complete a single bout of unilateral resistance exercise.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Low Frequency Condition

High Frequency Condition

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete 7 days of habitual physical activity followed by a 7 day period where participants complete the same total volume of resistance exercise as the low frequency condition as five smaller bouts of unilateral resistance exercise.

Treatment:

Behavioral: High Frequency Condition