Exercise Impact on Muscle Health in Aging

Overseen By Karen Wiedenfeld Needham, BS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Oregon

Must not be taking: Anabolic steroids

Disqualifiers: Dementia, Hypertension, Diabetes, Heart disease, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

24 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you have untreated or poorly-controlled health conditions like hypertension or endocrine diseases, you may not be eligible to participate.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Fatiguing Exercise for improving muscle health in aging?

Research suggests that maintaining physical activity can help reduce the deterioration of muscle function in older adults. Studies show that elderly individuals who engage in regular physical activity experience less decline in muscle strength and endurance compared to those who are sedentary, indicating that exercise can be beneficial for muscle health as we age. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is exercise safe for improving muscle health in aging?

Exercise, including resistance training, is generally safe for improving muscle health in aging adults. It can enhance muscle strength and function, and it is a non-drug method that helps counteract age-related muscle decline without significant safety concerns. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does exercise impact muscle health in aging compared to other treatments?

Exercise, particularly progressive resistance training, is unique because it naturally enhances muscle strength and mass in aging individuals without the need for medication. Unlike other treatments that may focus on symptoms, exercise directly addresses the underlying decline in muscle function and can prevent or reverse age-related muscle loss. ^{1 8 11 12 13}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial is studying how certain proteins in muscles change with age, which might cause muscles to weaken and shrink. The goal is to help older adults who have trouble moving around by finding new ways to keep their muscles strong.

Research Team

Damien M Callahan, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

University of Oregon

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy adults who feel they are aging well, aged 18-35 or 65-80, willing to undergo muscle biopsies and exercise tests. They must speak English fluently. It's not suitable for those with severe joint issues, mental health risks like dementia, untreated endocrine diseases, allergies to lidocaine, serious uncontrolled hypertension, blood clotting disorders, major organ disease, diabetes, recent steroid use or cancer treatments (except certain skin cancers), significant weight loss recently, smoking within a year or current substance abuse.

Inclusion Criteria

Fluent in English (due to lack of translation services, it is not practical to conduct the study using a language other than English)

Willing to participate in all aspects of the study design including muscle biopsy, unilateral exercise, and physical activity monitoring

I am either 18-35 or 65-80 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

I have an untreated hormone-related condition.

You have a problem with drinking alcohol or using drugs, or you drink more than the recommended amount.

I have lost more than 5kg unexpectedly in the last year.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Volunteers perform one-legged knee extension exercise until fatigue and undergo bilateral skeletal muscle biopsies

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Analysis

Muscle tissue is analyzed for phosphorylation of myosin binding protein c (MyBP-C) using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry

1 week

Follow-up

Ex vivo assessments of muscle fiber Force, Tension, Velocity, and Power are performed on biopsied muscle fibers

3 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Fatiguing Exercise

Trial Overview The study focuses on how proteins in skeletal muscles change due to fatiguing exercises in the context of aging. The goal is to understand the link between these protein changes and muscle atrophy that comes with getting older.

Participant Groups

Group I: Fatigue Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Volunteers will perform one-legged knee extension exercise until fatigue while seated on an ergometer. Volunteers will then undergo bilateral skeletal muscle biopsies of the vastus lateralis muscle in their thigh.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Oregon

Lead Sponsor

Trials

91

Recruited

46,700+

Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

20+

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Collaborator

Trials

2,896

Recruited

8,053,000+

Oregon Health and Science University

Collaborator

Trials

1,024

Recruited

7,420,000+

Washington State University

Collaborator

Trials

114

Recruited

58,800+

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Collaborator

Trials

1,841

Recruited

28,150,000+

Findings from Research

Resistance training (RT) is the only non-drug method proven to effectively counteract age-related declines in muscle mass, strength, and power, while also reducing risks of various health issues like cardiovascular disease and depression.

Minimal-dose RT strategies, which involve lower training volumes and can be performed with minimal equipment, are effective in improving strength and functional ability, making it easier for more people to participate and potentially enhancing overall health outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Minimal-Dose Resistance Training for Improving Muscle Mass, Strength, and Function: A Narrative Review of Current Evidence and Practical Considerations. Fyfe, JJ., Hamilton, DL., Daly, RM.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Muscle atrophy and weakness with aging: contraction-induced injury as an underlying mechanism. [2019]

2. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Deterioration of contractile properties of muscle fibres in elderly subjects is modulated by the level of physical activity. [2022]

3. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Aging and muscle function. [2018]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can continuous physical training counteract aging effect on myoelectric fatigue? A surface electromyography study application. [2016]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Differences in muscle endurance and recovery between fallers and nonfallers, and between young and older women. [2019]

6. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Minimal-Dose Resistance Training for Improving Muscle Mass, Strength, and Function: A Narrative Review of Current Evidence and Practical Considerations. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sarcopenia of aging and its metabolic impact. [2022]

8. France pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Managing sarcopenia with progressive resistance exercise training. [2016]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Age and sex dependent effects of metabolic response to muscle contraction. [2023]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Age-dependent impact of two exercise training regimens on genomic and metabolic remodeling in skeletal muscle and liver of male mice. [2022]

11. Italy pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Age-related changes in skeletal muscle function. [2019]

12. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Changes in skeletal muscle with aging: effects of exercise training. [2022]

13. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effects of aging and training on skeletal muscle. [2017]