Effect of Strength Training on Muscle Hypertrophy and Body Composition during Androgen Deprivation Therapy

Abstract

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is effective for slowing tumor growth in prostate cancer (PCa) patients but results in numerous adverse side effects. While strength training (ST) has previously been demonstrated to be safe and effective in these patients, it remains unclear whether muscle hypertrophy and body composition alterations occur in the absence of testosterone. Thus, we sought to determine the effects of ST on regional and total body composition in PCa patients undergoing ADT. Total body fat free mass (FFM) and fat mass, thigh muscle volume (MV), subcutaneous (SCF), and intermuscular fat (IMF) were assessed in 16 PCa patients (68 ± 2 yrs) before and after 12 wks of ST using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography. The ST program resulted in significant gains in MV (R leg, 6.6 ± 0.8%; L leg 6.7 ± 0.9%, both P < 0.001), FFM (2.7 ± 0.4%, P < 0.001), and body weight (1.7 ± 0.4%, P = 0.001). There was no change in SCF (R leg, 1.0 ± 1.4%; L leg 0.8 ± 1.3%, both P = 0.48), IMF (R leg, 1.3 ± 3.2%; L leg 2.8 ± 3.3%, P = 0.81 and 0.51), or total body fat mass with ST (−0.4 ± 1.2%, P=0.85), though % fat declined significantly (−2.0 ± 0.9%, P = 0.023). Despite ablation of testosterone, ST can induce muscle hypertrophy in PCa patients on ADT, but has no effect on total or regional fat mass.