Abstract
Older adults are at increased risk of muscle and bone loss; however, resistance training attenuates the decrease in skeletal muscle and bone loss. Alpha-linolenic acid may decrease inflammation and thereby reduce the risk of musculoskeletal changes associated with aging. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of supplementing older adults with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) during a resistance training program. We hypothesized that ALA would decrease the plasma concentration of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) which in turn would improve muscle size and strength. METHODS: Fifty-one healthy older adults (age 65.4 ± 0.8 yr) were randomized to either a group receiving ALA in flax oil (~14 g·d−1) or a placebo for 12 weeks. All participants completed the same resistance training program (3 d·wk−1). Subjects were evaluated at baseline and after 12 weeks for muscle thickness (B-mode ultrasound), muscle strength (1 repetition maximum), body composition (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), and concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6. RESULTS: Males supplementing with ALA decreased IL-6 concentration over the 12 weeks (−62 ± 36 % decrease; P = 0.003) with no other changes in inflammatory cytokines. Chest (49.2±6.3%) and leg press (20.3±1.9%) strength, lean tissue mass (1.4±0.4%), muscle thickness (18.1±4.0%), and total bone mineral content (0.8±0.3%) significantly increased, and percent fat (−2.5±0.8%) and total body mass (−0.1±0.4%) decreased with training (P < 0.05), with no difference between ALA and placebo. Total body bone mineral density significantly improved in the placebo (1.2±0.3%) group with minimal change in the ALA (0.4±0.3%) group (P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: ALA supplementation lowers the concentration of interleukin-6 in older men but not older women, but had no effect on muscle mass and strength during resistance training. ALA attenuated the increase in total body bone mineral density observed with a resistance training program. Supported by: Gatorade Sport Science Institute, WN Pharmaceuticals, and Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission.
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