Abstract
Aging is associated with sarcopenia and dynapenia, with both processes contributing to functional dependence and mortality in older adults. Resistance training (RT) and increased protein intake are strategies that may contribute to health improvements in older adults. Therefore, the aim was to investigate the effects of whey protein (WP) supplementation consumed either immediately pre- or post-RT on skeletal muscle mass (SMM), muscular strength, and functional capacity in pre-conditioned older women. Seventy older women participated in this investigation and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: whey protein pre-RT and placebo post-RT (WP-PLA, n = 24), placebo pre-RT and whey protein post-RT (PLA-WP, n = 23), and placebo pre- and post-RT (PLA-PLA, n = 23). Each group ingested 35 g of WP or PLA. The RT program was carried out over 12 weeks (three times per week; 3 × 8–12 repetition maximum). Body composition, muscular strength, functional capacity, and dietary intake were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for repeated measures, with baseline scores as covariates were used for data analysis. A time vs. group interaction (p < 0.05) was observed with WP-PLA and PLA-WP presenting greater increases compared with PLA-PLA for SMM (WP-PLA = 3.4%; PLA-WP = 4.2%; PLA-PLA = 2.0%), strength (WP-PLA = 8.1%; PLA-WP = 8.3%; PLA-PLA = 7.0%), and the 10-m walk test (WP-PLA = −10.8%; PLA-WP = −11.8%; PLA-PLA = −4.3%). Whey protein supplementation was effective in promoting increases in SMM, muscular strength, and functional capacity in pre-conditioned older women, regardless of supplementation timing. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03247192.
Highlights
Functional dependence, the risk of falls, and development of diseases and mortality occur in older adults during the aging process due to declines in muscle mass and muscular strength [1,2]
When dietary intake from food was combined with supplement intake total energy intake was increased at 12 weeks in all groups (p < 0.05) and was not different between groups (p > 0.05)
During the first phase no supplementation was provided, data are presented separately to show that both groups demonstrated the same behavior during the pre-supplementation phase in the same both groups demonstrated the same behavior during the pre-supplementation phase in the same phase. §pp
Summary
Functional dependence, the risk of falls, and development of diseases and mortality occur in older adults during the aging process due to declines in muscle mass (sarcopenia) and muscular strength (dynapenia) [1,2]. Information regarding protein supplementation in older adults is still controversial, mainly on the effectiveness of protein supplementation on muscle mass and strength when associated with training [6,10,11,12]. Possible explanations for these conflicting results are the anabolic stimulus from the food and training together, the amount of baseline protein consumption, the level of training, and the timing of nutrient intake [12,13,14,15,16]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
