Abstract
Background: It is unknown whether protein supplementation can enhance recovery of exercise-induced muscle damage in older adults who have a disturbed muscle protein synthetic response. We assessed whether protein supplementation could attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness after prolonged moderate-intensity walking exercise in older adults. Methods: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study, 104 subjects (81% male, ≥65 years) used either a protein (n = 50) or placebo supplement (n = 54) during breakfast and directly after exercise. Within a walking event, study subjects walked 30/40/50 km per day on three consecutive days. Muscle soreness and fatigue were determined with a numeric rating scale, and creatine kinase (CK) concentrations and serum inflammation markers were obtained. Results: Habitual protein intake was comparable between the protein (0.92 ± 0.27 g/kg/d) and placebo group (0.97 ± 0.23 g/kg/d, p = 0.31). At baseline, comparable CK concentrations were found between the protein and the placebo group (110 (IQR: 84–160 U/L) and 115 (IQR: 91–186 U/L), respectively, p = 0.84). Prolonged walking (protein: 32 ± 9 km/d, placebo: 33 ± 6 km/d) resulted in a cumulative increase of CK in both the protein (∆283 (IQR: 182–662 U/L)) and placebo group (∆456 (IQR: 209–885 U/L)) after three days. CK elevations were not significantly different between groups (p = 0.43). Similarly, no differences in inflammation markers, muscle soreness and fatigue were found between groups. Conclusions: Protein supplementation does not attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage, muscle soreness or fatigue in older adults performing prolonged moderate-intensity walking exercise.
Highlights
Physical activities, i.e., resistance and endurance exercises, and especially a combination of resistance and endurance exercise with weight-bearing exercise, result in micro injuries to contractile proteins, so-called muscle damage, as demonstrated by elevated muscle soreness and an increase in plasma creatine kinase (CK) [1]
The anabolic resistance in older adults is multifactorial but includes a lower amino acid delivery to and uptake by ageing muscles, and an impaired mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (MTOR-1) pathway, which is essential for muscle protein synthesis [9,10]
Unclear whether this can be extrapolated to diminishing muscle damage and, whether improving the protein intake with supplements in vital older adults can result in a positive protein balance and increased muscle cell activity that likely stimulates myofibrillar accretion
Summary
I.e., resistance and endurance exercises, and especially a combination of resistance and endurance exercise with weight-bearing exercise, result in micro injuries to contractile proteins, so-called muscle damage, as demonstrated by elevated muscle soreness and an increase in plasma creatine kinase (CK) [1]. The benefits of protein supplementation for increased phosphorylation of mTOR [12,13] and on increasing muscle mass and physical performance have been extensively discussed in randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses [14,15,16,17,18] It is, unclear whether this can be extrapolated to diminishing muscle damage and, whether improving the protein intake with supplements in vital older adults can result in a positive protein balance and increased muscle cell activity that likely stimulates myofibrillar accretion. No studies have been performed investigating the effects of protein supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage in older adults [3]. We assessed whether protein supplementation could attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness after prolonged moderate-intensity walking exercise in older adults. Prolonged walking (protein: ± 9 km/d, placebo: ± 6 km/d) resulted in a cumulative increase of CK in both the protein (∆283 (IQR: 182–662 U/L)) and placebo group (∆456 (IQR: 209–885 U/L)) after three days
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