Immune Function and Muscle Adaptations to Resistance Exercise in Older Adults

Summary

The loss of muscle mass and strength due to aging leads to serious health problems for older adults. Muscle health can be improved by exercise training, but some people improve their strength substantially, whereas others improve little. The reason for this variation is unknown. This study will investigate whether function of the immune system influences how well people respond to exercise. Older Veterans who participate will have their muscle size, strength, and function measured periodically for almost a year. Participants will drink a nutritional supplement or placebo daily and complete a 36 session strength training program. Participants will be vaccinated for tetanus and donate small amounts of blood and muscle tissue during the study so that immune function can be compared to muscle outcomes during training and during a long-term follow-up. The study results should increase the investigators' understanding of the negative effects of aging on muscle and will possibly lead to better strategies for muscle maintenance and rehabilitation for older adults.

Conditions

• Sarcopenia
• Aging
• Immune Function

Interventions

BIOLOGICAL

TDAP

Both arms will receive the tetanus, diptheria, and pertussis vaccination after two weeks of treatment with supplement or placebo

OTHER

Acute Resistance Exercise

Both arms will receive a single bout of resistance exercise twice, before and after two weeks of treatment with supplement or placebo, and be evaluated for the response within blood and muscle

OTHER

Resistance Exercise Training

Both arms will receive 36 sessions of progressive high-intensity resistance exercise training (thigh muscle) over the course of approximately 12 weeks.

OTHER

Post-training Follow-up

Both arms will continue to receive treatment with supplement or placebo for approximately 26 weeks after completion of the exercise training. During this time subjects will not be allowed to perform resistance exercise.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Nutritional Supplement (Muscle Armor)

Subjects in the supplement group will consume orange-flavored Muscle Armor according to the manufacturer's directions: one serving (approximately 30g, i.e. one scoop provided with the product by its manufacturer), twice daily mixed with 12 ounces (oz) of water beginning after all baseline assessments are performed including assessment of the response to acute exercise and continuing until the end of study participation.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Placebo (Kool-Aid)

Subjects in the placebo group will consume orange-flavored Kool-Aid (Kraft Foods) according to the manufacturer's directions: one serving (approximately 13g, i.e. one scoop provided with the product by the pharmacy), twice daily mixed with 12 ounces (oz) of water beginning after all baseline assessments are performed including assessment of the response to acute exercise and continuing until the end of study participation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Arkansas

  collaborator OTHER

• VA Office of Research and Development

  lead FED

Principal Investigators

• Richard A Dennis, PhD · Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center, Little Rock, AR

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-07-23

Primary Completion

2018-12-31

Completion

2019-09-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations