Effects of macronutrient intake on thigh muscle mass during home-based walking training in middle-aged and older women.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether post-exercise macronutrient supplementation enhances increases in skeletal muscle mass and strength during home-based interval walking training in middle-aged and older women.
Results Summary
The study found that post-exercise macronutrient supplementation significantly increased hamstring muscle tissue area (2.8% vs -1.0%) and isometric knee flexion force (16.3% vs 6.5%) compared to walking alone. These results suggest that supplementation partially enhances the benefits of interval walking training.
Population
Healthy middle-aged and older women (41-78 years).
Effective Dosage
Post-exercise macronutrient supplementation (7.6 g protein, 32.5 g carbohydrate, and 4.4 g fat) after each walking session.
Duration
5 months.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
post-exercise macronutrient supplementation during a 5-month home-based interval walking training (IWT) | increase | skeletal muscle mass and strength | healthy middle-aged and older women | - | accelerated exercise-induced increases | #1 |
post-exercise macronutrient supplementation | increase | thigh muscle mass and strength | middle-aged and older women | - | enhanced the increases | #2 |
post-exercise macronutrient supplementation | increase | increase in hamstring muscle tissue area | NUT group | 2.8 ± 1.2% | was significantly higher | #3 |
IWT alone | decrease | increase in hamstring muscle tissue area | CNT group | -1.0 ± 0.7% | was | #4 |
post-exercise macronutrient supplementation | increase | increase in isometric knee flexion force | NUT group | 16.3 ± 3.7% | was significantly higher | #5 |
IWT alone | increase | increase in isometric knee flexion force | CNT group | 6.5 ± 3.0% | was | #6 |
We examined whether post-exercise macronutrient supplementation during a 5-month home-based interval walking training (IWT) accelerated exercise-induced increases in skeletal muscle mass and strength in healthy middle-aged and older women. Thirty-five women (41-78 years) were randomly divided into two groups: IWT alone (CNT, n = 18) or IWT plus post-exercise macronutrient (7.6 g protein, 32.5 g carbohydrate, and 4.4 g fat) supplementation (NUT, n = 17). For IWT, all subjects were instructed to repeat five or more sets of 3-min low-intensity walking at 40% peak aerobic capacity (Vo2 peak ), followed by a 3-min high-intensity walking above 70% Vo2 peak per day for 4 or more days per week. We determined Vo2 peak , thigh muscle tissue area by computer tomography, and thigh muscle strength in all subjects before and after IWT. We found that an increase in hamstring muscle tissue area was 2.8 ± 1.2% in NUT vs -1.0 ± 0.7% in CNT and that in isometric knee flexion force was 16.3 ± 3.7% in NUT vs 6.5 ± 3.0% in CNT; both were significantly higher in NUT than in CNT (both, P < 0.001). Thus, post-exercise macronutrient supplementation enhanced the increases in thigh muscle mass and strength, although partially, in home-based IWT in middle-aged and older women.