Circuit training and protein supplementation in persons with chronic tetraplegia.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine if circuit resistance training (CRT) improves fitness attributes in individuals with chronic tetraplegia and whether protein supplementation (PS) enhances these adaptations.
Results Summary
CRT significantly increased muscular strength (8%-11% per 3-month period), aerobic capacity (35% with immediate PS), and anaerobic fatigue resistance (40W median difference with immediate PS) in individuals with tetraplegia. Timely protein supplementation further enhanced aerobic and anaerobic benefits.
Population
Individuals with chronic tetraplegia
Effective Dosage
36-37g whey protein split before and after exercise (immediate PS) or 24h postexercise (delayed PS)
Duration
6 months
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Circuit resistance training (CRT) | increase | muscular strength and both aerobic and anaerobic capacity | untrained individuals with chronic paraplegia | - | increases | #1 |
protein supplementation (PS) before and immediately postexercise | increase | exercise adaptations | - | - | has been shown to enhance | #2 |
Circuit resistance training (CRT) | increase | One-repetition maximum (1-RM) strength | individuals with chronic tetraplegia | 8%-11% ± 6%-12% for each successive 3-month period | increased | #3 |
Circuit resistance training (CRT) with immediate protein supplementation (PS) | increase | VO2peak | individuals with chronic tetraplegia | 35% ± 29% | increased significantly | #4 |
Circuit resistance training (CRT) with delayed protein supplementation (PS) | no change | VO2peak | individuals with chronic tetraplegia | 15% ± 8% | failed to reach significance | #5 |
Circuit resistance training (CRT) with immediate protein supplementation (PS) | increase | Power drop changes during the Wingate test | individuals with chronic tetraplegia | median difference 40W | were also only significant | #6 |
Circuit resistance training (CRT) with delayed protein supplementation (PS) | no change | Power drop changes during the Wingate test | individuals with chronic tetraplegia | 10W | not significant | #7 |
Circuit resistance training (CRT) | increase | muscular strength, aerobic capacity, and anaerobic fatigue resistance | persons with chronic tetraplegia | - | effectively increased | #8 |
timely protein supplementation (PS) | increase | conditioning benefits | persons with chronic tetraplegia | - | further enhanced | #9 |
UNLABELLED: Circuit resistance training (CRT) performed three times weekly for 40-45 min each session increases muscular strength and both aerobic and anaerobic capacity in untrained individuals with chronic paraplegia. Whether similar CRT is also effective for conditioning of persons with chronic tetraplegia is unknown. In addition, protein supplementation (PS) before and immediately postexercise has been shown to enhance exercise adaptations. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether a modified 40-45 min CRT program will improve fitness attributes in individuals with tetraplegia and whether these changes are enhanced by PS. METHODS: Eleven individuals with chronic tetraplegia underwent 6 months of CRT performed three times per week. Six randomly assigned participants received PS (whey protein = 36-37 g) in split doses immediately before and after exercise sessions. Others consumed a matched protein dose 24 h postexercise. Measurements of one-repetition maximum (1-RM) strength for six different resistance exercises, arm peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), and arm anaerobic power (Wingate) were obtained 3 months before (-3mo), at the beginning (0mo), 3 months into (3mo), and 6 months after (6mo) the beginning of CRT. RESULTS: One-repetition maximum increased by 8%-11% ± 6%-12% for each successive 3-month period (P ≤ 0.001-0.012), independent of PS group (P = 0.105). VO2peak increased significantly from 0mo to 6mo with immediate PS (35% ± 29%, P = 0.020) but failed to reach significance for delayed PS (15% ± 8%, P = 0.147). Power drop changes during the Wingate test were also only significant for the immediate PS (median difference 40W, P = 0.028) and not for delayed (10W, P = 0.500). CONCLUSION: CRT effectively increased muscular strength, aerobic capacity, and anaerobic fatigue resistance in persons with chronic tetraplegia. The latter two conditioning benefits were further enhanced by timely PS.