Study of Inactivity on Metabolism of Elderly Muscles

Sarcopenia Clinical Trial

Official title:

Influence of Reduce Daily Step Count on Muscle Protein Metabolism in Older Persons

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01818609
• Other study ID #: 267
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• Start date: September 2011
• Est. completion date: December 2012

Study information

• Verified date: March 2013
• Source: McMaster University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Skeletal muscle mass declines with inactivity (casting is a good example) and increases with activity (such as weightlifting). Whether muscle mass increases or decreases, is determined by whether more new proteins within muscle are made than are broken down. The investigators know that feeding protein increases the synthesis of new proteins but that the response of older muscles to protein feeding is blunted compared with the young. This resistance of the elderly to muscle building stimuli may be the primary reason that muscle mass is lost in aging. The investigators also know that periods of muscle disuse such as casting result in a person's muscle shrinking due, the investigators believe, to a lower rate of synthesis of new muscle proteins. Age-related muscle loss begins around 50 years old and proceeds at approximately 1% for every year after. Elderly persons would likely fare well with advancing age if their muscle loss were simply linear; however, a rate of muscle loss of 1% annually is a 'population view' and does not represent what occurs during short periods of muscle disuse (i.e. during hospitalization or illness), which occur with increasing frequency in elderly persons. During periods of disuse, the resistance of elderly muscles to protein nutrition may be worsened. The investigators will measure how quickly new proteins are made at rest and after protein feeding in elderly men, before and after a 14 day period of reduced activity brought on by having people reduce their daily step count.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 10
• Est. completion date: December 2012
• Est. primary completion date: September 2012
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 60 Years to 80 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or Female

• Aged 60 to 80 years old

• Non-smoker Generally healthy and can tolerate the resistance exercise and protein drink

Exclusion Criteria:

• Allergies to whey protein

• Health problems such as: heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis of the knee joint, diabetes, poor lung function, uncontrolled hypertension, or any health conditions that might put participants at risks for this study

• Failed an exercise stress test

• Taking metformin and/or other medications for the control of blood glucose even though one might not be classified as diabetic

• Taking prescribed blood thinners such as warfarin and heparin but excluding aspirin

• Taking medications for lung and kidney conditions but excluding medication for asthma that is under control

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Sarcopenia

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Step reduction
taking less than 1500 steps/d

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	McMaster University	Hamilton	Ontario

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
McMaster University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Fractional synthetic rate (FSR) of myofibrillar muscle protein	rate of making new muscle proteins	over 5h
Secondary	Blood amino acid concentrations	concentration of amino acids in blood	over 5h
Secondary	Intramuscular signalling protein status	phosphorylation of key signalling proteins	over 5h
Secondary	Insulin sensitivity via blood sampling	measure of insulin concentration	over 5h