Resistance training improves single muscle fiber contractile function in older women

2001 ◽  
Vol 281 (2) ◽  
pp. C398-C406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Trappe ◽  
Michael Godard ◽  
Philip Gallagher ◽  
Chad Carroll ◽  
Greg Rowden ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to 1) examine single cell contractile mechanics of skeletal muscle before and after 12 wk of progressive resistance training (PRT) in older women ( n = 7; 74 ± 2 yr) and 2) to compare these results to our previously completed single cell PRT work with older men ( n = 7; 74 ± 2 yr) (Trappe S, Williamson D, Godard M, Porter D, Rowden G, and Costill D. J Applied Physiol 89:143–152, 2000). Knee extensor PRT was performed 3 days/wk at 80% of one-repetition maximum. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis before and after the PRT. Chemically skinned single muscle fibers ( n = 313) were studied at 15°C for peak tension (Po), unloaded shortening velocity ( V o), and power. Due to the low number of hybrid fibers identified post-PRT, direct comparisons were limited to MHC I and IIa fibers. Muscle fiber diameter increased 24% (90 ± 2 to 112 ± 6 μm; P < 0.05) in MHC I fibers with no change in MHC IIa fibers. Po increased ( P< 0.05) 33% in MHC I (0.76 ± 0.04 to 1.01 ± 0.09 mN) and 14% in MHC IIa (0.73 ± 0.04 to 0.83 ± 0.05 mN) fibers. Muscle fiber V o was unaltered in both fiber types with PRT. MHC I and IIa fiber power increased ( P< 0.05) 50% [11 ± 2 to 17 ± 2 μN · fiber length (FL) · s−1] and 25% (40 ± 8 to 51 ± 6 μN · FL · s−1), respectively. However, when peak power was normalized to cell size, no pre- to postimprovements were observed. These data indicate that PRT in elderly women increases muscle cell size, strength, and peak power in both slow and fast muscle fibers, which was similar to the older men. However, in contrast to the older men, no change in fiber V o or normalized power was observed in the older women. These data suggest that older men and women respond differently at the muscle cell level to the same resistance-training stimulus.


2000 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Trappe ◽  
David Williamson ◽  
Michael Godard ◽  
David Porter ◽  
Greg Rowden ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to examine single cell contractile mechanics of skeletal muscle before and after 12 wk of progressive resistance training (PRT) in older men ( n = 7; age = 74 ± 2 yr and weight = 75 ± 5 kg). Knee extensor PRT was performed 3 days/wk at 80% of one-repetition maximum. Muscle biopsy samples were obtained from the vastus lateralis before and after PRT (pre- and post-PRT, respectively). For analysis, chemically skinned single muscle fibers were studied at 15°C for peak tension [the maximal isometric force (Po)], unloaded shortening velocity ( V o), and force-velocity parameters. In this study, a total of 199 (89 pre- and 110 post-PRT) myosin heavy chain (MHC) I and 99 (55 pre- and 44 post-PRT) MHC IIa fibers were reported. Because of the minimal number of hybrid fibers identified post-PRT, direct comparisons were limited to MHC I and IIa fibers. Muscle fiber diameter increased 20% (83 ± 1 to 100 ± 1 μm) and 13% (86 ± 1 to 97 ± 2 μm) in MHC I and IIa fibers, respectively ( P < 0.05). Po was higher ( P < 0.05) in MHC I (0.58 ± 0.02 to 0.90 ± 0.02 mN) and IIa (0.68 ± 0.02 to 0.85 ± 0.03 mN) fibers. Muscle fiber V o was elevated 75% (MHC I) and 45% (MHC IIa) after PRT ( P < 0.05). MHC I and IIa fiber power increased ( P < 0.05) from 7.7 ± 0.5 to 17.6 ± 0.9 μN · fiber lengths · s−1 and from 25.5 to 41.1 μN · fiber lengths · s−1, respectively. These data indicate that PRT in elderly men increases muscle cell size, strength, contractile velocity, and power in both slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers. However, it appears that these changes are more pronounced in the MHC I muscle fibers.



2001 ◽  
Vol 91 (5) ◽  
pp. 1955-1961 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Williamson ◽  
P. M. Gallagher ◽  
C. C. Carroll ◽  
U. Raue ◽  
S. W. Trappe

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of 12 wk of progressive resistance training (PRT) on single muscle fiber myosin heavy chain (MHC; I, I/IIa, I/IIa/IIx, IIa, IIa/IIx, IIx) isoform proportions in young individuals. Young, untrained men (YM; n = 6) and women (YW; n = 6) (age = 22 ± 1 and 25 ± 2 yr for YW and YM, respectively) received pre- and post-PRT muscle biopsies from the right vastus lateralis for single muscle fiber MHC distribution by electrophoretic analysis (192 ± 5 pre- and 183 ± 6 post-fibers/subject analyzed; 4,495 fibers total). Data are presented as percentages of the total fibers analyzed per subject. The PRT protocol elicited an increase in the pure MHC IIa (Δ = + 24 and + 27; YW and YM, respectively; P < 0.05) with no change in the pure MHC I distribution. The hybrid MHC distributions decreased I/IIa/IIx (Δ = −2; YM and YW; P < 0.05), IIa/IIx (Δ = −13 and −19 for YM and YW, respectively; P < 0.05), and total hybrid fiber proportion (I/IIa + I/IIa/IIx + IIa/IIx) decreased (Δ = −19 and −30 for YM and YW, respectively; P < 0.05) with the training, as did the MHC IIx distribution (Δ = −2; YW only; P < 0.05). Alterations in the predominance of MHC isoforms within hybrid fibers (decrease in MHC I-dominant I/IIa and nondominant MHC IIa/IIx, increase in MHC IIa-dominant IIa/IIx; P < 0.05) appeared to contribute to the increase in the MHC IIa proportion. Electrophoresis of muscle cross sections revealed an ∼7% increase ( P< 0.05) in MHC IIa proportion in both groups, whereas the MHC IIx decrease by 7.5 and 11.6% post-PRT in YW and YM, respectively. MHC I proportions increase in YM by 4.8% ( P < 0.05) post-PRT. These findings further support previous resistance training data in young adults with respect to the increase in the MHC IIa proportions but demonstrate that a majority of the change can be attributed to the decrease in single-fiber hybrid proportions.





2009 ◽  
Vol 297 (5) ◽  
pp. R1452-R1459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew P. Harber ◽  
Adam R. Konopka ◽  
Matthew D. Douglass ◽  
Kiril Minchev ◽  
Leonard A. Kaminsky ◽  
...  

To comprehensively assess the influence of aerobic training on muscle size and function, we examined seven older women (71 ± 2 yr) before and after 12 wk of cycle ergometer training. The training program increased ( P < 0.05) aerobic capacity by 30 ± 6%. Quadriceps muscle volume, determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), was 12 ± 2% greater ( P < 0.05) after training and knee extensor power increased 55 ± 7% ( P < 0.05). Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis to determine size and contractile properties of individual slow (MHC I) and fast (MHC IIa) myofibers, myosin light chain (MLC) composition, and muscle protein concentration. Aerobic training increased ( P < 0.05) MHC I fiber size 16 ± 5%, while MHC IIa fiber size was unchanged. MHC I peak power was elevated 21 ± 8% ( P < 0.05) after training, while MHC IIa peak power was unaltered. Peak force (Po) was unchanged in both fiber types, while normalized force (Po/cross-sectional area) was 10% lower ( P < 0.05) for both MHC I and MHC IIa fibers after training. The decrease in normalized force was likely related to a reduction ( P < 0.05) in myofibrillar protein concentration after training. In the absence of an increase in Po, the increase in MHC I peak power was mediated through an increased ( P < 0.05) maximum contraction velocity (Vo) of MHC I fibers only. The relative proportion of MLC1s (Pre: 0.62 ± 0.01; Post: 0.58 ± 0.01) was lower ( P < 0.05) in MHC I myofibers after training, while no differences were present for MLC2s and MLC3f isoforms. These data indicate that aerobic exercise training improves muscle function through remodeling the contractile properties at the myofiber level, in addition to pronounced muscle hypertrophy. Progressive aerobic exercise training should be considered a viable exercise modality to combat sarcopenia in the elderly population.



2016 ◽  
Vol 121 (4) ◽  
pp. 878-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg J. Grosicki ◽  
Robert A. Standley ◽  
Kevin A. Murach ◽  
Ulrika Raue ◽  
Kiril Minchev ◽  
...  

We examined single muscle fiber contractile function of the oldest-old (3F/2M, 89 ± 1 yr old) enrolled in The Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study (The Health ABC Study). Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were obtained and single muscle fiber function was determined ( n = 105) prior to myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform identification with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cross-sectional area of MHC I muscle fibers (5,576 ± 333 μm2; n = 58) was 21% larger ( P < 0.05) than MHC IIa fibers (4,518 ± 386 μm2; n = 47). Normalized power (an indicator of muscle fiber quality incorporating size, strength, and speed) of MHC I and IIa muscle fibers was 2.3 ± 0.1 and 17.4 ± 0.8 W/l, respectively. Compared with previous research from our lab using identical procedures, MHC I normalized power was 28% higher than healthy 20 yr olds and similar to younger octogenarians (∼80 yr old). Normalized power of MHC IIa fibers was 63% greater than 20 yr olds and 39% greater than younger octogenarians. These comparative data suggest that power output per unit size (i.e., muscle quality) of remaining muscle fibers improves with age, a phenomenon more pronounced in MHC IIa fibers. Age-related single muscle fiber quality improvements may be a compensatory mechanism to help offset decrements in whole muscle function.



2019 ◽  
Vol 127 (6) ◽  
pp. 1710-1719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Gries ◽  
Kiril Minchev ◽  
Ulrika Raue ◽  
Gregory J. Grosicki ◽  
Gwénaëlle Begue ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of lifelong aerobic exercise on single-muscle fiber performance in trained women (LLE; n = 7, 72 ± 2 yr) by comparing them to old healthy nonexercisers (OH; n = 10, 75 ± 1 yr) and young exercisers (YE; n = 10, 25 ± 1 yr). On average, LLE had exercised ~5 days/wk for ~7 h/wk over the past 48 ± 2 yr. Each subject had a vastus lateralis muscle biopsy to examine myosin heavy chain (MHC) I and IIa single-muscle fiber size and function (strength, speed, power). MHC I fiber size was similar across all three cohorts (YE = 5,178 ± 157, LLE = 4,983 ± 184, OH = 4,902 ± 159 µm2). MHC IIa fiber size decreased ( P < 0.05) 36% with aging (YE = 4,719 ± 164 vs. OH = 3,031 ± 153 µm2), with LLE showing a similar 31% reduction (3,253 ± 189 µm2). LLE had 17% more powerful ( P < 0.05) MHC I fibers and offset the 18% decline in MHC IIa fiber power observed with aging ( P < 0.05). The LLE contractile power was driven by greater strength (+11%, P = 0.056) in MHC I fibers and elevated contractile speed (+12%, P < 0.05) in MHC IIa fibers. These data indicate that lifelong exercise did not benefit MHC I or IIa muscle fiber size. However, LLE had contractile function adaptations that enhanced MHC I fiber power and preserved MHC IIa fiber power through different contractile mechanisms (strength vs. speed). The single-muscle fiber contractile properties observed with lifelong aerobic exercise are unique and provide new insights into aging skeletal muscle plasticity in women at the myocellular level. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first investigation to examine the effects of lifelong exercise on single-muscle fiber physiology in women. Nearly 50 yr of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise training resulted in enhanced slow-twitch fiber power primarily by increasing force production, whereas fast-twitch fiber power was preserved primarily by increasing contractile speed. These unique muscle fiber power profiles helped offset the effects of fast-twitch fiber atrophy and highlight the benefits of lifelong aerobic exercise for myocellular health.



2008 ◽  
Vol 295 (1) ◽  
pp. R273-R280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin Slivka ◽  
Ulrika Raue ◽  
Chris Hollon ◽  
Kiril Minchev ◽  
Scott Trappe

The purpose of this study was to investigate whole muscle and single muscle fiber adaptations in very old men in response to progressive resistance training (PRT). Six healthy independently living old men (82 ± 1 yr; range 80–86 yr, 74 ± 4 kg) resistance-trained the knee extensors (3 sets, 10 repetitions) at ∼70% one repetition maximum 3 days/wk for 12 wk. Whole thigh muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) was assessed before and after PRT using computed tomography (CT). Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis before and after the PRT program. Isolated myosin heavy chain (MHC) I and IIa single muscle fibers ( n = 267; 142 pre; 125 post) were studied for diameter, peak tension, shortening velocity, and power. An additional set of isolated single muscle fibers ( n = 2,215; 1,202 pre; 1,013 post) was used to identify MHC distribution. One repetition maximum knee extensor strength increased ( P < 0.05) 23 ± 4 kg (56 ± 4 to 79 ± 7 kg; 41%). Muscle CSA increased ( P < 0.05) 3 ± 1 cm2 (120 ± 7 to 123 ± 7 cm2; 2.5%). Single muscle fiber contractile function and MHC distribution were unaltered with PRT. These data indicate limited muscle plasticity at the single-muscle fiber level with a resistance-training program among the very old. The minor increases in whole muscle CSA coupled with the static nature of the myocellular profile indicate that the strength gains were primarily neurological. These data contrast typical muscle responses to resistance training in young (∼20 yr) and old (∼70 yr) humans and indicate that the physiological regulation of muscle remodeling is adversely modified in the oldest old.



2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 283-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Kendall ◽  
Philip Anglewicz

The older population in sub-Saharan Africa is growing rapidly, but little is known about the migration patterns of older individuals in this setting. In this article, we identify the determinants of migration for older individuals in a rural African setting. To do so, we use rare longitudinal data with information for older individuals both before and after migration. We first identify premigration factors associated with moving in the future and then identify differences in characteristics between migrants and nonmigrants after migration. In addition to basic sociodemographic information, we examine differences between migrants and nonmigrants in land ownership, number of lifetime marriages, number of living offspring, previous migration experience, household size, social and religious participation, and religious affiliation. Results show that (a) migration in older age is related to marriage, health and HIV status, household size, and religion; (b) older women who are HIV-positive are more likely to move, and older men with better physical health are more likely to move; (c) older female migrants have worse postmigration physical health; and (d) the relationship between health and migration for older men disappears after migration.



2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 489-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emelie Strandberg ◽  
Elodie Ponsot ◽  
Karin Piehl-Aulin ◽  
Gunnar Falk ◽  
Fawzi Kadi


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