Muscle function and health in masters athletes
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does lifelong exercise preserve muscle function and health in masters athletes?
IRAS ID
195607
Contact name
Leigh Breen
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Ageing is characterized by a loss of muscle mass that is detrimental for physical function and metabolic health and increases the risk of mortality. The loss of muscle protein mass with ageing is characterized by a blunted muscle anabolic response to nutrition and exercise, which may be underpinned by inactivity. Thus, exercise interventions can reverse muscle anabolic blunting in old age and might assist in the long-term maintenance of muscle mass.
Individuals that have undertaken lifelong exercise (termed master’s athletes) do not experience the same degree of muscle mass loss and maintain functional ability further into their later years. The mechanisms underpinning this preservation of muscle mass and function in masters athletes are not clear but may be explained by maintenance of robust muscle anabolic sensitivity. Understanding the mechanisms through which lifelong exercise maintains muscle mass and function will ultimately lead to the development of specific exercise guidelines to promote healthy musculoskeletal ageing.
Sixty individuals (15 young and 45 old consisting of i) 15 healthy controls, ii) 15 masters endurance-based athletes and iii) 15 masters power athletes) will make two visits to our laboratory during which they will undergo a comprehensive assessment of muscle structure, function and aerobic fitness; to provide characterization of these opposing models of ‘healthy' vs 'normal' ageing.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0167
Date of REC Opinion
12 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion