The Rejuvenate Training Study v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing the effects of increased mitochondrial function and chronic aerobic or resistance exercise training on skeletal muscle performance in older men; a pilot study\n
IRAS ID
230065
Contact name
Timothy Etheridge
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Exeter
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
As people grow older skeletal muscle becomes smaller and weaker, which reduces mobility, independence and quality of life. The causes of this age-related muscle decline are poorly understood. However, a commonly observed feature that can account for many ageing muscle defects is impairment in the energy-producing units of cells: the mitochondria. Traditional interventions aimed at improving mitochondrial function, such as endurance and/or resistance exercise training, fail to fully restore muscle performance in the elderly compared to young people. Therefore, novel approaches for targeting mitochondria in combination with exercise training are needed. Early evidence in animals indicates that certain supplements (e.g. the drug acipimox) can increase muscle levels of molecules involved in normal mitochondrial energy production, bringing improved mitochondrial function. This proposal will establish whether such supplements in combination with endurance or resistance exercise training can enhance mitochondrial function and, ultimately, muscle performance in elderly people.\nTwenty elderly (65-75 y) volunteers will be recruited. Volunteers will be excluded if they have significant cardiovascular/ respiratory/ metabolic/ renal disease, poor capacity to exercise, a history of peptic ulcer disease, concomitantly take a statin or have a known hypersensitivity to the intervention. At baseline, post-absorptive venous blood, a single muscle biopsy, oral glucose tolerance test, basic leg anthropometry (using skin calipers) and muscle function tests (via exercising under supervision) will be taken. Afterwards, volunteers will begin supervised exercise training 5 times per week (weight lifting on one leg and cycling on the other leg) and will consume either placebo or 250 mg acipimox three-times daily for 6 weeks, with 10 participants in each supplemental condition. At the end of the third and sixth week of supplementation all baseline measures will be re-assessed. This will be carried out in an NIHR facility, with cardiac monitoring by personnel trained in Advanced Life Support throughout all exercise.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SW/0151
Date of REC Opinion
4 Sep 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion