Comparisons in the Recovery Response From Resistance Exercise Between Young and Middle-Aged Men

Abstract

Gordon, JA III, Hoffman, JR, Arroyo, E, Varanoske, AN, Coker, NA, Gepner, Y, Wells, AJ, Stout, JR, and Fukuda, DH. Comparisons in the recovery response from resistance exercise between young and middle-aged men. J Strength Cond Res 31(12): 3454-3462, 2017-The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a bout of high-volume isokinetic resistance exercise protocol (HVP) on lower-body strength and markers of inflammation and muscle damage during recovery between young and middle-aged adult men. Nineteen recreationally trained men were classified as either a young adult (YA: 21.8 ± 2.0 years; 90.7 ± 11.6 kg) or a middle-aged adult (MA: 47.0 ± 4.4 years; 96.0 ± 21.5 kg) group. The HVP consisted of 8 sets of 10 repetitions, with 1 minute of rest between each set, performed on an isokinetic dynamometer at 60°·s. Maximal voluntary isometric contractions and isokinetic peak torque (PKT) and average torque (AVGT) (measured at 240° and 60°·s, respectively) were assessed at baseline (BL), immediately post (IP), 120 minutes, 24, and 48 hours after HVP. Blood was obtained at BL, IP, 30, 60, 120 minute, 24, and 48 hours after HVP to assess muscle damage and inflammation. All performance data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of covariance, whereas all inflammatory and muscle damage markers were analyzed using a 2-way (time × group) repeated measures analysis of variance. Results revealed no between-group differences for PKT, AVGT, or rate of torque development at 200 ms (RTD200). No between-group differences in myoglobin, creatine kinase, C-reactive protein, or interleukin-6 were observed. Although BL differences in muscle performance were observed between YA and MA, no between-group differences were noted in performance recovery measures from high-volume isokinetic exercise in recreationally trained men. These results also indicate that the inflammatory and muscle damage response from high-volume isokinetic exercise is similar between recreationally trained, young, and middle-aged adult men.

Recovery from Strenuous Downhill Running in Young and Older Physically Active Adults

“…These results were consistent with the results of previous studies conducted in recreationally active [4,12] and resistance-trained individuals [13]. Previous studies in masters athletes, including endurance runners [30] and cyclists [31,32], have also reported that recovery of muscular voluntary contraction was not different between masters athletes and young athletes.…”

“…In a small-scale study, recreationally-active middle-aged adults did not display a slower recovery from unaccustomed eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors than younger adults [12]. In addition, recreationally resistancetrained young and middle-aged adults also showed a similar pattern of recovery as assessed by markers of muscle damage following high-volume resistance exercise [13].…”

“…It is difficult, however, to extrapolate the results of manually-induced forced muscle damage in animal models to those induced by voluntary exercise in exercising humans. In fact, the available studies in humans are highly controversial with some studies reporting an age-related slower recovery from exercise [5,10,11] while others report no age-associated differences [4,12,13]. We reasoned that the exercise training status and/or health status of study participants may have contributed to these contradictory results as the influence of aging is often compounded by the concomitant sedentary lifestyles and coexisting cardiovascular and other degenerative diseases.…”

Differences in muscle oxygenation between young and middle-aged recreationally active men during high-volume resistance exercise

“…Both groups consumed similar proportion of macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates, and protein) and energy intake. Peak torque comparisons between these groups have been previously reported (Gordon, et al, 2017). During isometric comparisons, YA was reported to have significantly greater average torque, rate Note.…”

“…Taken together with the significant correlation found at baseline, these findings may suggest that increases in muscle damage during HVP may by associated with decreased oxidation in the muscle observed during incremental exercise (Koga, Rossiter, Heinonen, Musch, & Poole, 2014;Spencer, Amano, Kondo, Kowalchuk, & Koga, 2014). Another factor that may have affected muscle oxidation differences between these age groups were differences in muscle strength and power (Gordon, et al, 2017). Although not measured, it is also possible that reduction in type 2 fiber size and changes in intrinsic contractile properties of muscle fibers with aging may have also contributed to the observed results (Callahan, et al, 2014).…”