Investigating the Role of Resistance Exercise Frequency in the Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Mass

NCT ID: NCT03275779

Last Updated: 2023-01-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 9 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-01-01
• Study Completion Date: 2018-12-01

Brief Summary

This study will investigate whether manipulating resistance exercise frequency impacts muscle protein synthesis rates. The investigators will test the hypothesise that a higher resistance exercise frequency will result in greater muscle protein synthesis rates than a lower resistance exercise frequency.

Detailed Description

Resistance exercise is currently the most effective means of building or maintaining muscle mass. Resistance exercise guidelines generally suggest that those looking to increase muscle mass should train each muscle group once to twice per week. However, it has been proposed that it may be of greater benefit to train a muscle group with a higher frequency (i.e., four to six times per week) than currently suggested. If true, completing the same total volume of resistance exercise in more frequent, smaller bouts could prove to be a more beneficial strategy to optimally build or maintain muscle mass.

Therefore, this study will investigate whether manipulating resistance exercise frequency impacts cumulative muscle protein synthesis rates in young individuals. Participants will undergo a 7 day period of habitual activity before completing the same total volume of resistance exercise as either; i) one isolated bout (low frequency) or ii) five smaller bouts (high frequency) over a period of 7 days.

Conditions

Physical Activity

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Low Frequency Condition

Participants complete 7 days of habitual physical activity followed by a 7 day period where participants complete a single bout of unilateral resistance exercise.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Low Frequency Condition

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Young, untrained participants complete 7 days of habitual physical activity followed by a 7 day period where participants complete a single bout of unilateral resistance exercise.

High Frequency Condition

Participants complete 7 days of habitual physical activity followed by a 7 day period where participants complete the same total volume of resistance exercise as the low frequency condition as five smaller bouts of unilateral resistance exercise.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

High Frequency Condition

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Young, untrained participants complete 7 days of habitual physical activity followed by a 7 day period where participants complete the same total volume of resistance exercise as the low frequency condition as five smaller bouts of unilateral resistance exercise.

Interventions

Low Frequency Condition

Young, untrained participants complete 7 days of habitual physical activity followed by a 7 day period where participants complete a single bout of unilateral resistance exercise.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

High Frequency Condition

Young, untrained participants complete 7 days of habitual physical activity followed by a 7 day period where participants complete the same total volume of resistance exercise as the low frequency condition as five smaller bouts of unilateral resistance exercise.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Body mass index (18.5-29.99 kg/m2)
• Untrained - defined as: Perform activities of daily living and recreation but have completed no regular lower body resistance-type exercise (e.g., weight training) activity in the last year.
• Good general health

Exclusion Criteria

• Lidocaine allergy
• Hypertension (≥140/90 mmHg)
• Current participation in another clinical study
• Previous participation in this study
• Bleeding disorder/s
• Current or recent smoker
• Vegetarian or vegan
• Past history of substance abuse and/or taking prescription or non-prescription medication (e.g., beta-blockers, insulin or thyroxine) or supplements that may influence normal metabolic responses.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: MALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Maastricht University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Birmingham

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Gareth Wallis, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Birmingham

Locations

School of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham

Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom

Countries

United Kingdom

Other Identifiers

ERN_17-0997

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id