Thomas L. Andre

Effects of Fish Oil Supplementation on Postresistance Exercise Muscle Soreness

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to examine the effects of fish oil supplementation on the magnitude and time-course of postresistance exercise muscle soreness. This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Nonresistance trained females were randomized into one of two groups: fish oil supplementation (6 g/day; 5:1 eicosapentaenoic acid to docosahexaenoic acid (EPA:DHA)) or placebo (6 g/day corn/soy oil). After consuming the supplements for one week, participants underwent a single bout of resistance exercise consisting of 10 sets to failure of elbow flexion and leg extension machines. Muscle soreness was measured daily over the next week via grounded visual analog scale while participants continued to consume their assigned supplement. At 48 hours and one week postexercise, soreness during functional movements and limb circumferences were measured. The fish oil group perceived less static and functional muscle soreness than placebo, although the differences were not statistically significant. Effect sizes for resistance exercise-induced static and functional soreness responses were 33 to 42% lower in fish oil versus placebo without changes in upper arm and thigh circumferences. Supplementing the diet with 6 g per day of fish oil may alleviate muscle soreness experienced after resistance training in young untrained females.

Acute Myosin Heavy Chain Isoform mRNA Expression in Response to Two Resistance Exercise Intensities With Equal Volume Load in Resistance-Trained Men.

Abstract Schwarz, NA, Spillane, MB, McKinley, SK, Andre, TL, Gann, JJ, and Willoughby, DS. Acute myosin heavy chain isoform mRNA expression in response to two resistance exercise intensities with equal volume load in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res 29(8): 2326–2332, 2015—The purpose of this study was to determine if resistance exercise intensity, in the context of equal volume load, differentially affected myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in resistance-trained men. In a crossover, uniform-balanced design, 10 male participants (23.7 ± 2.8 years, 178.8 ± 5.9 cm, 85.9 ± 9.2 kg) completed 2 lower-body resistance exercise sessions of different intensities with equal volume load. For the higher-intensity exercise session, participants performed 5 sets of 6 repetitions at 80% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM). For the lower-intensity exercise session, participants performed 3 sets of 16 repetitions at 50% of 1RM. Muscle samples from the vastus lateralis were acquired before exercise (PRE), 45 minutes postexercise (45MINPE), 3 hours postexercise (3HRPE), 24 hours postexercise (24HRPE), and 48 hours postexercise (48HRPE). Statistical analyses of mRNA expression were performed using separate 2 × 5 two-way repeated-measures analyses of variance for each criterion variable (p ⩽ 0.05). There were no statistically significant interactions between intensity and time. Likewise, there were no significant differences between exercise intensity in MHC expression. Expression of mRNA for all MHC isoforms decreased at all postexercise time points, except 3HRPE (p = 0.051), compared with PRE following both exercise bouts (p ⩽ 0.05). The results of this study found no difference in mRNA expression of MHC isoforms as a function of resistance exercise intensity. In addition, in contrast to results found in previous studies of untrained men, MHC mRNA expression seems to decrease in response to acute resistance exercise in previously resistance-trained men.

Effect of resistance exercise intensity on the expression of PGC-1α isoforms and the anabolic and catabolic signaling mediators, IGF-1 and myostatin, in human skeletal muscle

The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute messenger (mRNA) expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) isoforms, insulin-like growth factor-1Ea (IGF-1Ea), and myostatin in response to 2 resistance exercise intensities. In a uniform-balanced, crossover design, 10 participants performed 2 separate testing sessions involving a lower body resistance exercise component consisting of a lower intensity (50% of 1-repetition maximum; 1RM) protocol and a higher intensity (80% of 1RM) protocol of equal volumes. Muscle samples were obtained at before exercise, 45 min, 3 h, 24 h, and 48 h postexercise. Resistance exercise did not alter total PGC-1α mRNA expression; however, distinct responses of each PGC-1α isoform were observed. The response of each isoform was consistent between sessions, suggesting no effect of resistance exercise intensity on the complex transcriptional expression of the PGC-1α gene. IGF-1Ea mRNA expression significantly increased following the higher intensity session compared with pre-exercise and the lower intensity session. Myostatin mRNA expression was significantly reduced compared with pre-exercise values at all time points with no difference between exercise intensity. Further research is needed to determine the effects of the various isoforms of PGC-1α in human skeletal muscle on the translational level as well as their relation to the expression of IGF-1 and myostatin.

BAIBA Does Not Regulate UCP-3 Expression in Human Skeletal Muscle as a Response to Aerobic Exercise

ABSTRACT Objective: β-Aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA) has shown to modulate uncoupling protein (UCP)-1 expression, which is mainly expressed in white adipose tissue; however, no studies to date have analyzed its potential effect on the main uncoupling protein of skeletal muscle, UCP-3. The main goal of this study was to assess the potential effect of acute aerobic exercise on serum BAIBA and skeletal muscle UCP-3. The secondary goal was to assess the potential involvement of the transcription factors proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) and peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor alpha (PPARα), as well as free fatty acids (FFAs) in UCP-3 expression. A tertiary goal of the study was to evaluate the potential effect of consuming a preexercise meal on the outcome of the first 2 objectives. Methods: In a randomized crossover design, untrained participants performed 2 acute cycling sessions (350 kcal at 70% of their VO2peak) after 2 experimental conditions: (1) consumption of a multi-macronutrient shake and (2) a fasting period of 8 hours. Blood samples were taken at baseline, preexercise, postexercise, 1 hour, and 4 hours postexercise, and muscle biopsies were taken at the last 4 time points. UCP-3 protein concentration and expression, as well as the mRNA expression of PGC-1α and PPARα, were measured in muscle, and BAIBA, glucose, and FFA were measured in serum. Results: Aerobic exercise failed to induce a significant effect on serum BAIBA, PGC-1α, and PPARα regardless on the feeding condition. Despite the lack of effect of exercise on the previous variables, UCP-3 expression and protein concentration significantly increased in the shake condition. Conclusion: The expression of human skeletal muscle UCP-3 as a result of exercise might be controlled by factors other than BAIBA.

Resistance Training–Induced Elevations in Muscular Strength in Trained Men Are Maintained After 2 Weeks of Detraining and Not Differentially Affected by Whey Protein Supplementation

Abstract Hwang, PS, Andre, TL, McKinley-Barnard, SK, Morales Marroquín, FE, Gann, JJ, Song, JJ, and Willoughby, DS. Resistance training–induced elevations in muscular strength in trained men are maintained after 2 weeks of detraining and not differentially affected by whey protein supplementation. J Strength Cond Res 31(4): 869–881, 2017—Resistance training (RT) with nutritional strategies incorporating whey protein intake postexercise can stimulate muscle protein synthesis and elicit hypertrophy. The early phases of training-induced anabolic responses can be attenuated with longer-term training. It is currently unknown if short-term detraining (DT) can restore these blunted anabolic responses during a subsequent retraining (ReT) period. Twenty resistance-trained men (age 20.95 ± 1.23 years; n = 20) were randomized into one of 2 groups (PRO or CHO; 25 g) in a double-blind manner. Participants followed a 4-day per week RT program (4-week RT; 2-week DT; 4-week ReT) while consuming their respective supplement only on workout days during RT and ReT, but every day during DT. At baseline, 4 weeks after RT (post-RT), 2 weeks after DT (post–2-week DT), and after 4 weeks of ReT after DT (post-ReT), leg press strength (LPS) was assessed and rectus femoris cross-sectional area and lean mass changes were assessed by ultrasonography and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, respectively. A factorial 2 × 4 (group by time) analyses of variance with repeated measures were used with a probability level at ⩽0.05. LPS was elevated throughout the 10-week training study (p = 0.003) with no decrease in LPS after DT in both groups. Although not statistically significant, both groups retained lean mass after DT. A 2-week period of DT appeared to retain muscular strength in resistance-trained men. Therefore, a short-term period of DT can potentially retain lower-body strength in young resistance-trained men irrespective of supplementing with 25 g of whey protein postexercise.

Effects of a traditionally-dosed creatine supplementation protocol and resistance training on the skeletal muscle uptake and whole-body metabolism and retention of creatine in males

Background A typical oral creatine supplementation regimen involving a 5-7 day “loading phase” of 20-25 grams/day followed by a “maintenance phase” of 5-7 grams/day is typically considered as necessary to adequately saturate skeletal muscle as a lesser dose of creatine is insufficient in doing so. This rationale also assumes that the majority, if not all, of the creatine ingested at this dosage is fully utilized by skeletal muscle as a phosphate reservoir in which to re-synthesize ATP during high-intensity, short-term exercise. The purpose of this study was simply to determine the effects of this “typical” creatine dosing strategy previously mentioned on skeletal muscle creatine uptake as well as the whole-body metabolism and retention of creatine in males while engaged in resistance training.