Resistance Training and Capillarization - Role on the Anabolic Response in Older Adults (RECAP)

RESISTANCE TRAINING AND CAPILLARIZATION - ROLE ON THE ANABOLIC RESPONSE IN OLDER ADULTS

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The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how muscle capillaries influence the response to resistance exercise training in older adults. The study will include older men and women who may experience age-related declines in muscle mass and function. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does baseline muscle capillarization influence the increase in muscle size and function following resistance exercise training?
• Can resistance exercise stimulate the formation of new capillaries in older adults with lower baseline capillarization, and how is this related to muscle growth?

Participants will:

• Undergo assessments of muscle structure, capillarization, and physical function before and after the intervention.
• Participate in a supervised resistance exercise training program.
• Provide muscle samples and other physiological measurements to evaluate changes in muscle growth and blood vessel formation.

Researchers will analyze the relationship between baseline muscle capillarization, exercise-induced angiogenesis, and improvements in muscle mass and function to better understand why some older adults respond more effectively to resistance exercise than others.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Older Adults (65 Years and Older)
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercise

Detailed Description

Per la sezione **Detailed Description** di ClinicalTrials.gov conviene essere molto più sintetici rispetto al protocollo operativo, evitando di duplicare dettagli che compariranno in *Arms and Interventions* e *Outcome Measures*.

This randomized clinical trial will investigate the effects of different exercise training strategies on skeletal muscle adaptations in older adults. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three training groups and will complete a supervised 12-week exercise program, consisting of three sessions per week.

The interventions will include different combinations and sequencing of resistance and aerobic exercise during the first 8 weeks of training, followed by a standardized resistance training program during the final 4 weeks. The study is designed to determine whether the timing and type of exercise influence muscle growth, vascular adaptations, and functional outcomes.

Participants will undergo assessments before the intervention and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of training. Measurements will include body composition, muscle size and architecture, muscle strength, aerobic fitness, and physical function. A subgroup of participants may also undergo optional muscle biopsies to evaluate changes in muscle capillarization and biological markers associated with muscle adaptation.

The results will help identify exercise strategies that optimize muscle and vascular adaptations in older adults and improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying individual variability in training responsiveness.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Italy
  • PD
    • Padova, PD, Italy, 35131
      • Nutrition and Exercise Lab, DSB

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 65 years
• Body Mass Index (BMI) >18 and <30 kg/m²
• Stable body weight for at least 3 months prior to enrollment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prediabetes or diabetes according to ADA criteria
• Chronic diseases, including cardiovascular, liver, respiratory diseases, or cancer
• Acute inflammatory conditions, infections, or other clinically significant illnesses
• Regular participation in vigorous physical activity (≥2 sessions per week)
• Current or recent (within the previous 3 months) treatment with steroid medications
• Regular use of protein supplements

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: RRR; Effect of 3 months of progressive resistance training on muscle adaptation in older adults	Other: Exercise; 2 months of different combination of aerobic and resistance training before undergoing to 1 month of resistance training at 80% 1RM
Active Comparator: ARR; Effect of 1 month of aerobic training followed by 2 months of progressive resistance training on muscle adaptation in older adults	Other: Exercise; 2 months of different combination of aerobic and resistance training before undergoing to 1 month of resistance training at 80% 1RM
Active Comparator: RAR; Effect of the combination of 1 month of resistance training followed by 1 month of aerobic training and 1 months of progressive resistance training on muscle adaptation in older adults	Other: Exercise; 2 months of different combination of aerobic and resistance training before undergoing to 1 month of resistance training at 80% 1RM

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
muscle hypertrophy	difference of kilograms of Lean Body Mass from baseline measured by DEXA	3 months
capillary density	change on the number of capillary per muscle fiber measured histochemically trought muscle biopsy.	3 month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Padova

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): May 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 25, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 25, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 25, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: resistance training; muscle hypertrophy; capillary density
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Exercise
• Other Study ID Numbers: RECAP

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No