Muscles adaptation to aging and training: architectural changes - a randomised trial

Adrien J Létocart, Franck Mabesoone, Fabrice Charleux, Christian Couppé, René B Svensson, Frédéric Marin, S Peter Magnusson, Jean-François Grosset, Adrien J Létocart, Franck Mabesoone, Fabrice Charleux, Christian Couppé, René B Svensson, Frédéric Marin, S Peter Magnusson, Jean-François Grosset

Abstract

Background: To investigate how anatomical cross-sectional area and volume of quadriceps and triceps surae muscles were affected by ageing, and by resistance training in older and younger men, in vivo.

Methods: The old participants were randomly assigned to moderate (O55, n = 13) or high-load (O80, n = 14) resistance training intervention (12 weeks; 3 times/week) corresponding to 55% or 80% of one repetition maximum, respectively. Young men (Y55, n = 11) were assigned to the moderate-intensity strengthening exercise program. Each group received the exact same training volume on triceps surae and quadriceps group (Reps x Sets x Intensity). The fitting polynomial regression equations for each of anatomical cross-sectional area-muscle length curves were used to calculate muscle volume (contractile content) before and after 12 weeks using magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Results: Only Rectus femoris and medial gastrocnemius muscle showed a higher relative anatomical cross-sectional area in the young than the elderly on the proximal end. The old group displayed a higher absolute volume of non-contractile material than young men in triceps surae (+ 96%). After training, Y55, O55 and O80 showed an increase in total quadriceps (+ 4.3%; + 6.7%; 4.2% respectively) and triceps surae (+ 2.8%; + 7.5%; 4.3% respectively) volume. O55 demonstrated a greater increase on average gains compared to Y55, while no difference between O55 and O80 was observed.

Conclusions: Muscle loss with aging is region-specific for some muscles and uniform for others. Equivalent strength training volume at moderate or high intensities increased muscle volume with no differences in muscle volume gains for old men. These data suggest that physical exercise at moderate intensity (55 to 60% of one repetition maximum) can reverse the aging related loss of muscle mass.

Trial registration: NCT03079180 in ClinicalTrials.gov . Registration date: March 14, 2017.

Keywords: Ageing; Anatomical cross-sectional area; Muscle volume; Non-contractile tissue; Resistance training.

Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Regression equations obtained from the muscles of the quadriceps in young (a, c, e, g) and old (b, d, f, h) groups. Values are relative to maximum anatomical cross sectional area (ACSA) and muscle length. 0% of relative length corresponds to distal end (knee proximity) and 100% corresponds to proximal end (hip proximity). a, b: Vastus Lateralis (VL), c, d: Vastus Intermedius (VI), e, f: Vastus Medialis (VM) and g, h: Rectus Femoris (RF)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Comparison of regression equations obtained from the muscles of the quadriceps in young (grey) and old (black) groups. Values are relative to maximum anatomical cross sectional area (ACSA) and muscle length. A: Vastus Lateralis (VL), B: Vastus Intermedius (VI), C: Vastus Medialis (VM) and D: Rectus Femoris (RF); * Significant difference between young and old (p < 0.05)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Regression equations obtained from the muscles of the triceps surae in young (a, c, e) and old (b, d, f) groups. Values are relative to maximum anatomical cross sectional area (ACSA) and muscle length. 0% of relative length corresponds to proximal end (knee proximity) and 100% corresponds to distal end (ankle proximity). a,b: Medial gastrocnemius (MG), c,d: Lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and e,f: Soleus (Sol)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Comparison of Regression equations obtained from the muscles of the triceps surae in young (grey) and old (black) groups. Values are relative to maximum anatomical cross sectional area (ACSA) and muscle length. a: Medial gastrocnemius (MG), b: Lateral gastrocnemius (LG), c: Soleus (Sol); * Significant difference between young and old (p < 0.05)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Quadriceps (a) and triceps surae (b) muscles volumes between old and young groups. Vastus Lateralis (VL), Vastus Intermedius (VI), Vastus Medialis (VM), Rectus Femoris (RF), Quadriceps (Quad), Medial gastrocnemius (MG), Lateral gastrocnemius (LG), Soleus (Sol), Triceps Surae (TS); * Significant difference between young and old (p < 0.05), ** (p < 0.01) and *** (p < 0.001)
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Evolutions of mean anatomical cross sectional areas (ACSA) values relative muscle length for each muscle of quadriceps and triceps surae groups for each training group between pre (grey line) and post training (black dashed line). a,h,o: VL of Y55,O55 and O80 respectively; b,i,p: VI; c,j,q: VM; d,k,r: RF; e,l,s: MG; f,m,t: LG; g,n,u: Sol. Vastus Lateralis (VL), Vastus Intermedius (VI), Vastus Medialis (VM), Rectus Femoris (RF), Medial gastrocnemius (MG), Lateral gastrocnemius (LG), Soleus (Sol); * Significant difference between pre and post training (p < 0.05) and ** (p < 0.01)
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Pre and post muscles volumes for quadriceps (a: Y55, C: O55, e: O80) and triceps surae (b: Y55, d: O55, f: O80) on each training groups. Vastus Lateralis (VL), Vastus Intermedius (VI), Vastus Medialis (VM), Rectus Femoris (RF), Quadriceps (Quad), Medial gastrocnemius (MG), Lateral gastrocnemius (LG), Soleus (Sol), Triceps Surae (TS); * significant difference between pre and post training (p < 0.05), ** (p < 0.01) and *** (p < 0.001)

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