Effect of small-sided team sport training and protein intake on muscle mass, physical function and markers of health in older untrained adults: A randomized trial

Jacob Vorup, Mogens Theisen Pedersen, Lena Kirchner Brahe, Pia Sandfeld Melcher, Joachim Meno Alstrøm, Jens Bangsbo, Jacob Vorup, Mogens Theisen Pedersen, Lena Kirchner Brahe, Pia Sandfeld Melcher, Joachim Meno Alstrøm, Jens Bangsbo

Abstract

The effect of small-sided team sport training and protein intake on muscle mass, physical function, and adaptations important for health in untrained older adults was examined. Forty-eight untrained older (72±6 (±standard deviation, SD) years men and women were divided into either a team sport group ingesting a drink high in protein (18 g) immediately and 3 h after each training session (TS-HP, n = 13), a team sport group ingesting an isocaloric drink with low protein content (3 g; TS-LP, n = 18), or a control group continuing their normal activities (CON, n = 17). The team sport training was performed as ~20 min of small-sided ball games twice a week over 12 weeks. After the intervention period, leg muscle mass was 0.6 kg higher (P = 0.047) in TS-HP, with no effect in TS-LP. In TS-HP, number of sit-to-stand repetitions increased (1.2±0.6, P = 0.054), time to perform 2.45 m up-and-go was lower (0.7±0.3 s, P = 0.03) and number of arm curl repetitions increased (3.5±1.2, P = 0.01), whereas in TS-LP only number of repetitions in sit-to-stand was higher (1.6±0.6, P = 0.01). In TS-LP, reductions were observed in total and abdominal fat mass (1.2±0.5 and 0.4±0.2 kg, P = 0.03 and P = 0.02, respectively), heart rate at rest (9±3 bpm, P = 0.002) and plasma C-reactive protein (1.8±0.8 mmol/L, P = 0.03), with no effects in TS-HP. Thus, team sport training improves functional capacity of untrained older adults and increases leg muscle mass only when ingesting proteins after training. Furthermore, team sport training followed by intake of drink with low protein content does lower fat mass, heart rate at rest and level of systemic inflammation.

Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov NCT03120143.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: In the present study, protein drinks were provided by Nestlé Health Science. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Fig 1. Consort flow diagram of the…
Fig 1. Consort flow diagram of the three study groups.
TS-HP, the team sport and high protein group; TS-LP, the team sport and low protein group.
Fig 2
Fig 2
Sit to stand (A), arm curls (B), 2.45 m up-and-go (C), and thigh maximal voluntary contraction (D) before (black bars) and after (grey bars) the 12-week intervention period for the team sport and high protein (TS-HP, n = 13), team sport and low protein (TS-LP, n = 18 except for D, n = 16), and the control group (CON, n = 17 except for D, n = 16). Data are presented as means ± SD. *Significant effect compared to CON, based on the ANCOVA model with adjustment for baseline outcome, age and gender.
Fig 3
Fig 3
Total muscle mass (A), leg muscle mass (B), and arm muscle mass (C) before (black bars) and after (grey bars) the 12-week intervention period for the team sport and high protein (TS-HP, n = 13), team sport and low protein (TS-LP, n = 18) and the control group (CON, n = 17). Data are presented as means ± SD. *Significant effect compared to CON, based on the ANCOVA model with adjustment for baseline outcome, age and gender.
Fig 4
Fig 4
Total fat mass (A) and abdominal fat mass (B) before (black bars) and after (grey bars) the 12-week intervention period for the team sport and high protein (TS-HP, n = 13), team sport and low protein (TS-LP, n = 18) and the control group (CON, n = 17). Data are presented as means ± SD. *Significant effect compared to CON, based on the ANCOVA model with adjustment for baseline outcome, age and gender.
Fig 5
Fig 5
Heart rate at rest (A) and heart rate during walking (B) before (black bars) and after (grey bars) the 12-week intervention period for the team sport and high protein (TS-HP, n = 13 except for B, n = 12), team sport and low protein (TS-LP, n = 18 except for B, n = 16) and the control group (CON, n = 17 except for B, n = 16). Data are presented as means ± SD. *Significant effect compared to CON, based on the ANCOVA model with adjustment for baseline outcome, age and gender.

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