Post by John A. Casler on Oct 7, 2007 12:19:23 GMT -8
The following was taken from a post on the SUPERTRAINING list on Yahoo groups and is from Dr Ralph Giarnella : groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/
The following may be interest to our older readers. It piqued my interest.
Ralph Giarnella MD
Southington Ct USA
Dietary Supplements Strengthen Effects of Exercise for
Seniors
By Crystal Phend, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical
Professor of Medicine, University of California, San
Francisco
October 04, 2007
Review
HAMILTON, Ontario, Oct. 4 -- Creatine and conjugated
linoleic acid supplements may safely boost the effects
of weight-training exercise for older patients,
researchers found.
Men and women ages 65 to 85 on a six-month resistance
exercise training regimen saw a significant gain in
muscle (+2.1 kg, P=0.02) and loss in fat mass (-1.9
kg, P<0.001) while taking the supplements but not
placebo, according to a small trial.
Although exercise training improved functional
capacity and strength in both groups, improvements
were greater with the supplements, reported Mark
Tarnopolsky, M.D., Ph.D., of McMaster University here,
and colleagues, online in PLoS One.
Resistance exercise training has been shown to be an
important measure to combat the body composition
changes that occur with aging, including sarcopenia in
older patients.
"While there is no question that resistance exercise
is the most potent stimulus for the promotion of
strength and fat-free mass gains, adjunctive
strategies to augment these effects may enhance the
overall efficacy of strength training interventions,"
the investigators wrote.
However, the evidence has been inconsistent with how
supplements of creatine monohydrate, which is a
compound found in meat, and with conjugated linoleic
acid, a compound found in dairy products and plant
oils, independently lead to benefit.
So the researchers looked at the two together. They
recruited 19 men and 20 women to a six-month program
of supervised group resistance exercise training on
weight machines twice a week.
Participants were randomized to receive the
combination of creatine (5 g Neotine with 2 g
dextrose/d) and conjugated linoleic acid (6 g of
CLA-ONE) or a placebo with similar taste and
appearance (7 g dextrose with 6 g safflower oil/d).
None of the participants took part in sports or
vigorous exercise more than three times a week before
the study or had done resistance training exercises in
the prior two years. The group was relatively healthy
without heart problems or need for assistive devices
for mobility.
The total "volume" of exercise recorded by
participants was similar between groups during the
program.
After six months, resistance exercise training
increased fat-free mass measured by dual energy x-ray
absorptiometry (DEXA) scan 2.1 kg on average in the
supplement group (P=0.02 versus baseline) compared
with 0.9 kg in the placebo (P=0.06). The difference
between groups was significant for men and women (both
P<0.05).
Fat mass as measured by DEXA scan also improved
significantly in the supplement group (-1.9 kg,
P<0.001) but not in the placebo group (-0.4 kg, P=NS),
with a significant difference between groups for men
and women (both P<0.05).
As might be expected, every measure of muscle strength
increased with exercise training (P<0.05 to P<0.001).
Compared with the placebo group, the supplement group
had a greater increase in isokinetic strength (P<0.05)
and, among women, knee extension strength (P<0.05).
Muscle endurance likewise improved with resistance
training (P<0.0001). The supplement group improvements
were significantly better than those in the placebo
group for chest press and arm flexion (P<0.05) with a
trend for leg press (P=0.077).
There were no differences between groups in the
improvements seen in functional capacity with exercise
training.
Bone mineral density showed little effect from
training in either group, which may reflect blunted
osteogenic response to weight training in older adults
or too short a duration or too low an intensity of
exercise, the researchers said.
They found a "minor" but significant increase in total
and LDL cholesterol with exercise (P<0.05), which may
simply have been the result of normal aging, they
wrote.
As expected because creatine is converted in the body
to creatinine, serum creatinine increased from
baseline only in the supplement group (P<0.05). But,
there was no difference between groups in measured
plasma creatinine clearance, "which we took to
indicate that there were no negative effects on renal
function," Dr. Tarnopolsky and colleagues said.
Nor was there a negative impact on inflammatory
markers C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, insulin
resistance, fasting glucose, or a marker of DNA
oxidative damage (8-OH-2dG).
The lack of clinical or serological side effects was
reassuring, but whether the benefits to body
composition and strength "are maintained in the longer
term is unclear at this point," the researchers
concluded.
The study was funded entirely by the Canadian
Institute of Health Research. The supplements were
provided by Avicena and Pharmanutrients, which
manufacture creatine monohydrate and conjugated
linoleic acid products, respectively.
Dr. Tarnopolsky reported receiving an
investigator-initiated grant from Avicena after
completion of the current study. Dr. Tarnopolsky
reported no receipt of personal money or sponsored
talks for either Avicena or Pharmanutrients.
Additional source: PLoS One
Source reference:
Tarnopolsky M, et al "Creatine Monohydrate and
Conjugated Linoleic Acid Improve Strength and Body
Composition Following Resistance Exercise in Older
Adults" PLoS ONE 2007; 2:e991.
Disclaimer
The information presented in this activity is that of
the authors and does not necessarily represent the
views of the University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine, MedPage Today, and the commercial supporter.
Specific medicines discussed in this activity may not
yet be approved by the FDA for the use as indicated by
the writer or reviewer. Before prescribing any
medication, we advise you to review the complete
prescribing information, including indications,
contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse
effects. Specific patient care decisions are the
responsibility of the healthcare professional caring
for the patient. Please review our Terms of Use.
© 2004-2006 MedPage Today, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
=================================
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/
The following may be interest to our older readers. It piqued my interest.
Ralph Giarnella MD
Southington Ct USA
Dietary Supplements Strengthen Effects of Exercise for
Seniors
By Crystal Phend, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical
Professor of Medicine, University of California, San
Francisco
October 04, 2007
Review
HAMILTON, Ontario, Oct. 4 -- Creatine and conjugated
linoleic acid supplements may safely boost the effects
of weight-training exercise for older patients,
researchers found.
Men and women ages 65 to 85 on a six-month resistance
exercise training regimen saw a significant gain in
muscle (+2.1 kg, P=0.02) and loss in fat mass (-1.9
kg, P<0.001) while taking the supplements but not
placebo, according to a small trial.
Although exercise training improved functional
capacity and strength in both groups, improvements
were greater with the supplements, reported Mark
Tarnopolsky, M.D., Ph.D., of McMaster University here,
and colleagues, online in PLoS One.
Resistance exercise training has been shown to be an
important measure to combat the body composition
changes that occur with aging, including sarcopenia in
older patients.
"While there is no question that resistance exercise
is the most potent stimulus for the promotion of
strength and fat-free mass gains, adjunctive
strategies to augment these effects may enhance the
overall efficacy of strength training interventions,"
the investigators wrote.
However, the evidence has been inconsistent with how
supplements of creatine monohydrate, which is a
compound found in meat, and with conjugated linoleic
acid, a compound found in dairy products and plant
oils, independently lead to benefit.
So the researchers looked at the two together. They
recruited 19 men and 20 women to a six-month program
of supervised group resistance exercise training on
weight machines twice a week.
Participants were randomized to receive the
combination of creatine (5 g Neotine with 2 g
dextrose/d) and conjugated linoleic acid (6 g of
CLA-ONE) or a placebo with similar taste and
appearance (7 g dextrose with 6 g safflower oil/d).
None of the participants took part in sports or
vigorous exercise more than three times a week before
the study or had done resistance training exercises in
the prior two years. The group was relatively healthy
without heart problems or need for assistive devices
for mobility.
The total "volume" of exercise recorded by
participants was similar between groups during the
program.
After six months, resistance exercise training
increased fat-free mass measured by dual energy x-ray
absorptiometry (DEXA) scan 2.1 kg on average in the
supplement group (P=0.02 versus baseline) compared
with 0.9 kg in the placebo (P=0.06). The difference
between groups was significant for men and women (both
P<0.05).
Fat mass as measured by DEXA scan also improved
significantly in the supplement group (-1.9 kg,
P<0.001) but not in the placebo group (-0.4 kg, P=NS),
with a significant difference between groups for men
and women (both P<0.05).
As might be expected, every measure of muscle strength
increased with exercise training (P<0.05 to P<0.001).
Compared with the placebo group, the supplement group
had a greater increase in isokinetic strength (P<0.05)
and, among women, knee extension strength (P<0.05).
Muscle endurance likewise improved with resistance
training (P<0.0001). The supplement group improvements
were significantly better than those in the placebo
group for chest press and arm flexion (P<0.05) with a
trend for leg press (P=0.077).
There were no differences between groups in the
improvements seen in functional capacity with exercise
training.
Bone mineral density showed little effect from
training in either group, which may reflect blunted
osteogenic response to weight training in older adults
or too short a duration or too low an intensity of
exercise, the researchers said.
They found a "minor" but significant increase in total
and LDL cholesterol with exercise (P<0.05), which may
simply have been the result of normal aging, they
wrote.
As expected because creatine is converted in the body
to creatinine, serum creatinine increased from
baseline only in the supplement group (P<0.05). But,
there was no difference between groups in measured
plasma creatinine clearance, "which we took to
indicate that there were no negative effects on renal
function," Dr. Tarnopolsky and colleagues said.
Nor was there a negative impact on inflammatory
markers C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, insulin
resistance, fasting glucose, or a marker of DNA
oxidative damage (8-OH-2dG).
The lack of clinical or serological side effects was
reassuring, but whether the benefits to body
composition and strength "are maintained in the longer
term is unclear at this point," the researchers
concluded.
The study was funded entirely by the Canadian
Institute of Health Research. The supplements were
provided by Avicena and Pharmanutrients, which
manufacture creatine monohydrate and conjugated
linoleic acid products, respectively.
Dr. Tarnopolsky reported receiving an
investigator-initiated grant from Avicena after
completion of the current study. Dr. Tarnopolsky
reported no receipt of personal money or sponsored
talks for either Avicena or Pharmanutrients.
Additional source: PLoS One
Source reference:
Tarnopolsky M, et al "Creatine Monohydrate and
Conjugated Linoleic Acid Improve Strength and Body
Composition Following Resistance Exercise in Older
Adults" PLoS ONE 2007; 2:e991.
Disclaimer
The information presented in this activity is that of
the authors and does not necessarily represent the
views of the University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine, MedPage Today, and the commercial supporter.
Specific medicines discussed in this activity may not
yet be approved by the FDA for the use as indicated by
the writer or reviewer. Before prescribing any
medication, we advise you to review the complete
prescribing information, including indications,
contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse
effects. Specific patient care decisions are the
responsibility of the healthcare professional caring
for the patient. Please review our Terms of Use.
© 2004-2006 MedPage Today, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
=================================
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/