An interventional study of Inertial Load Cycling Training and Pomegranate Juice in Sarcopenia and Cardiovascular Risk Factor, sponsored by University of Texas at Austin. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 50 Years to 70 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-02-20.
Sponsored by University of Texas at Austin · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
A research study regarding the body's response to several weeks of training using short sprints and pomegranate juice supplementation
The investigators have shown that chronic pomegranate juice consumption in both young untrained and weight-trained men partially protects muscles against the damage done from performing high intensity eccentric contractions and that it accelerates recovery of function. Clearly, skeletal muscle is a target for some of the healthful molecules in pomegranate juice. However, the most widespread and serious ailment to strike skeletal muscle is sarcopenia (e.g.; loss of muscle mass and becoming 'frail') with age due predominantly to a loss of 'fast-twitch' muscle fibers. Since adults rarely sprint or exert maximal force or power, they rarely use their fast-twitch muscle fibers, which thus degenerate greatly with age. Usually, about one-half of a person's muscle fibers are fast-twitch. It is the investigators' hypothesis that the combination of power exercise training and pomegranate juice supplementation (POM) over 10 weeks, will elicit greater improvements in maximal muscular power and functional physical abilities compared to power training with a placebo. The investigators also will identify changes in size and composition of leg muscles (MRI) and of the whole body (DEXA). The investigators simple logic is that muscles deteriorate with age because they are 'turned-off' and that exercise training can turn them 'back-on', but in order for the muscle fibers to fully repair when turned 'back-on' with exercise, they might benefit from agents known to foster repair, such as the natural polyphenols in pomegranate juice. It has recently been found that polyphenols are metabolized into urolithins which improve muscle cell function due to increased mitophagy. The investigators aim to determine if power training and pomegranate juice have additive effects in promoting improvements of muscle function and mass in men and women age 50-70 y.
A second purpose is to include a cardio-metabolic exercise training stimulus into the workout without compromising the efficacy of the power training. One feature of cardio-metabolic training is an increase in muscle mitochondria and oxygen utilization which might improve muscle fiber repair. The 'power training' will consist of maximal effort 4 sec sprints on a cycle ergometer with no added resistance with the only load being that of the inertia of the flywheel as the subject accelerates from 0 to their maximal RPM's while cycling (100-150 RPM)('inertial load ergometer'; ILE). The power training will be accomplished by having the subject complete 15-30 sprints in a 15 min period. During the training bouts, initially the subjects will rest 56 s between sprints (week 1- complete 15 sprints in each15 min bout), and then 41 s between sprints (weeks 2-5 and complete 20 sprints) and finally 26 s between sprints (weeks 6-10 and complete 30 sprints). The shorter rest periods (41 s and 26 s) will result in incomplete recovery of the cardio-respiratory system and thus the oxygen consumption and heart rate will average 50-70% of maximal values, which is a similar intensity as jogging, but without the jarring of foot strike.
Exclusion Criteria:
Exercise training with daily consumption of pomegranate juice containing polyphenols
Other: Inertial Load Cycling Training · Dietary Supplement: Pomegranate Juice
Exercise training with daily consumption of pomegranate juice with polyphenols removed
Other: Inertial Load Cycling Training · Dietary Supplement: Placebo
Each session of training will require a total of 15 min with the total time actually exercising of only 60-120 sec. The first week will consist of performing 15 'sprints' on the ILE, beginning each sprint with 56 sec of rest. During week 2-5, subjects will rest 41 sec between sprints, completing 20 bouts. Finally, during weeks 6-10, subjects will take 26 s rest between sprints and complete 30 bouts).
Also known as: High intensity interval training
Subjects will consume 8oz of pomegranate juice daily for duration of study.
Subjects will consume 8oz of pomegranate juice daily, that has had the polyphenols removed.
Change in muscle volume
Volume of the thigh musculature as determined by MRI analysis.
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in sarcopenia obesity
Intermuscular adipose tissue infiltration as measured by MRI
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in aerobic capacity
VO2 Max on a cycle ergometer
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in anaerobic capacity
The percent of maximal aerobic capacity that a subject can exercise at while not building up blood lactate
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in muscle fatigue
Muscle aerobic stress as measured by near infrared spectroscopy
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in body composition
Fat and fat free regional and total mass as measured by dual x-ray absorptiometry
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in maximal power production
The ability to produce power as determined on the cycle ergometer and measured in watts
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in cardiovascular risk factors
Flow mediated dilation and pulse wave velocity
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in urolithins
The ability to breakdown the beneficial components of pomegranate juice into urolithins is different among individuals
Time frame: Baseline, 2 hrs after consuming first pomegranate or placebo supplement
Change in Microbiome
The change in the gut microbiota as a result of supplementation with pomegranate juice.
Time frame: Baseline, week 10 and week 15
Change in maximal isometric strength
The maximal ability to push against a immovable object as measured in the thigh musculature
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in functional tests of living
Movement tasks specific to the daily life of the elderly
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Change in isokinetic torque
The subject will exert maximal leg extension at two speeds and the maximal torque generated will be quantified
Time frame: Baseline to 11 weeks
Plan to share: No
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University of Texas at Austin