Effects of milk product intake on thigh muscle strength and NFKB gene methylation during home-based interval walking training in older women: A randomized, controlled pilot study

Abstract

BackgroundMuscle atrophy with aging is closely associated with chronic systemic inflammation and lifestyle-related diseases. In the present study, we assessed whether post-exercise milk product intake during 5-month interval walking training (IWT) enhanced the increase in thigh muscle strength and ameliorated susceptibility to inflammation in older women.MethodsSubjects [n = 37, 66±5 (standard deviation) yrs] who had been performing IWT for >6 months participated in this study. They were randomly divided into the following 3 groups: IWT alone (CNT, n = 12), IWT + low-dose post-exercise milk product intake (LD, n = 12; 4 g protein and 3 g carbohydrate) or IWT + a 3-times higher dose of milk product intake than the LD group (HD, n = 13). They were instructed to repeat ≥5 sets of fast and slow walking for 3 min each at ≥70% and 40% peak aerobic capacity for walking, respectively, per day for ≥4 days/week.ResultsAfter IWT, thigh muscle strength increased in the HD group (8±2%) more than in the CNT group (-2±3%, P = 0.022), despite similar IWT achievements between the groups (P>0.15). Pyrosequencing analysis using whole blood showed that methylation of NFKB1 and NFKB2, master genes of inflammation, was enhanced in the HD group (29±7% and 44±11%, respectively) more than in the CNT group (-20±6% and -10±6%, respectively; P<0.001). Moreover, the genome-wide DNA methylation analysis showed that several inflammation-related genes were hyper-methylated in the HD group compared with that in the CNT group, suggesting greater pro-inflammatory cytokine gene suppression in the HD group.ConclusionHD milk product intake after exercise produced a greater percent increase in thigh muscle strength and NFKB1 and NFKB2 gene methylation during IWT in physically active older women.Trial registrationUMIN-CTR No. UMIN000024544 and No. UMIN000024912

Biochemical Pathways of Sarcopenia and Their Modulation by Physical Exercise: A Narrative Review

“…Physical exercise is typically distinguished in endurance training (ET), which involves low-resistance work for protracted periods of time, and RT, characterized by more powerful movements of shorter duration ( 26 ). Both exercise regimens act on most signaling pathways involved in sarcopenia ( 27 ), including the IGF-1/Akt/mTOR axis ( 28 – 30 ), FoxOs ( 31 , 32 ), NF-κB ( 33 , 34 ), MAPKs ( 35 , 36 ), mitochondrial quality control processes ( 37 ), and apoptosis ( 38 – 40 ). The following subsections summarize the specific effects of ET and RT on such pathways (Figure 2 ).…”

Habitual Light-intensity Physical Activity and ASC Methylation in a Middle-aged Population

“…The methylation levels of NFkB2 were significantly increased after an interval walking training program in older subjects [28]. Moreover, the beneficial increase in the NFkB2 (as well as NFkB1) methylation through the same exercise regimen was enlarged by the intake of milk product immediately after the completion of each exercise session [29]. Based on these reports, it may be intriguing to further investigate whether the NFkB methylation status is affected by habitual PA (particularly LPA) or whether there is an interaction between PA and the intake of milk products on the NFkB methylation in a large general population, like the current middle-aged cohort.…”

Normal/high-fat milk consumption is associated with higher lean body and muscle mass in Japanese women aged between 40 and 60 years: a cross-sectional study

“…Milk is known to contain various nutrients that support myogenesis, which was exemplified in a recent study of elderly women showing that high dose of milk product intake after exercise increased thigh muscle strength [ 13 ]. In our analysis, there was a difference between normal/high-fat milk and low-fat milk in terms of the relationship between their intake and the muscle and lean body mass, which led us to focus on vitamin D, a fat-soluble and myotropic nutrient.…”

“…Milk is also rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), which suppress protein degradation and facilitates the protein synthesis of muscles [ 12 ]. Recently, high dose of milk product intake after exercise was reported to increase thigh muscle strength possibly through NFKB1 and NFKB2 gene methylation in elderly women [ 13 ]. However, little is known about the association between daily milk consumption and the body composition in middle-aged women.…”