The Impact of Protein Supplementation on Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage, Soreness and Fatigue Following Prolonged Walking Exercise in Vital Older Adults: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: It is unknown whether protein supplementation can enhance recovery of exercise-induced muscle damage in older adults who have a disturbed muscle protein synthetic response. We assessed whether protein supplementation could attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness after prolonged moderate-intensity walking exercise in older adults. Methods: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study, 104 subjects (81% male, ≥65 years) used either a protein (n = 50) or placebo supplement (n = 54) during breakfast and directly after exercise. Within a walking event, study subjects walked 30/40/50 km per day on three consecutive days. Muscle soreness and fatigue were determined with a numeric rating scale, and creatine kinase (CK) concentrations and serum inflammation markers were obtained. Results: Habitual protein intake was comparable between the protein (0.92 ± 0.27 g/kg/d) and placebo group (0.97 ± 0.23 g/kg/d, p = 0.31). At baseline, comparable CK concentrations were found between the protein and the placebo group (110 (IQR: 84–160 U/L) and 115 (IQR: 91–186 U/L), respectively, p = 0.84). Prolonged walking (protein: 32 ± 9 km/d, placebo: 33 ± 6 km/d) resulted in a cumulative increase of CK in both the protein (∆283 (IQR: 182–662 U/L)) and placebo group (∆456 (IQR: 209–885 U/L)) after three days. CK elevations were not significantly different between groups (p = 0.43). Similarly, no differences in inflammation markers, muscle soreness and fatigue were found between groups. Conclusions: Protein supplementation does not attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage, muscle soreness or fatigue in older adults performing prolonged moderate-intensity walking exercise.

Supplementation with Whey Protein, but Not Pea Protein, Reduces Muscle Damage Following Long-Distance Walking in Older Adults

“…We found that long-distance walking exercise provoked muscle damage, with peak CK levels around 24 h post-exercise in physically active older men and women. The CK increase is in line with a previous study who measured CK release in vital elderly after comparable bout of walking exercise [ 2 ]. Thirteen days of pea protein supplementation did not impact exercise-induced elevations in CK levels, as reflected by comparable CK responses compared to the placebo group.…”

“…Research on the effects of high dosage plant-based protein supplementation in active older adults would add value to this topic. Alternatively, the type of exercise intervention may have played a role since downhill running and eccentric exercise produce greater CK elevations than prolonged walking exercise [ 1 , 2 , 29 , 30 ]. Taken together, 13 days of pea protein supplementation at 25 g per day was insufficient to attenuate the moderate exercise-induced increase in CK levels following prolonged walking in older adults.…”

“…The post-exercise inflammatory response, characterized by muscle damage and elevated plasma levels of creatine kinase (CK), is a normal physiological process that is thought to play a vital role in tissue damage repair and enhancing muscle adaptation [ 1 ]. Older adults exhibit higher levels of muscle damage and a slower recovery rate upon an exercise bout compared to younger adults [ 2 , 3 ], which may hamper them in pursuing an active lifestyle, accelerating sarcopenia [ 4 ].…”

Appreciable biosafety, biocompatibility and osteogenic capability of 3D printed nonstoichiometric wollastonite scaffolds favorable for clinical translation

“…Both groups showed significantly higher CK values 3 days after the operation. In addition, the serum CK level of the nCSi group was lower than that of the blank group, implying that the muscle injury during the operation and postoperative muscle fatigue in the nCSi group were weaker compared with the blank group [ 26 , 27 ]. Though the K + level of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the blank group at 3 and 180 days after surgery, no statistical difference in K + level was found between the baseline (4.50 ± 0.37 mmol/L) and the K + level at 3 (4.54 ± 0.34 mmol/L) or 180 (4.38 ± 0.35 mmol/L) days.…”

Continuous Protein Supplementation Reduces Acute Exercise-Induced Stress Markers in Athletes Performing Marathon

“…Furthermore, a threshold of approximately 20% of energy intake from protein appeared to be necessary to reduce the increase in stress markers to lower levels. Whilst protein supplementation can be beneficial for athletes in relation to protein synthesis and reductions in muscle damage and enhanced recovery of muscle function [ 23 ], recently published RCT’s have nevertheless demonstrated that acute (1–3 days prior of exhausting exercise) [ 24 ], and post-exercise [ 25 , 26 ] protein supplementation is not superior compared to other types of dietary supplementation (e.g., carbohydrate supplementation) in order to attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage or systemic inflammatory processes. However, chronic protein supplementation for at least 1 month prior to an exhausting bout of exercise [ 27 ], which is consistent with the present findings, has been shown to induce beneficial effects on markers of muscle damage and inflammation.…”