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Contribution of muscle hypertrophy to strength gain after training in elderly

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 Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical
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ISSN: 1025-5842 (Print) 1476-8259 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/gcmb20

Contribution of muscle hypertrophy to strength

gain after training in elderly adults

S. Stragier, S. Baudry, J. R. Poortmans, J. Duchateau & A. Carpentier

To cite this article: S. Stragier, S. Baudry, J. R. Poortmans, J. Duchateau & A. Carpentier

(2015) Contribution of muscle hypertrophy to strength gain after training in elderly adults,
Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 18:sup1, 2062-2063, DOI:
10.1080/10255842.2015.1070593

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 Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 2015
VOL. 18, NO. S1, 2062–2063, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10255842.2015.1070593
Contribution of muscle hypertrophy to strength gain after training in elderly
adults
S. Stragiera,b, S. Baudryb, J. R. Poortmansa, J. Duchateaub and A. Carpentiera
a
Laboratory for Biometry and Exercise Nutrition, Université libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles; bLaboratory of Applied Biology, Université libre de
Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
KEYWORDS Lean body mass; ageing; ultrasonography; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; pennation angle
1. Introduction
Ageing is associated with a progressive decrease in max-
Downloaded by [Archives & Bibliothèques de l'ULB] at 01:52 18 July 2016
imal strength (Clark & Manini 2012), with the loss of
muscle mass being proposed as the main contributor of
such a decrease. However, muscular hypertrophy was
not always associated with strength gain observed after
strength training in elderly adults (Frontera et al. 1988;
Häkkinen et al. 1998), with one study reporting no change
in lean body mass after resistance training in elderly adults
(Bermon et al. 1998). These results question about the rela-
tion between muscle mass and strength in elderly adults.
This study investigated the contribution of muscle
adaptations in maximal strength gain to strength train-
ing in elderly adults. To further determine the effect of
muscle mass on strength gain, two groups of subjects
were designed to receive either a placebo or a protein
supplementation. Indeed, previous study on young men
underscores the relevance of combining essential amino
acids supplementation during strength training in order to
increase muscle mass (Vieillevoye et al. 2010). Our pres-
ent investigation involved the time course of changes of
different variables to further document the relationship
between strength and muscle mass gains.
2. Methods
Thirty five elderly adults (>60 years) completed the study.
Two groups performed a strength training programme
(2 sessions/week) for 24 weeks. One group (n = 13) received
a placebo (27 g carbohydrate), and the other group (n = 12)
received a protein supplementation enriched in leucine
(20 g protein of which 2.5 g of leucine – 7 g of carbohy-
drate). In addition, 10 subjects composed a control group
(no training and placebo). The training session was com-
posed of two strength exercises involving the lower limb
muscles (leg press machine, calf raises on the leg press
CONTACT  S. Stragier  Severine.Stragier@ulb.ac.be   
© 2015 Taylor & Francis
machine). The volume of training began with 30 repetitions
in 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 70% of 1 repetition maximal.
Then, the workload was gradually increased to reach 50
repetitions distributed over 6 sets. The thickness (distance
between superficial and deep aponeuroses) and pennation
angle (angle formed between deep aponeurosis and mus-
cle fascicle) of the gastrocnemius medialis were recorded
by ultrasonography (DP-6900Vet, Shenzhen Mindray
Bio-Medical Electronics) to document changes in muscle
hypertrophy and architecture, respectively. Lean body mass
was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA;
model Discovery, Hologic). The torque of the ankle plantar
flexor muscles was measured during maximal voluntary
contractions (MVC). Excepted for DXA that was only
measured before and after the training periods, all variables
were assessed before, at midterm (12 weeks) and after the
end of training period. The data were analysed by 2-way
ANOVAs (supplement x training) with Tukey post hoc test
when significant main effect or interaction was found.
3.  Results and discussion
There were no statistical differences in the control group
for the variables measured 6 months apart. As the placebo
and supplemented groups exhibited similar changes in
response to training (p > 0.05) for all variables, data from
both groups were pooled together. MVC torque produced
by the plantar flexors increased [+26.9%; p < 0.001] in the
first 12 weeks, whereas it did not change in the second half
of the training period (+2.9%; p > 0.05). Muscle thickness
increased nearly significantly (+3.6%; p = 0.06) and sig-
nificantly (+5.1%; p < 0.05) in the first and second half of
the training period, respectively (Figure 1).
The pennation angle increased during the first (+7.1%;
p < 0.05) and the second half of the training period (+6.4%;
p < 0.05) (Figure 2).
 Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering   2063
Figure 1. Muscle thickness before (pre), after 3 months (mid) and
after 6 months (post) of training (supplementation and placebo
pooled together). *Denotes significant difference with mid
Downloaded by [Archives & Bibliothèques de l'ULB] at 01:52 18 July 2016
(p < 0.05).
Figure 2. Pennation angle before (pre) after 3 months (mid) and
6 months (post) of training (supplementation and placebo pooled
together). *Denotes significant difference with mid (p < 0.05).
A weak negative linear association (r2 = 0.27, p < 0.05)
was found between initial values and the gain in muscle
thickness after training. The lean body mass of the lower
limbs, measured by DXA, increased by 2.1% (p < 0.05)
after 6 months of resistance training. No relationship was
found between the strength gains and the different param-
eters related to muscle mass.
Elderly adults who participated to the strength training
programme exhibited an increase in muscle mass, assessed
by ultrasonography and DXA. The extent of the increase
was similar to those observed previously in elderly adults
(Verdijk et al. 2009), and the gain in muscle thickness was
greater for the subjects with a lesser initial value. These
results indicate that a strength training programme in
elderly adults induces muscle hypertrophy. In contrast
to young adults (Vieillevoye et al. 2010), protein sup-
plementation did not augment the gain in muscle mass.
This suggests a decrease in sensitivity or responsiveness
View publication stats
of intramuscular signalling pathways regulating protein
synthesis compared with younger adults (Breen & Phillips
2011). In the present study, muscle hypertrophy was
less pronounced than the increase in muscle strength.
Muscle strength mainly increased during the first part
of the training programme, whereas muscle hypertro-
phy showed a more progressive change throughout the
whole training period. Furthermore, no correlation
was observed between increases in strength and muscle
mass. These results clearly underscore that, in response to
training sessions, strength gain in elderly adults could be
mainly attributed to other factors than changes in muscle
mass likely involving neural adaptations (Clark & Manini
2012).
4. Conclusions
Although strength training increases maximal strength
capacity of elderly adults, the contribution of muscle
hypertrophy in this increase remains unclear, which sug-
gest that neural adaptations might be a more potent factor
for strength gain in elderly adults. Longer training period
(more than 6 months) could be helpful to further inves-
tigate the contribution of hypertrophy on strength gain
in elderly adults.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Walloon Region of Belgium
(Geramino project C6077). S. Baudry is supported by the FNR/
FNRS, Belgium.
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