Anabolic resistance and impaired myocellular quality contribute to age-related sarcopenia,
which exacerbates with obesity. Diet-induced muscle mass loss is attenuated by resistance
or aerobic plus resistance exercise compared to aerobic exercise in obese elderly.
We assessed chronic effects of weight loss plus different exercise modalities on muscle
protein synthesis response to feeding and myocellular quality. Obese older adults
were randomized to weight-management program plus aerobic, resistance or combined
aerobic and resistance exercise or to control. Participants underwent vastus lateralis
biopsies at baseline and 6 months. Muscle protein synthesis rate increased more in
resistance and combined than in control. Autophagy mediators’ expression decreased
more in combined than in aerobic, which experienced a higher increase in inflammation
and mitochondrial regulators’ expression. In obese elderly, combined aerobic and resistance
exercise is superior to either mode independently for improving muscle protein synthesis
and myocellular quality, thereby maintaining muscle mass during weight-loss therapy.
Anabolic resistance and impaired myocellular quality contribute to age-related sarcopenia,
which worsens with obesity. However, weight loss programs can exacerbate sarcopenia.
Colleluori et al., show that during weight-loss therapy, aerobic plus resistance exercise
is more effective than aerobic or resistance exercise alone in improving muscle protein
synthesis and myocellular quality, thereby preserving muscle mass in dieting, obese
older adults.