ECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH32
INTRODUCTION: Muscle power influences physical performance and health and declines with age. However, it is unclear whether this loss is uniform across the force-velocity relationship (FVR) and whether highly active aging ameliorates it. This study examined neuromuscular power differences in young, middle-aged, older adults, and master athletes. METHODS: A total of 110 participants were categorized into four groups: 27 young adults (YA; 14 men, 13 women; 25±3 years), 30 middle-aged adults (MA;15 men,15 women; 55±1 years), 31 robust older adults (OA;13 men,18 women; 70±4 years), and 23 master athletes (MAT; 10 men,13 women; 69±4 years). The FVR was assessed in the leg press exercise, and a hybrid (linear + hyperbolic) model was applied to obtain F-V and power outcomes (Alcazar et al., 2022). The FVR was segmented into three bands relative to estimated maximal isometric force (F0) normalized to body mass, and areas under the curve (AUC) denoting overall power production (W/kg) were calculated: 0–33% of F0 (AUC_low), 33–66% of F0 (AUC_med), and 66–100% of F0 (AUC_high). Group differences were examined using ANOVA with group and sex as fixed factors, and Cohen’s d was calculated to determine effect sizes (ES). RESULTS: A significant group effect was found for AUC_low (F =47.64; p < 0.001), with higher values in YA (6.76±2.00 W/kg) compared to the other groups, and greater values in MA (4.01±1.19 W/kg) compared to OA (3.08±0.89 W/kg) and MAT (3.90±0.92 W/kg) (all p<0.05). Similar group effects were found for AUC_med (F = 47.02; p <0.001). YA showed higher values (3.17±0.85 W/kg) than the other groups, and MA exhibited higher levels (2.03±0.73 W/kg) than OA (1.51±0.41 W/kg) and MAT (1.96±0.37 W/kg) (all p<0.05). A significant group effect was also reported for AUC_high (F = 46.27; p<0.001). YA showed higher values (1.07±0.29 W/kg) than the other groups, and MA produced higher values (0.69±0.25 W/kg) than OA (0.52±0.11 W/kg) and MAT (0.67±0.13 W/kg) (all p<0.05). No significant differences were found between OA and MAT in any AUC (all p>0.05). ES analyses showed that differences between YA and the rest of the groups were very large (all ES ≥ 1.31). In contrast, differences between MA and OA were moderate (ES = 0.50 to 0.62), whereas those between MA and MAT were classified as trivial (all ES < 0.08). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that aging is associated with a uniform reduction in muscle power across the F–V spectrum, although highly active aging partially attenuates this decline. Funding: CB16/10/00456; CB16/10/00477; 2025-GRIN-38408; TEC 2022-007; SBPLY/19/180501/000312; PI031558, PI07/90637, PI07/90306, RD06/0013, PI18/00972; SBPLY/23/180225/000155 REFERENCES Alcazar J, et al. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2022;122:2305–2313
Read CV David García AlbínECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH32
INTRODUCTION: Lifelong strength training mitigates age-related decline in efferent neural drive. However, if this advantageous adaptation persists into very old age when muscle strength becomes critical for physical function and survival remains unknown. METHODS: Therefore, key neuromuscular strength determinants were compared following a decade in 6 male master athletes (MA; 81±3 yrs at follow-up) and 12 healthy older (OC; 82±5 yrs) controls. RESULTS: Octogenarian MA still exhibited superior leg press maximal strength (+28%, p<0.05) and rate of force development (RFD; +174%, p<0.01) than OC, albeit decreased (p<0.05-0.01) in both groups. Efferent neural drive, assessed by evoked recordings (m.soleus normalized V-waves; Vsup/Msup) during maximal contractions remained unchanged in both groups, extending a higher (+120%, p<0.05) value in MA than OC. Although peripheral motoneuron excitability (at 10% and maximal voluntary contraction [Hmax/Mmax; Hsup/Msup]) was not different between groups, OC experienced a decrease (-44%; -38%; p<0.05). Voluntary activation was not different between MA (89±4%) and OC (83±13%) and remained unaltered. Resting twitch (RT) peak force tended (+46%, p=0.062) to be greater in MA than OC. Other contractility measures were not different and attenuated similarly (RT RFD, -34-36%; rate of force relaxation, -54-60%; time-to-peak, +24%; time-to-relaxation, +44-82%; all p<0.05-0.01) in both groups. Notably, relatively large reductions in thigh cross-sectional area were observed in both groups (MA, 37%; OC, 38%; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, strength training benefits persist into very old age, counteracting age-related reductions in efferent neural drive in the presence of substantial muscle mass loss. This likely has great bearing on muscle strength, physical function, and quality of life.
Read CV Mathias Forsberg BrobakkenECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH32
INTRODUCTION: Endurance running performance reflects a complex interaction of physiological, biomechanical, and sociocultural factors, with biological sex and ageing among the strongest determinants across the lifespan. Emerging evidence also suggests that Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) is increasingly prevalent in both young and master endurance runners. However, it remains unclear how long-term endurance training influences REDs risk, skeletal muscle characteristics, and physiological ageing compared with inactivity. Therefore, the study examined how biological sex and ageing influence physiological performance, skeletal muscle characteristics, bone health, and REDs risk in young and master endurance runners. Secondly, we compared endurance runners with age- and sex-matched inactive controls to determine whether long-term endurance training preserves physiological function and attenuates age-related decline across the lifespan. METHODS: This cross-sectional study protocol examined 80 participants stratified by sex, age (20–35 vs. 65–80 years), and training status into : (1) Young Male Endurance Runners (n=10), (2) Master Male Endurance Runners (n=10), (3) Young Male Age-Matched Controls (n=10), (4) Elderly Male Age-Matched Controls, (5) Young Fe-male Endurance Runners, (6) Master Female Endurance Runners (n=10), (7) Young Female Age-Matched Controls (n=10), and (8) Elderly Female Age-Matched Controls (n=10). Assessments comprised DXA-bone (BMD) based body composition analysis, isometric knee extension dynamometry, blood biomarkers (Insulin, HbA1c, cholesterol, sex hormones, etc.) and cardiorespiratory fitness testing. All groups filled LEAF and LEAM questionnaires. RESULTS: Results As expected, despite the sex, both young and master endurance runners demonstrated higher VO2max and compared with age-matched inactive controls. An effect long-term exercise was visible where all running group have significantly lower serum insulin and HbA1c, despite the sex differences. Yet, no significant changes were observed in the cholesterol. Significant differences were observed in the sex hormones (testosterone, estradiol, HSBG) according to age and sex. Associations between selected objective REDs risk markers and physiological, endocrine, and body composition outcomes were examined using correlation and multivariable regression analyses. CONCLUSION: This study provides deeper insight into how ageing and sex influence endurance physiology and REDs susceptibility, and whether long-term endurance training preserves functional capacity across the lifespan. Surprisingly, inactive young groups were similarly strong at the knee isometric extension as young, trained groups. Similarly, there were no significant differences with elderly trained and inactive group. However. there were observed difference between sexes. Acknowledgement The study was funded by the Slovak Research and Development Agency (Grant no. APVV-21-0164), VEGA 1/0554/24, and VEGA 1/0482/23.
Read CV Ľudmila OreskáECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH32