Daily Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates in Response to Low- and High-Frequency Resistance Exercise Training in Healthy, Young Men

in International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism

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Brandon J. Shad University of Birmingham

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Janice L. Thompson University of Birmingham

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James Mckendry University of Birmingham

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Andrew M. Holwerda Maastricht University Medical Centre

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Yasir S. Elhassan University of Birmingham
Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

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Leigh Breen University of Birmingham
NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre

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Luc J.C. van Loon Maastricht University Medical Centre

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Gareth A. Wallis University of Birmingham

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0274
Keywords:
deuterated water; exercise frequency; muscle protein synthesis; skeletal muscle
First Published Online:
17 Feb 2021
In Print:
Volume 31: Issue 3
Page Range:
209–216
Restricted access

The impact of resistance exercise frequency on muscle protein synthesis rates remains unknown. The aim of this study was to compare daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates over a 7-day period of low-frequency (LF) versus high-frequency (HF) resistance exercise training. Nine young men (21 ± 2 years) completed a 7-day period of habitual physical activity (BASAL). This was followed by a 7-day exercise period of volume-matched, LF (10 × 10 repetitions at 70% one-repetition maximum, once per week) or HF (2 × 10 repetitions at ∼70% one-repetition maximum, five times per week) resistance exercise training. The participants had one leg randomly allocated to LF and the other to HF. Skeletal muscle biopsies and daily saliva samples were collected to determine myofibrillar protein synthesis rates using 2H2O, with intracellular signaling determined using Western blotting. The myofibrillar protein synthesis rates did not differ between the LF (1.46 ± 0.26%/day) and HF (1.48 ± 0.33%/day) conditions over the 7-day exercise training period (p > .05). There were no significant differences between the LF and HF conditions over the first 2 days (1.45 ± 0.41%/day vs. 1.25 ± 0.46%/day) or last 5 days (1.47 ± 0.30%/day vs. 1.50 ± 0.41%/day) of the exercise training period (p > .05). Daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates were not different from BASAL at any time point during LF or HF (p > .05). The phosphorylation status and total protein content of selected proteins implicated in skeletal muscle ribosomal biogenesis were not different between conditions (p > .05). Under the conditions of the present study, resistance exercise training frequency did not modulate daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates in young men.

Shad, Thompson, Mckendry, Breen, and Wallis are with the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom. Holwerda and van Loon are with the Department of Human Biology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Elhassan is with the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; and the Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham, United Kingdom. Breen is also with the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Birmingham, United Kingdom; and the MRC—Versus Arthritis Research UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Wallis (g.a.wallis@bham.ac.uk) is corresponding author.
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