EXERCISE, NUTRITION, AND SARCOPENIA IN OLDER ADULTS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Nutrition and resistance exercise training can be useful in maintaining and increasing muscle mass in the elderly. However, some studies suggest that when carbohydrates are ingested with protein, muscle protein synthesis may be blunted in older individuals whereas when the amino acids are ingested alone, synthesis is normal. The specific aims are: 1) To determine which signaling pathways are responsible for the blunted response of muscle protein synthesis associated with mixed meal (protein and sugar) ingestion in aging. 2) To determine if a 12-week water-based exercise training program (utilizing both aerobic and resistance exercises) will restore the response of mixed meal (protein and sugar) ingestion in older subjects. In young healthy males and females between the ages of 18-40 years and older healthy males and females 60-85 years of age we will measure the response of ingestion protein and sugar. The older subjects will then perform 12 weeks of water based exercise 3 x/week for one hour. We will then measure the older subjects' response to ingesting protein and sugar after the 12 weeks of water exercise. We will measure the signaling pathways (mTOR) and fractional synthetic rate of muscle protein synthesis in all subjects at rest and after ingesting the protein and sugar solution. In the older subjects we will also measure the type and amount of food they eat throughout the study period.