Highlighting the effect of reduced training volume on maintaining hormonal adaptations obtained from periodized resistance training in sarcopenic older women

ABSTRACT

Background

This study investigated the impact of the High Intensity Interval Resistance Training (HIIRT) protocol on hormonal changes in older women.

Research design and methods

Forty sarcopenic women were divided into an experimental group (EX = 30) and a control group (C = 10). The EX-group was further divided into Maintenance Training 1 (MT1 = 10), Maintenance Training 2 (MT2 = 10), and Detraining (DT = 10). The participants underwent 8 weeks of resistance training, consisting of hypertrophy and strength cycles. Following this, the EX-group had a 4-week period with no exercise or a reduced training volume. Measurements were taken at three time points.

Results

After 8 weeks, the EX-group showed significant improvements in Insulin Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), Myostatin (MSTN), Follistatin (Fstn), Growth Hormone (GH) and Cortisol (Cort) compared to the control group. During the volume reduction period, there were no significant differences between MT1 and MT2 groups, but both groups saw increases in IGF-1, Fstn, GH, and decreases in MSTN and Cort compared to the DT group.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that performing at least one training session per week with the HIIRT protocol is crucial for maintaining hormonal adaptations in sarcopenic older women.

KEYWORDS:

• Maintenance training
• high intensity interval training
• sarcopenia
• aging
• hypertrophy

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank all those who participated in this research.

Ethics statement

The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences of Anonymized, with the ethics code IR.SUMS.REHAB.REC.1399.013, and was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki

Data availability statement

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

Author contribution statement

Idea, Conceptualization, visualization methodology, investigation, resources, data curation, software, validation, formal analysis, Project Administration and editing, ZA and F.D writing – original draft preparation, A.A.H, and M.A.D.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.