Regular Strength and Sprint Training Counteracts Bone Aging: a 10- year Follow-up in Male Masters Athletes

According to cross-sectional and interventional studies, high-intensity strength and impact-type training provide a powerful osteogenic stimulus even in old age. Longitudinal evidence on the ability of high-intensity training to attenuate age-related bone deterioration is currently lacking, however. This follow-up study assessed the role of continued strength and sprint training on bone aging in 40- to 85-year-old male sprinters (n=69) with long-term training background. pQCT-derived bone structural, strength and densitometric parameters of the distal tibia (5% distal-proximal tibia length) and tibial midshaft (50% length) were assessed at baseline and after 10 years. The groups of well-tra…

Absence of an aging-related increase in fiber type grouping in athletes and non-athletes

The ageing-related loss of muscle mass is thought to be partly attributable to motor neuron loss and motor unit remodelling that result in fibre type grouping. We examined fibre type grouping in 19- to 85-year-old athletes and non-athletes and evaluated to which extent any observed grouping is explained by the fibre type composition of the muscle. Since regular physical activity may stimulate reinnervation, we hypothesised that fibre groups are larger in master athletes than in age-matched non-athletes. Fibre type grouping was assessed in m. vastus lateralis biopsies from 22 young (19-27 years) and 35 healthy older (66-82 years) non-athletes, and 14 young (20-29 years), 51 middle-aged (38%6…

Telomere Length, SIRT1, and Insulin in Male Master Athletes: The Path to Healthy Longevity?

AbstractLower SIRT1 and insulin resistance are associated with accelerated telomere shortening. This study investigated whether the lifestyle of master athletes can attenuate these age-related changes and thereby slow aging. We compared insulin, SIRT1, and telomere length in highly trained male master athletes (n=52; aged 49.9±7.2 yrs) and age-matched non-athletes (n=19; aged 47.3±8.9 yrs). This is a cross-sectional study, in which all data were collected in one visit. Overnight fasted SIRT1 and insulin levels in whole blood were assessed using commercial kits. Relative telomere length was determined in leukocytes through qPCR analyses. Master athletes had higher SIRT1, lower insulin, and l…

Walking and Running Require Greater Effort from the Ankle than the Knee Extensor Muscles.

The knee and ankle extensors as human primary antigravity muscle groups are of utmost importance in a wide range of locomotor activities. Yet, we know surprisingly little about how these muscle groups work, and specifically, how close to their maximal capacities they function across different modes and intensity of locomotion. Therefore, to advance our understanding of locomotor constraints, we determined and compared relative operating efforts of the knee and ankle extensors during walking, running, and sprinting.Using an inverse dynamics biomechanical analysis, the muscle forces of the knee and ankle extensors during walking (1.6 m·s), running (4.1 m·s), and sprinting (9.3 m·s) were quant…

Sport Performance in Master Athletes: Age‐Associated Changes and Underlying Neuromuscular Factors

Greater maintenance of bone mineral content in male than female athletes and in sprinting and jumping than endurance athletes: a longitudinal study of bone strength in elite masters athletes

Abstract Summary We investigated longitudinal changes in tibia bone strength in master power (jumping and sprinting) and endurance (distance) athletes of both sexes. Bone mass but not cross-sectional moment of inertia was better maintained in power than endurance athletes over time, particularly in men and independent of changes in performance. Objective Assessment of effects of sex and athletic discipline (lower limb power events, e.g. sprint running and jumping versus endurance running events) on longitudinal changes in bone strength in masters athletes. Methods We examined tibia and fibula bone properties at distal (4% distal-proximal tibia length) and proximal (66% length) sites using p…

Sprint and Strength Training Modulates Autophagy and Proteostasis in Aging Sprinters

Purpose Exercise and aging may modulate muscle protein homeostasis and autophagy, but few studies examine highly-trained middle-aged or older individuals. This study elucidated the effects of a new long-term training stimulus on markers of muscle autophagy and unfolded protein response (UPR) and on sprint running performance in masters sprinters. Methods Thirty-two male competitive sprinters (aged 40–76 years) were randomly divided into experimental (EX) and control (CTRL) groups. The EX training program was a combination of heavy and explosive strength and sprint exercises aimed at improving sprint performance. Fifteen and thirteen participants completed the 20-week intervention period in …

Bone Density, Structure and Strength, and Their Determinants in Aging Sprint Athletes

This study was undertaken to examine bone properties in masters sprinters of different ages and younger reference subjects. In addition, the association of sport-specific ground reaction force, muscle, training, and hormone characteristics with the bone parameters was evaluated in the athletes.Bone densitometric, structural, and strength parameters were assessed by peripheral quantitative computed tomography at the distal and midtibia in 83 male sprinters (40-85 yr) and 19 physically active referents (31-45 yr). Between-group differences were analyzed by ANCOVA with body mass and height as covariates.Bone values were generally greater in athletes than referents, the greatest differences bei…

Declining Physical Performance Associates with Serum FasL, miR-21, and miR-146a in Aging Sprinters.

Aging is associated with systemic inflammation and cellular apoptosis accelerating physiological dysfunctions. Whether physically active way of life affects these associations is unclear. This study measured the levels of serum inflammatory and apoptotic molecules, their change over 10 years, and their associations with physical performance in sprint-trained male athletes. HsCRP, cell counts, HGB, FasL, miR-21, and miR-146a were measured cross-sectionally (n=67, 18–90 yrs) and serum FasL, miR-21, and miR-146a and their aging-related associations with physical performance were assessed over a 10-year follow-up (n=49, 50–90 yrs). The cross-sectional study showed positive age correlations for …

Relation between muscle mass, motor units and type of training in master athletes.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to measure the number of motor units and muscle mass in power-trained and endurance-trained master athletes compared with community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Seventy-five master athletes (52 power- and 23 endurance-trained athletes) were recruited at the 2012 European Veteran Athletics Championships in Zittau (Germany). One hundred and forty-nine community-dwelling older adults served as controls. In all participants, the motor unit number index (MUNIX) in the hypothenar muscle and whole body muscle mass was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). RESULTS: In both male and female master athletes, there were significant negative correl…

Biomechanical and skeletal muscle determinants of maximum running speed with aging.

Purpose: Aging diminishes the ability to run fast, but the specific mechanisms responsible for this deterioration remain largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the age-related decline in sprint running ability through a cross-sectional examination of biomechanical and skeletal muscle characteristics in 77 competitive male sprinters aged 17-82 yr. Methods: Ground reaction force (GRF) and kinematic stride cycle parameters were measured during the maximum-velocity phase using a 9.4-m-long force platform. Knee extensor (KE) and ankle plantar flexor (PF) structural characteristics were investigated using ultrasonography and muscle biopsies (vastus lateralis). Force production cha…

Stock market information and the relationship between real exchange rate and real interest rates

In this paper we propose to augment the traditional relationship between real exchange rates and real interest rates (RERI) by adding the stock market equilibrium condition to it. We introduce the relative dividend yield as the new information variable. In the empirical analysis we use recent monthly observations from the U.K., Japan, Canada and Eurozone, all relative to the U.S. We show that the introduction of stock market information is highly relevant for the functioning of the RERI hypothesis. Based on the results from the cointegration analysis the role of relative stock market performance is especially important in the short- term (3 month) horizon, where the augmented RERI represent…

Which muscles compromise human locomotor performance with age?

Ageing leads to a progressive decline in human locomotor performance. However, it is not known whether this decline results from reduced joint moment and power generation of all lower limb muscle groups or just some of them. To further our understanding of age-related locomotor decline, we compare the amounts of joint moments and powers generated by lower limb muscles during walking (self-selected), running (4 m s −1 ) and sprinting (maximal speed) among young, middle-aged and old adults. We find that age-related deficit in ankle plantarflexor moment and power generation becomes more severe as locomotion change from walking to running to sprinting. As a result, old adults generate more pow…

Diffusion capacity of the lung in young and old endurance athletes

Lung diffusion capacity (D LCO) declines with age. A significant proportion of older endurance athletes develop exercise-induced hypoxemia (SaO2<95%). We hypothesised that master endurance athletes have a lower D LCO than age-matched non-athletes. We recruited 33 control (16 young; 17 old) and 29 male endurance athletes (13 young; 16 old) during the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships, 2012 (Jyvaskyla, Finland). To measure D LCO the participant exhaled to residual volume and then quickly inhaled to ≥ 90% total lung capacity from a gas source with 0.3% carbon monoxide. The D LCO and transfer coefficient (K CO) were corrected for the actual haemoglobin concentration. Spirometric func…

Ankle and knee extensor muscle effort during locomotion in young and older athletes : Implications for understanding age-related locomotor decline

AbstractAge-related reduction in muscle force generation capacity is similarly evident across different lower limb muscle groups, yet decline in locomotor performance with age has been shown to depend primarily on reduced ankle extensor muscle function. To better understand why ageing has the largest detrimental effect on ankle joint function during locomotion, we examined maximal ankle and knee extensor force development during a two-leg hopping test in older and young men, and used these forces as a reference to calculate relative operating efforts for the knee and ankle extensors as participants walked, ran and sprinted. We found that, across locomotion modes in both age groups, ankle ex…

Triceps surae muscle-tendon properties in older endurance- and sprint-trained athletes

Previous studies have shown that aging is associated with alterations in muscle architecture and tendon properties (Morse CI, Thom JM, Birch KM, Narici MV. Acta Physiol Scand 183: 291–298, 2005; Narici MV, Maganaris CN, Reeves ND, Capodaglio P. J Appl Physiol 95: 2229–2234, 2003; Stenroth L, Peltonen J, Cronin NJ, Sipila S, Finni T. J Appl Physiol 113: 1537–1544, 2012). However, the possible influence of different types of regular exercise loading on muscle architecture and tendon properties in older adults is poorly understood. To address this, triceps surae muscle-tendon properties were examined in older male endurance (OE, n = 10, age = 74.0 ± 2.8 yr) and sprint runners (OS, n = 10, age…

Age and sex differences in blood lactate response to sprint running in elite master athletes.

The effect of age and sex on anaerobic glycolytic capacity in master athletes is currently unclear. To study this issue, we determined blood lactate concentrations after competitive sprint running in male and female master athletes of different age. Eighty-one men (40-88 yrs) and 75 women (35-87 yrs) participating in the sprint events (100-m, 200-m, 400-m) in the European Veterans Athletics Championships were studied. Blood samples were taken from the fingertip and analysed for peak lactate concentration ([La]bpeak). The [La]bpeak following 100-m to 400-m races showed a curvilinear decline (p &lt;  0.001-0.05) with age in both men and women. However, the age related differences in the [La]b…

Effects of combined strength and sprint training on regulation of muscle contraction at the whole-muscle and single-fibre levels in elite master sprinters

The aims of this study were to investigate the mechanisms underlying (1) the ageing-related motor handicap at the whole muscle, cellular, contractile protein and myonuclear levels; and (2) ageing-related differences in muscle adaptability.In vivo muscles function was studied in the knee extensors. Decreases were observed in isokinetic and isometric torque outputs in old age in the sedentary men and women and elite master sprinters. A 20-week long specific sprint and resistance training successfully improved the maximal isometric force and rate of force development in a subgroup of master sprinters.In vitro measurements were performed in muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle. Immu…

Similar relative decline in aerobic and anaerobic power with age with in elite endurance and power master athletes of both sexes

Lower physical activity levels in old age are thought to contribute to the age-related decline in peak aerobic and anaerobic power. Master athletes maintain high levels of physical activity with advancing age and endurance or power training may influence the extent to which these physical functions decline with advancing age. To investigate, 37-90-year-old power (n=20, 45% female) and endurance (n=19, 58% female) master athletes were recruited. Maximal aerobic power was assessed when cycling two-legged (VO2 Peak2-leg ) and cycling one-legged (VO2 Peak1-leg ), while peak jumping (anaerobic) power was assessed by a countermovement jump. Men and women had a similar VO2 Peak2-leg (mL·kg-1 ·min-…

Age-Related Differences in 100-m Sprint Performance in Male and Female Master Runners

This study was undertaken to investigate age-related differences in the velocity and selected stride parameters in male and female master sprinters and to determine which stride characteristics were related to the overall decline in the performance of the 100 m with age.The performances of 70 finalists (males 40-88 yr, females 35-87 yr) at the European Veterans Athletics Championships were recorded using two high-speed cameras (200 Hz) with a panning video technique and distance markers at 10-m intervals. Velocity, stride length (SL), stride rate (SR), ground contact time (CT), and flight time (FT) during the acceleration, peak velocity, and deceleration phases of the 100-m race were determ…

Concurrent strength and sprint training increases resting metabolic rate in masters road cyclists

High-intensity concurrent sprint and strength training has been shown to provide a strong physiological training stimulus in young adult endurance athletes. However, the effect in veteran endurance athletes remains unknown. This study examined if replacing a portion of endurance training with concurrent sprint and strength training influenced resting metabolic rate (RMR) and lean mass (LM) in veteran endurance cyclists. Eighteen well-trained male veteran road cyclists (55.2 ± 8.4 years; 7.9 ± 1.1 training hrs/wk; 323 ± 53 Wpeak) were allocated to a concurrent strength and sprint training group (CT, n = 9) or control group (CON, n = 9). The CT group completed a 12-weeks of sprint and strengt…

Effects of a 20-week high-intensity strength and sprint training program on tibial bone structure and strength in middle-aged and older male sprint athletes: a randomized controlled trial.

This randomized, controlled, high-intensity strength and sprint training trial in middle-aged and older male sprint athletes showed significant improvements in mid-tibial structure and strength. The study reveals the adaptability of aging bone, suggesting that through a novel, intensive training stimulus it is possible to strengthen bones during aging. High-load, high-speed and impact-type exercise may be an efficient way of improving bone strength even in old age. We evaluated the effects of combined strength and sprint training on indices of bone health in competitive masters athletes, who serve as a group of older people who are likely to be able to participate in vigorous exercise of th…

What Makes a 97-Year-Old Man Cycle 5,000 km a Year?

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Background:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest issues in the study of longevity, health and successful aging. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Objective:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; We present a 97-year-old man (I.K.) as an example of the effects of habitual exercise on the aging process. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Extensive assessments included medical examinations, interviews, musculoskeletal structure, performance characteristics, cognitive function and gut microbiota composition. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; I.K. suffers from iatrogenic hypogonadism, prostate cancer, hypothyroidism and a history of deep popliteal th…

Sprint and endurance training in relation to redox balance, inflammatory status and biomarkers of aging in master athletes

Purpose: Studies have shown a positive influence of intense athletic training on several biomarkers of aging, but it remains unclear whether this influence is dependent of exercise-training-mode. This study compared redox balance, cytokine levels and biomarkers of aging between master sprinters and endurance athletes, as well as in young and middle-aged individuals as controls. Methods: Participants were male master sprinters (SA, 50±8.9yrs; n=13) and endurance runners (EA, 53±8.2yrs; n=18) with remarkable athletic experience (∼25yrs of practice), besides untrained young (YC, 22.7±3.9yrs; n=17) and age-matched controls (MC, 45.5±9.8yrs; n=12). Anamnesis, anthropometrics, biomarkers of aging…

The Individual-level Productivity Costs of Physical Inactivity

Abstract Purpose: This study estimated the long-term individual-level productivity costs of physical inactivity. Methods: The data were drawn from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, to which the productivity cost variables (sick leaves and disability pensions) from Finnish registries were linked. Individuals (N = 6261) were categorized into physical activity groups based on their level of physical activity, which was measured in three ways: 1) self-reported leisure-time moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) at 46 yr old, 2) longitudinal self-reported leisure-time MVPA at 31–46 yr old, and 3) accelerometer-measured overall MVPA at 46 yr old. The human capital approach…

Aging, muscle fiber type, and contractile function in sprint-trained athletes

Biopsy samples were taken from the vastus lateralis of 18- to 84-yr-old male sprinters ( n = 91). Fiber-type distribution, cross-sectional area, and myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform content were identified using ATPase histochemistry and SDS-PAGE. Specific tension and maximum shortening velocity ( Vo) were determined in 144 single skinned fibers from younger (18–33 yr, n = 8) and older (53–77 yr, n = 9) runners. Force-time characteristics of the knee extensors were determined by using isometric contraction. The cross-sectional area of type I fibers was unchanged with age, whereas that of type II fibers was reduced ( P &lt; 0.001). With age there was an increased MHC I ( P &lt; 0.01) and re…

Longitudinal associations of high‐volume and vigorous‐intensity exercise with hip fracture risk in men

Maintenance of vigorous exercise habits from young to old age is considered protective against hip fractures, but data on fracture risk in lifelong vigorous exercisers are lacking. This longitudinal cohort study examined the hazard of hip fractures in 1844 male former athletes and 1216 population controls and in relation to exercise volume and intensity in later years. Incident hip fractures after age 50 years were identified from hospital discharge register from 1972 to 2015. Exercise and covariate information was obtained from questionnaires administered in 1985, 1995, 2001, and 2008. Analyses were conducted using extended proportional hazards regression model for time-dependent exposures…

Effects of Combined Strength and Sprint Training on Lean Mass, Strength, Power and Sprint Performance in Masters Road Cyclists

Del Vecchio, L, Stanton, R, Reaburn, P, Macgregor, C, Meerkin, J, Villegas, J, and Korhonen, MT. Effects of combined strength and sprint training on lean mass, strength, power, and sprint performance in masters road cyclists. J Strength Cond Res 33(1): 66-79, 2019-Strength and sprint-training exercises are integral part of training in many younger endurance cyclists to improve cycling efficiency and sprinting ability. This study was undertaken to examine whether muscle and performance characteristics could be improved in endurance-trained masters cyclist by adding strength and sprint-training stimuli into their training regimen. Twenty-five masters road cyclists were assigned to a combined …

Age-Related Declines in Lower Limb Muscle Function are Similar in Power and Endurance Athletes of Both Sexes : A Longitudinal Study of Master Athletes

The age-related decline in muscle function, particularly muscle power, is associated with increased risk of important clinical outcomes. Physical activity is an important determinant of muscle function, and different types of physical activity e.g. power-based versus endurance-based exercise appear to have differential effects on muscle power. Cross-sectional studies suggest that participation in power-based exercise is associated with greater muscle power across adulthood but this has not been investigated longitudinally. We recruited eighty-nine male and female power and endurance master athletes (sprint and distance runners respectively, baseline age 35–90y). Using jumping mechanography,…

Does Longer Leukocyte Telomere Length and Higher Physical Fitness Protect Master Athletes From Consequences of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Infection?

Relationship between inflammatory biomarkers and testosterone levels in male master athletes and non-athletes.

Background Aging is often associated with low-grade systemic inflammation and reduced anabolic hormone levels. To investigate whether lifelong exercise training can decrease the age-related low-grade inflammation and anabolic hormone levels, we examined hormonal and inflammatory parameters among highly-trained male masters athletes and age-matched non-athletes. Methods From 70 elite power and endurance master athletes – EMA (51.3 ± 8.0 yr), 32 young controls - YC (23.7 ± 3.9 yr) and 24 untrained age-matched controls - MAC (47.2 ± 8.0 yr) venous blood was drawn to measure inflammatory parameters (interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α] and interleukin-10 [IL-10]) and circulatin…

Factors contributing to the variability in muscle ageing

a b s t r a c t Ageing is accompanied with a progressive loss of muscle mass and force generating capacity. Ultimately, the muscle wasting and weakness may dramatically impact on mobility and the quality of life, where the elderly has increasing problems with performing activities of daily life, such as rising from a chair or climbing stairs. The rate of structural and functional deterioration of muscle appears to vary considerably between people. Part of the variation in the 'rate of muscle ageing' is attributable to genetic factors, the timing of changes in circulating hormones and the presence or absence of chronic low-grade systemic inflammation. Where an individual cannot change much i…

Effect of concurrent resistance and sprint training on body composition and cardiometabolic health indicators in masters cyclists

In older previously sedentary individuals endurance training imposes a more effective stimulus to enhance cardiometabolic health compared with resistance or sprint training. We examined the effect of replacing a portion of endurance training with combined resistance and/or sprint training and how this influences cardiometabolic health indicators in masters endurance cyclists. Twenty-seven well-trained male road cyclists (53.7± 8.2 years) were allocated to a resistance and track sprintcycling training group (RTC, n= 10), an endurance and track sprint-cycling group (ETC, n = 7) or a control endurance group (CTRL, n = 10). Both the RTC and ETC groups completed a 12-week intervention of specifi…

Variability and Symmetry of Force Platform Variables in Maximum-Speed Running in Young and Older Athletes

Eighteen young (23 ± 4 yr) and 25 older (70 ± 4 yr) male sprinters were examined for ground reaction force (GRF) and temporal-spatial variables. The data were collected during maximum-speed phase, and variability and symmetry indices were calculated from a total of 8 steps. There was little variation (CV &lt; 6%) in vertical and resultant GRF and kinematic variables, while impact loading had high variability (CV: 10–21%). Overall, the pattern of variability was similar in both groups. Yet, a small but significant age-related increase in CV was evident in horizontal GRFs. There was a variable-specific asymmetry between legs but it was not related to leg dominance. No age differences existed …

Whole body frontal plane mechanics across walking, running, and sprinting in young and older adults

This study investigated the whole body frontal plane mechanics among young (26 ± 6 years), early old (61 ± 5 years), and old (78 ± 4 years) adults during walking, running, and sprinting. The age-groups had similar walking (1.6 m/s) and running (4.0 m/s) speeds, but different maximal sprinting speed (young 9.3 m/s, early old 7.9 m/s, and old 6.6 m/s). Surprisingly, although the old group exerted much lower vertical ground reaction force during running and sprinting, the hip frontal plane moment did not differ between the age-groups. Kinematic analysis demonstrated increased hip adduction and pelvis drop, as well as reduced trunk lateral flexion among old adults, especially during sprinting. …

An evaluation of a 2-km walking test in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Did the Finnish depression of the early 1990s have a silver lining? : The effect of unemployment on long-term physical activity

This paper studies the impact of long-term unemployment on physical activity. We examined the effects 6 and 15 years following a severe business cycle downturn in Finland over the period 1991–1994. The study sample comprised residents of Northern Finland. The unemployed individuals were 23–26 years old during the downturn. Physical activity, measured by MET minutes and meeting WHO guidelines, was higher 15 years later among those people who experienced the longest periods of unemployment in 1991–1994. Physical activity was somewhat lower among people with relatively shorter periods of unemployment. peerReviewed