Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 18, 2025
Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
Published on: July 5, 2017
Neither pre-sleep nor post-exercise protein consumption influences resistance exercise training adaptations in older
Alex O Klemp1, Michael J Ormsbee1,2,3,4, Mingchia Yeh5
1Florida State University, Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
Purpose:
Limited data exists that compare pre-sleep versus post-exercise protein intake during resistance exercise training (RET) in older adults. This study examined whether 40 g of protein consumed post-exercise (PRP) or pre-sleep (PSP) enhances muscle thickness (MT) and strength compared to RET alone (RETO) in older men.
Methods:
Thirty untrained older men (65.7 ± 4.0 yrs) completed 12 weeks of supervised RET (2×/week) and were randomized to PRP (n = 9), PSP (n = 11), or RETO (n = 10). MT of the vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and vastus intermedius (VI) and 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) for leg and chest press were assessed at weeks 0, 6, and 12.
Results:
VL (0 to 12 weeks: + 0.16 cm, 95% C.I. [0.06, 0.25]), RF (0 to 12 weeks: + 0.13 cm, 95% C.I. [0.03, 0.23]), and VI MT (0 to 12 weeks: + 0.18 cm, 95% C.I. [0.05, 0.31]) and chest press (0 to 12 weeks: + 10.9 kg, 95% C.I. [5.50, 16.3]) and leg press (0 to 12 weeks: + 28.3 kg, 95% C.I. [19.63, 37.1]) 1-RM increased (p < 0.050) with no group differences.
Conclusion:
Consuming 40 g of protein post-exercise or pre-sleep did not enhance RET-induced improvements in muscle thickness or strength in older adults with adequate baseline protein intake (≥1.0 g/kg/day). RET alone elicited significant gains, emphasizing that adherence to training and meeting daily protein requirements are more critical than timing strategies for untrained older adults. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05922475, 06/23/2023, retrospectively registered.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Exercise and Muscle Performance
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
01:21Overview of Protein Metabolism
Amino acids play various roles in the body once they are absorbed into cells. They are restructured...
01:19The Effect of Aging on Tissues