Omega-3 supplementation with resistance training does not improve body composition or lower biomarkers of inflammation more so than resistance training alone in older men.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 3.0 g/d of omega-3 fatty acid (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) supplementation combined with progressive resistance training to improve body composition and lower inflammatory cytokines in older men when compared to placebo and resistance training. We hypothesized that completing a 12-week omega-3 supplementation period along with whole body resistance exercise (3 times/wk) would result in a significantly greater improvement in lean tissue mass as well as a significant decrease in interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α when compared to placebo. A total of 23 older men (≥65 years old) were randomized to an omega-3 supplementation group (n = 11) or placebo group (n = 12), and all the participants completed the same whole body progressive resistance training program. Baseline and 12-week data collection included body composition, muscle strength, functional ability, and inflammatory cytokines. Results indicated a significant main effect for time (all P < .05) for percent body fat (-2.5%), lean tissue mass (+1.1%), lumbar bone mineral density (+1.1%), hip bone mineral content (+1.1%), chest press strength (+31%), leg press strength (+37%), timed-up-and-go (-6.6%), and 6-minute walk distance (+4.5%) from baseline to post 12 weeks. No significant effects were noted for the 2 inflammatory cytokines measured (P > .05). We conclude that progressive resistance training exercise is an excellent method to enhance parameters of body composition, skeletal muscle strength, and functional ability in older men, whereas omega-3 supplementation did nothing to enhance these parameters or influence inflammatory biomarkers.

Systemic IL-6 and Myoglobin Response to Three Different Resistance Exercise Intensities in Older Men.

The purpose of this research was to identify if three different intensities of resistance exercise would acutely and differentially effect the systemic release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and myoglobin in older men (≥65 years). A total of 11 older men performed isovolume resistance exercise on six different apparatuses at three different intensities (144 reps at 60%, 120 reps at 72%, and 108 reps at 80% of 1-repetition maximum), with the intensity order randomly allocated, to determine the systemic release of IL-6 and myoglobin in the blood. Blood samples were collected at six time points, including preexercise, immediately postexercise, and 3, 6, 24, and 48 hr postexercise. There were no differences between intensity levels; therefore, data for all conditions were pooled. IL-6 did not show any change from baseline values throughout all time points (p > .05), whereas myoglobin was elevated at 3, 6, and 24 hr postexercise and returned to baseline after 48 hr (p < .05).