A new study involving mice found supplemental CLA (conjugated linoleic acid and/or Omega-3 in addition to resistance training may enhance both muscle quality and strength even for individuals following a high-fat diet.
Nine month old male mice were randomly divided into five groups:
The first group followed a normal diet
Group two followed a high fat diet
Group three followed a high fat diet while adding resistance training
Group four followed a high fat diet and added CLA/Omega-3
Group five consumed a high fat diet and added CLA/Omega-3 while adding resistance training
The study lasted 20 weeks. Researchers found that the high-fat diet group had a much lower grip strength than the control group, however, the mice in the remaining groups (groups three, four and five) had a much greater grip strength than those in the high fat group. The group with a high fat diet plus resistance training (group three) had a better muscle quality than either the high fat diet group (group two) or the high fat diet group plus CLA/Omega-3 (group four). The muscle protein atrogin 1 was significantly down-regulated” in group five (high fat diet plus CLA/Omega-3 plus resistance training when compared to group four (high fat diet plus CLA/Omega-3. There are clear correlations between the beginnings of muscle atrophy and increases in the muscle proteins atrogin-1 and MuRF-1. Researchers also found the muscle protein MuRF was also reduced in the group on the high fat diet plus resistance program (group three) and the group on the high fat diet plus CLA/Omega-3 plus resistance training (group five).
The overall conclusions of the study found group five (high fat diet plus CLA/Omega-3 plus resistance training) had weakened gene expressions involved in protein degradation. Resistance training led to improvements in both grip strength and muscle quality regardless of whether CLA/Omega-3 supplementation was involved. Improvements in muscle strength and quality due to suppression of protein degradation may occur with CLA/Omega 3 supplementation and resistance training. Further research is needed to substantiate these findings in middle aged women and men.
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