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Increasing Mitochondrial Function on Skeletal Muscle Performance in Older Men

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Impaired Mitochondrial Function, Muscle Performance
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Acipimox
Dietary Supplement: placebo
Registration Number
NCT02792621
Lead Sponsor
Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
Brief Summary

As people grow older skeletal muscle gradually becomes smaller and weaker, causing reduced mobility and quality of life. To understand and reverse this negative process investigators need to find new ways of improving the ability of muscle to perform physical activity. There is some evidence that supplements may improve how the mitochondria work, and investigators want to explore this idea in more detail, by measuring how the muscles work and respond to exercise before and after taking the supplement. This will give us the basic information investigators would need to see if this is a useful idea.

Detailed Description

A defining feature of ageing is loss of muscle mass ('sarcopenia') and associated functional weakness ('dynapenia'). A common characteristic of dynapenia is lowered mitochondrial content and metabolic function, causing reduced aerobic capacity, increased sensations of effort and impaired lipid oxidation (with resultant glucose intolerance). Exercise training improves mitochondrial and muscle function in ageing populations, however such adaptations remain below that of young counterparts, suggesting alternative approaches are required. Pre-clinical studies show that dietary supplementation with precursors of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) restore mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative capacity in ageing rodents and diabetic humans. However, whether NAD+ precursors rejuvenate mitochondrial capacity and, ultimately, muscle function in older humans is unknown. This pilot project will therefore investigate the efficacy of NAD+ precursor supplementation for increasing muscle performance in normally active older men, combined with examination of the molecular and metabolic mechanisms regulating physiological responses.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
16
Inclusion Criteria
  • Male
  • Age between 65-75 years
  • Body mass index between 19-29
  • No active cardiovascular or metabolic disease
  • No active respiratory disease
  • No current musculoskeletal injuries
  • A sedentary lifestyle (i.e. does not engage in strenuous, planned physical activity)
  • The ability to give informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
  • Currently taking a statin drug or NSAIDs
  • Have a current peptic ulcer
  • Have any renal impairment
  • Have a known hypersensitivity to Acipimox

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
active oral supplementAcipimoxThe active supplement will contain the prescription drug Acipimox (250 mgs) , a nicotinic acid precursor traditionally used to lower blood lipid levels. The supplement will be administered 3 times per day, for a 14 day period.
placebo supplementplaceboThe placebo supplement will contain only cellulose microcrystalline. This is an inert substance widely used in many pill and tablet formulations. It is an insoluble fibre and is not absorbed into the blood stream therefore is unlikely to cause toxicity when taken orally.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in mitochondrial functionBaseline, day 7, day 14

Mitochondria will be extracted from muscle samples immediately post-biopsy (biopsies taken baseline, day 7 and day 14) and analysed for content and subsequently for oxidative respiratory function using the Seahorse technique, and maximal rates of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) production.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Chronic changes in habitual muscle protein synthetic ratesBaseline and then daily for 14 days

baseline saliva samples then daily saliva samples following oral ingestion of the stable isotope deuterium oxide (D2O, or 'heavy water') will be analysed by gas-chromatography-pyrolysis-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry analysis.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility

🇬🇧

Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom

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