Effects of Icelandic yogurt consumption and resistance training in healthy untrained older males

Due to the important roles of resistance training and protein consumption in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia, we assessed the efficacy of post-exercise Icelandic yogurt consumption on lean mass, strength and skeletal muscle regulatory factors in healthy untrained older males. Thirty healthy untrained older males (age = 68 +/- 4 years) were randomly assigned to Icelandic yogurt (IR; n 15, 18 g of protein) or an iso-energetic placebo (PR; n 15, 0 g protein) immediately following resistance training (3x/week) for 8 weeks. Before and after training, lean mass, strength and skeletal muscle regulatory factors (insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), Activin A, myostatin (MST) and follistatin (FST)) were assessed. There were group x time interactions (P < 0 center dot 05) for body mass (IR: Delta 1, PR: Delta 0 center dot 7 kg), BMI (IR: Delta 0 center dot 3, PR: Delta 0 center dot 2 kg/m(2)), lean mass (IR: Delta 1 center dot 3, PR: Delta 0 center dot 6 kg), bench press (IR: Delta 4, PR: 2 center dot 3 kg), leg press (IR: Delta 4 center dot 2, PR: Delta 2 center dot 5 kg), IGF-1 (IR: Delta 0 center dot 5, Delta PR: 0 center dot 1 ng/ml), TGF-beta (IR: Delta - 0 center dot 2, PR: Delta - 0 center dot 1 ng/ml), GDF15 (IR: Delta - 10 center dot 3, PR: Delta - 4 center dot 8 pg/ml), Activin A (IR: Delta - 9 center dot 8, PR: Delta - 2 center dot 9 pg/ml), MST (IR: Delta - 0 center dot 1, PR: Delta - 0 center dot 04 ng/ml) and FST (IR: Delta 0 center dot 09, PR: Delta 0 center dot 03 ng/ml), with Icelandic yogurt consumption resulting in greater changes compared with placebo. The addition of Icelandic yogurt consumption to a resistance training programme improved lean mass, strength and altered skeletal muscle regulatory factors in healthy untrained older males compared with placebo. Therefore, Icelandic yogurt as a nutrient-dense source and cost-effective supplement enhances muscular gains mediated by resistance training and consequently may be used as a strategy for the prevention of sarcopenia.

Automated summary

The study showed that consuming Icelandic yogurt after resistance training can improve lean mass, strength, and alter skeletal muscle regulatory factors in healthy untrained older males.