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This study aims to determine the mechanisms via which krill oil supplementation increases muscle strength and whether this translates to improvements in gait and functional characteristics in older adults. The studies we will carry out will establish, in healthy older adults, the effects of 6 months of supplementation with krill oil
Objective 1) Muscle structure and function Hypothesis: Krill oil supplementation will increase muscle size and strength alongside positive changes in muscle architecture (pennation angle and fascicle length).
Objective 2) Neuromuscular control and central nervous system (CNS) function Hypothesis: Krill oil supplementation will improve Neuromuscular Junction (NMJ) transmission stability and increase central drive and intramuscular coherence, as a measure of muscle synergy.
Objective 3) Gait and functional characteristics Hypothesis: Krill oil supplementation will improve gait and functional characteristics.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetable oil | Placebo Comparator | 4g/day vegetable oil for 24 weeks |
|
| Krill oil | Active Comparator | 4/g/day krill oil for 24 weeks |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetable oil | Dietary Supplement | mixed vegetable oil |
| |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Grip strength | We will measure grip strength using a handgrip dynamometer, making 3 maximal contractions in each hand, with the dominant hand recorded. The highest grip strength will be used in analysis. | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Neuromuscular junction transmission instability | We will assess peripheral motor unit (MU) characteristics in the vastus lateralis muscle using intramuscular electromyography | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Gait speed | We will measure gait speed using a gaitrite connected mat during a 4 m walk test and the timed up and go test at usual speed. | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Knee extensor maximal torque | We will measure the muscle strength of the knee extensor muscles during a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Vastus lateralis muscle cross sectional area |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Gray | Contact | +441413302569 | stuart.gray@glasgow.ac.uk |
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| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Glasgow | Recruiting | Glasgow | United Kingdom |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D055948 | Sarcopenia |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D009133 | Muscular Atrophy |
| D020879 | Neuromuscular Manifestations |
| D009461 | Neurologic Manifestations |
| D009422 | Nervous System Diseases |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D010938 | Plant Oils |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D009821 | Oils |
| D008055 | Lipids |
| D028321 | Plant Preparations |
| D001688 | Biological Products |
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1:1 parallel group design
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All supplements will be matched for taste and look
| Krill oil |
| Dietary Supplement |
Krill oil |
|
|
We will measure this using ultrasound
| Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Vastus lateralis pennation angle | We will measure this using ultrasound | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Vastus lateralis fascicle length | We will measure this using ultrasound | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Erythrocyte fatty acid composition | Blood samples (15 ml each visit) will be collected | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Knee extensor force steadiness | During the contractions to measure NMJ transmission instability we will also calculate force steadiness, as a measure of neuromuscular control | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Vastus lateralis motor unit conduction velocity | will be measured using High Density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) during submaximal (10%, 30%, 50% and 70% of MVC) and during the MVC | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Vastus lateralis and vastus medialis intramuscular coherence | Motor unit spike train will be measured using the surface electromyography (sEMG) electrodes while participants exert 20% of maximum voluntary contraction | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Hand flexor muscles intermuscular coherence | Intermuscular coherence will be measured for 1 min on 20% of MVC using sEMG electrodes. | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Cortico-muscular coherence between sensory motor cortex and hand extensor muscles | Cortico-muscular coherence is a derived measure, based on measurement of the electroencephalography (EEG) and motor unit spikes. EEG electrodes will be placed over the motor area of hands and worn during hand contractions | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Femoral Nerve Stimulation | Single stimuli will be delivered to the muscle while participants maintain a 20% MVC isometric contraction, and the intensity of stimulation was increased until a plateau in twitch amplitude and rectus femoris M-wave (Mmax) occurs. Supramaximal stimulation will then be delivered by increasing the final stimulator output intensity by a further 30%. | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) | Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) will be elicited in the rectus femoris of the dominant leg via single pulse TMS and assessed using electromyographic (EMG) recordings. | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| TMS Inhibition | corticomotor inhibition during the MVCs a single TMS stimulation will be delivered over the motor cortex. | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| TMS Excitation | For assessment of corticospinal excitability, participants will maintain a 20% MVC isometric contraction while 20 single TMS pulses, separated by 6 s, will be delivered over the motor cortex | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Gait characteristics during 4m walk test and the timed up and go test | The 4 m walk test involves participants walking a 4m distance at a normal walking pace, walking through the 4m line at the end of the gaitrite mat. The Timed Up and Go test (timed version of the Get Up and Go test) involves the participant sitting on a chair getting up, walking 3 meters in front of them across the gaitrite mat, returning to the chair and sitting down. The Theia markerless system will be used to extract Gait parameters | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| Gait cycle with leg support parameters | We will also get posture information from the 3D skeleton measurements and balance (pitch and roll) which are important in assessing fall risks and functional gait. | Change from baseline to 24 weeks |
| D001284 | Atrophy |
| D020763 | Pathological Conditions, Anatomical |
| D013568 | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms |
| D012816 | Signs and Symptoms |
| D045424 |
| Complex Mixtures |