Mid-life cyclists preserve muscle mass and composition: a 3D MRI study
Abstract Physical activity and a healthy lifestyle are crucial factors for delaying and reducing the effects of sarcopenia. Cycling has gained popularity in the last decades among midlife men. While the cardiovascular benefits of cycling and other endurance exercises have been extensively proved, th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06283-3 |
| _version_ | 1797865865746579456 |
|---|---|
| author | Martin A. Belzunce Johann Henckel Anna Di Laura Laura M. Horga Alister James Hart |
| author_facet | Martin A. Belzunce Johann Henckel Anna Di Laura Laura M. Horga Alister James Hart |
| author_sort | Martin A. Belzunce |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Physical activity and a healthy lifestyle are crucial factors for delaying and reducing the effects of sarcopenia. Cycling has gained popularity in the last decades among midlife men. While the cardiovascular benefits of cycling and other endurance exercises have been extensively proved, the potential benefits of lifelong aerobic exercise on muscle health have not been adequately studied. Our aim was to quantify the benefits of cycling in terms of muscle health in middle-aged men, using magnetic resonance imaging. We ran a cross-sectional study involving two groups of middle-aged male adults (mean age 49 years, range 30–65) that underwent Dixon MRI of the pelvis. The groups consisted of 28 physically inactive (PI) and 28 trained recreational cyclists. The latter had cycled more than 7000 km in the last year and have been training for 15 years on average, while the PI volunteers have not practiced sports for an average of 27 years. We processed the Dixon MRI scans by labelling and computing the fat fraction (FF), volume and lean volume of gluteus maximus (GMAX) and gluteus medius (GMED); and measuring the volume of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). We found that the cyclists group had lower FF levels, a measure of intramuscular fat infiltration, compared to the PI group for GMAX (PI median FF 21.6%, cyclists median FF 14.8%, p < 0.01) and GMED (PI median FF 16.0%, cyclists median FF 11.4%, p < 0.01). Cyclists had also larger GMAX and GMED muscles than the PI group (p < 0.01), after normalizing it by body mass. Muscle mass and fat infiltration were strongly correlated with SAT volume. These results suggest that cycling could help preserve muscle mass and composition in middle-aged men. Although more research is needed to support these results, this study adds new evidence to support public health efforts to promote cycling. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:14:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1c199d29a3914cb896212a52b4809d4f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2474 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:14:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| spelling | doaj.art-1c199d29a3914cb896212a52b4809d4f2023-03-22T10:02:30ZengBMCBMC Musculoskeletal Disorders1471-24742023-03-012411910.1186/s12891-023-06283-3Mid-life cyclists preserve muscle mass and composition: a 3D MRI studyMartin A. Belzunce0Johann Henckel1Anna Di Laura2Laura M. Horga3Alister James Hart4Royal National Orthopaedic HospitalRoyal National Orthopaedic HospitalRoyal National Orthopaedic HospitalInstitute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, University College LondonRoyal National Orthopaedic HospitalAbstract Physical activity and a healthy lifestyle are crucial factors for delaying and reducing the effects of sarcopenia. Cycling has gained popularity in the last decades among midlife men. While the cardiovascular benefits of cycling and other endurance exercises have been extensively proved, the potential benefits of lifelong aerobic exercise on muscle health have not been adequately studied. Our aim was to quantify the benefits of cycling in terms of muscle health in middle-aged men, using magnetic resonance imaging. We ran a cross-sectional study involving two groups of middle-aged male adults (mean age 49 years, range 30–65) that underwent Dixon MRI of the pelvis. The groups consisted of 28 physically inactive (PI) and 28 trained recreational cyclists. The latter had cycled more than 7000 km in the last year and have been training for 15 years on average, while the PI volunteers have not practiced sports for an average of 27 years. We processed the Dixon MRI scans by labelling and computing the fat fraction (FF), volume and lean volume of gluteus maximus (GMAX) and gluteus medius (GMED); and measuring the volume of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). We found that the cyclists group had lower FF levels, a measure of intramuscular fat infiltration, compared to the PI group for GMAX (PI median FF 21.6%, cyclists median FF 14.8%, p < 0.01) and GMED (PI median FF 16.0%, cyclists median FF 11.4%, p < 0.01). Cyclists had also larger GMAX and GMED muscles than the PI group (p < 0.01), after normalizing it by body mass. Muscle mass and fat infiltration were strongly correlated with SAT volume. These results suggest that cycling could help preserve muscle mass and composition in middle-aged men. Although more research is needed to support these results, this study adds new evidence to support public health efforts to promote cycling.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06283-3Physical activityCyclistsMuscle healthIntramuscular fatSarcopeniaGluteus maximus |
| spellingShingle | Martin A. Belzunce Johann Henckel Anna Di Laura Laura M. Horga Alister James Hart Mid-life cyclists preserve muscle mass and composition: a 3D MRI study BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Physical activity Cyclists Muscle health Intramuscular fat Sarcopenia Gluteus maximus |
| title | Mid-life cyclists preserve muscle mass and composition: a 3D MRI study |
| title_full | Mid-life cyclists preserve muscle mass and composition: a 3D MRI study |
| title_fullStr | Mid-life cyclists preserve muscle mass and composition: a 3D MRI study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mid-life cyclists preserve muscle mass and composition: a 3D MRI study |
| title_short | Mid-life cyclists preserve muscle mass and composition: a 3D MRI study |
| title_sort | mid life cyclists preserve muscle mass and composition a 3d mri study |
| topic | Physical activity Cyclists Muscle health Intramuscular fat Sarcopenia Gluteus maximus |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06283-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT martinabelzunce midlifecyclistspreservemusclemassandcompositiona3dmristudy AT johannhenckel midlifecyclistspreservemusclemassandcompositiona3dmristudy AT annadilaura midlifecyclistspreservemusclemassandcompositiona3dmristudy AT lauramhorga midlifecyclistspreservemusclemassandcompositiona3dmristudy AT alisterjameshart midlifecyclistspreservemusclemassandcompositiona3dmristudy |