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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #238404
Title: Influence of gender on muscle strength, power and body composition in healthy subjects and mobility-limited older adults

Author
item REID, KIERAN - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item DOROS, GHEORGHE - Boston University
item CLOUTIER, GREGORY - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item CLARK, DAVID - Department Of Veterans Affairs
item CARABELLO, ROBERT - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item PHILLIPS, EDWARD - Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
item Fielding, Roger

Submitted to: Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/5/2008
Publication Date: 4/1/2009
Citation: Reid, K.F., Doros, G., Cloutier, G.J., Clark, D.J., Carabello, R.J., Phillips, E.M., Fielding, R. 2009. Influence of gender on muscle strength, power and body composition in healthy subjects and mobility-limited older adults [abstract]. Experimental Biology. 23:954.9.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Objective: To explore the influence of gender on the cross-sectional differences in lower-limb strength, power and body composition among 31 healthy middle-aged adults (mean age: 47.2 +/- 5 yrs, 17 females), 28 healthy older adults (74 +/- 4 yrs, 12 females), and 34 older adults with mobility impairments (77.8 +/- 5 yrs, 18 females). Methods: One repetition maximum (1RM) strength and peak power output were estimated using the bilateral leg press exercise. Computed tomography was utilized to assess mid-thigh body composition. Results: Males demonstrated consistently higher values for muscle strength, power, total muscle cross sectional area (CSA), and intermuscular adipose tissue within all three groups (p < .05). Similar findings were also revealed for measures of muscle strength and power even after normalizing for total muscle CSA. Female gender was associated with significantly greater deposits of both subfascial and subcutaneous adipose tissue across all groups (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Gender exerted a consistent influence on the age-related differences in lower-limb muscle performance and body composition among healthy middle-aged, healthy older, and functionally-limited elders. Hormonal factors may be responsible the divergent gender-specific differences in muscle size and adipose tissue accumulation with advancing-age.