Caloric restriction induces anabolic resistance to resistance exercise

Abstract

Purpose: Weight loss can result in the loss of muscle mass and bone mineral density. Resistance exercise is commonly prescribed to attenuate these effects. However, the anabolic endocrine response to resistance exercise during caloric restriction has not been characterized.

Methods: Participants underwent 3-day conditions of caloric restriction (15 kcal kg FFM^-1) with post-exercise carbohydrate (CRC) and with post-exercise protein (CRP), and an energy balance control (40 kcal kg FFM^-1) with post-exercise carbohydrate (CON). Serial blood draws were taken following five sets of five repetitions of the barbell back squat exercise on day 3 of each condition.

Results: In CRC and CRP, respectively, growth hormone peaked at 2.6 ± 0.4 and 2.5 ± 0.9 times the peak concentrations observed during CON. Despite this, insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations declined 18.3 ± 3.4% in CRC and 27.2 ± 3.8% in CRP, which was greater than the 7.6 ± 3.6% decline in CON, over the subsequent 24 h. Sclerostin increased over the first 2 days of each intervention by 19.2 ± 5.6% in CRC, 21.8 ± 6.2% in CRP and 13.4 ± 5.9% in CON, but following the resistance exercise bout, these increases were attenuated and no longer significant.

Conclusion: During caloric restriction, there is considerable endocrine anabolic resistance to a single bout of resistance exercise which persists in the presence of post-exercise whey protein supplementation. Alternative strategies to restore the sensitivity of insulin-like growth factor-1 to growth hormone need to be explored.

Keywords: Energy availability; Energy deficit; Growth hormone; Sclerostin; Strength training; Weightlifting.

Fig. 1

Timeline of blood draws, resistance exercise bout, post-exercise protein or carbohydrate supplementation and day-3 meals during each 3-day condition

Fig. 2

Growth hormone (GH) response to resistance exercise bout after 2 days of caloric restriction (CR) or control (CON) followed by post-exercise ingestion of protein (CRP) or carbohydrate (CRC, CON). GH concentrations are normalized to the GH peak in CON (n = 6). ***Indcates p < 0.001 vs Pre-Ex ^indicates p < 0.05 vs CON

Fig. 3

Changes in IGF1 by condition and between time points, adjusted to control for order effects (n = 7). †Indicates p < 0.10; *indicates p < 0.05; ** indicates p < 0.01; ***indicates p < 0.001; ^^indicates p < 0.01 vs CON

Fig. 4

Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) response to resistance exercise bout after 2 days of caloric restriction (CR) or control (CON) followed by post-exercise ingestion of protein (CRP) or carbohydrate (CRC, CON) (n = 7). †Indicates p < 0.10 vs CON

Fig. 5

Change in sclerostin by condition and between time points, adjusted to control for order effects (n = 7). †Indicates p < 0.10; *indicates p < 0.05; **indicates p < 0.01

Fig. 6

Change in P1NP by condition and between time points adjusted to control for order effects (n = 7). †Indicates p < 0.10; *indicates p < 0.05