Association of body composition measures to muscle strength using DXA, D3Cr, and BIA in collegiate athletes

Abstract

Muscle mass and strength are crucial for physiological function and performance in athletes, playing a significant role in maintaining health and optimal athletic performance. Skeletal muscle, which constitutes the majority of lean soft tissue (LST) and appendicular lean soft tissue (ALST) when measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), represents a commonly used surrogate for strength. Research has investigated alternative measures of body composition, such as the assessment of ALST through bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and the determination of whole-body muscle mass from creatine pool size using the deuterated creatine (D₃Cr) dilution method, for their associations to strength. While the relationship between body composition measures and strength has been studied in older adults, this relationship remains unexplored in athletic populations. This study examined muscle body composition measures using DXA, D₃Cr, and BIA and their association with strength in a sample of collegiate athletes. The study enrolled 80 collegiate athletes (40 females) of differing sports disciplines who consumed a 60 mg dose of D₃Cr and completed DXA and BIA measures in addition to trunk and leg strength tests. Analysis was sex-stratified using Pearson's correlations, linear regression, and quartile p trend significance. With an average participant age of 21.8 years, whole-body DXA correlations to muscle strength surpassed height- or mass-normalized values. This trend was especially pronounced in trunk strength's relationship with body composition over leg strength, across measurement methods. While DXA LST values were higher than BIA and D₃Cr in predicting strength, the values did not differ significantly. Adjustments for age, BMI, and BIA variables didn't enhance this association. A significant trend between DXA LST and all strength measures underscored the equal relevance of DXA and D₃Cr muscle mass to strength, favoring whole-body over regional assessments. This calls for future research on muscle mass's effects on LST and functional outcomes in broader groups, highlighting the importance of comprehensive body composition analysis in athletic performance studies.

Keywords: Athletic performance; Body composition; D3Cr dilution; Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; Muscle mass; Muscle strength.

Fig. 1

Pro-cons of using D₃Cr dilution over DXA and BIA.

Fig. 2

HUMAC NORM Muscle dynamometer testing thigh and trunk strength.

Fig. 3

Scatterplot of body composition estimates to isokinetic leg and trunk strength by sex. Note: r values are the Person’s correlations. Red = female, blue = male.

Fig. 4

Associations of p trend quartile DXA and D₃Cr variables male and female leg and trunk strength. ALST appendicular lean soft tissue, BM body mass. *Indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05).