Cited by 105Muscle metabolism and nutritionNutrition and Health in AgingMuscle Physiology and Disorders

Sexually dimorphic effect of aging on skeletal muscle protein synthesis

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Smith, Gordon I, Reeds, Dominic N, Hall, Angela M, Chambers, Kari T, Finck, Brian N, Mittendorfer, Bettina·2012·Biology of Sex Differences

Abstract

Background: Although there appear to be no differences in muscle protein turnover in young and middle aged men and women, we have reported significant differences in the rate of muscle protein synthesis between older adult men and women. This suggests that aging may affect muscle protein turnover differently in men and women. Methods: We measured the skeletal muscle protein fractional synthesis rate (FSR) by using stable isotope-labeled tracer methods during basal postabsorptive conditions and during a hyperaminoacidemic-hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp in eight young men (25–45 y), ten young women (25–45 y), ten old men (65–85 y) and ten old women (65–85 y). Results: The basal muscle protein FSR was not different in young and old men (0.040 ± 0.004 and 0.043 ± 0.005%·h-1, respectively) and combined insulin, glucose and amino acid infusion significantly increased the muscle protein FSR both in young (to 0.063 ± 0.006%·h-1) and old (to 0.051 ± 0.008%·h-1) men but the increase (0.023 ± 0.004 vs. 0.009 ± 0.004%·h-1, respectively) was ~60% less in the old men (P = 0.03). In contrast, the basal muscle protein FSR was ~30% greater in old than young women (0.060 ± 0.003 vs. 0.046 ± 0.004%·h-1, respectively; P < 0.05) and combined insulin, glucose and amino acid infusion significantly increased the muscle protein FSR in young (P < 0.01) but not in old women (P = 0.10) so that the FSR was not different between young and old women during the clamp (0.074 ± 0.006%·h-1 vs. 0.072 ± 0.006%·h-1, respectively). Conclusions: There is sexual dimorphism in the age-related changes in muscle protein synthesis and thus the metabolic processes responsible for the age-related decline in muscle mass.

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  • Peri-menopausal and post-menopausal athletes experience a decline of estradiol and ensuing insulin and anabolic resistance coupled with the demands of physical activity.

    “due to the decline of estradiol and the ensuing insulin and anabolic resistance coupled with the demands of physical activity [242–244]”

    From International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutritional concerns of the female athlete (2023) · cites this paper as [244]

    The Results report lower estradiol in older women, and the Discussion reports anabolic resistance to nutritional stimuli in older women. But the Discussion says it is unknown whether declining hormones affect muscle protein turnover in women, so it does not establish estradiol decline as the cause. The Results (Glucose kinetics) found no age-related difference in insulin-mediated glucose disposal, and the paper does not establish the claim for peri-menopausal or post-menopausal athletes facing physical-activity demands. (LLM, conf=0.90)

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Authors
Smith, G. I., Reeds, D. N., Hall, A. M., Chambers, K. T., Finck, B. N., & Mittendorfer, B.
Affiliations
Washington University in St. Louis (US)
Corresponding author
Mittendorfer, Bettina
Venue
Biology of Sex Differences
Published
2012-05-23
Volume
3
Issue
1
Pages
11-11
ISSN
2042-6410 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2058799138
Cited by
105
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 5
FWCI
3.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Biology of Sex Differences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Commons@Becker (Washington University School of Medicine) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • American Liver Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health (5p60dk020579-35)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK049393, P60-DK-020579, P30DK056341)
  • National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR024992)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
Keywords
skeletal muscle protein synthesis, aging, sex differences, fractional synthesis rate, muscle protein turnover, insulin resistance, sarcopenia, older adults

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