Predicting the Efficacy of Resistance Exercise Training for Improving Endurance Performance

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
The overall objective of the study is to identify molecular determinants of the efficacy of resistance training for improving endruance performance in elite cyclists

Detailed Description
-----------------
For elite endurance athletes, the addition of resistance training to habitual endurance training routines generally leads to improved endurance performance. However, this is not always the case, with several individuals failing to respond in the expected manner. This inter-individual variation is likely associated with inherent cellular and molecular charateristics of skeletal muscle. Indeed, responses to resistance training seem to be associated with muscle biological characteristics such as muscle fiber composition and ribosomal content (during the early phase of resistance training). The study will investigate the association between muscle fibre composition (type I vs type II muscle fiber proportions) / ribosomal content in m. vastus lateralis and the effects of 10 weeks of resistance training on endurance performance in 52 elite cyclists. Half the participants will perform resistance training in addition to their habitual endurance training routines, the other half will perform endurance training-only. Muscle biopsies will be sampled from m. vastus lateralis before and after the first two weeks of the intervention. For muscle fiber composition, the hypothesis is that larger proportions of type II fibers will be associated with more pronounced benefits of resistance training. For ribosomal content, the hypothesis is that higher rRNA content at baseline and larger increases in rRNA content during the initial part of the intervention will be associated with more pronounced benefits of resistance training. No changes are expected in the non-resistance training control group.

Official Title
-----------------
Identifying Molecular Determinants for the Efficacy of Resistance Training for Improving Endurance Performance in Elite Cyclists

Conditions
-----------------
Elite Cyclists

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Resistance training
* Behavioral: Endurance training (habitual)


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion criteria: VO2max > 65 ml/kg/min (male participants) VO2max > 50 ml/kg/min (female participants) >7 hours of endurance training per week for the 6 months leading up to the study Exclusion criteria: - having conducted regular resistance training for the last 6 months leading up to the study

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 45 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Resistance training added to endurance training<br>Participants (elite cyclists) will conduct heavy-load resistance training twice a week in addition to their habitual endurance training for ten weeks | Behavioral: Resistance training<br>* Resistance training sessions twice a week for ten weeks<br>* Other names: Heavy-load strength training;Behavioral: Endurance training (habitual)<br>* Endurance training for ten weeks (habitual routines)<br>|
| Other: Endurance training<br>Participants (elite cyclists) will conduct habitual endurance training-only for ten weeks | Behavioral: Endurance training (habitual)<br>* Endurance training for ten weeks (habitual routines)<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Performance during a 40-minute all-out cycling test | Mean power output measured during a 40-minute all-out cycling test | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Performance during a 15-minute all-out cycling test | Mean power output measured during a 15-minute all-out cycling test | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total RNA in muscle tissue (before intervention) | Total RNA content in m. vastus lateralis (ug per mg tissue) | Before the intervention | 
| Total RNA in muscle tissue (changes after two weeks) | Total RNA content in m. vastus lateralis (ug per mg tissue) | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training | 
| Muscle fiber proportions (before intervention) | Muscle fiber proportions in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry | Before the intervention | 
| Muscle fiber proportions (changes after two weeks) | Muscle fiber proportions in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training | 
| Muscle fiber cross-sectional area (before intervention) | Cross-sectional area of muscle fibres in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry | Before the intervention | 
| Muscle fiber cross-sectional area (changes after two weeks) | Cross-sectional area of muscle fibres in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training | 
| Myonuclear number (before intervention) | Myonuclei per muscle fiber in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry | Before the intervention | 
| Myonuclear number (changes after two weeks) | Myonuclei per muscle fiber in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training | 
| rRNA expression (before intervention) | rRNA abundances in m. vastus lateralis measured using qPCR | Before the intervention | 
| rRNA expression (changes after two weeks) | rRNA abundances in m. vastus lateralis measured using qPCR | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training | 
| mRNA expression (before intervention) | mRNA abundances in m. vastus lateralis measured using qPCR | Before the intervention | 
| mRNA expression (changes after two weeks) | mRNA abundances in m. vastus lateralis measured using qPCR | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training | 
| Maximal concentric force production | Maximal concentric force production measured using a seated leg press test | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Sprint performance | Mean power output measured during a 10-second all-out cycling sprint | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Maximal oxygen consumption | Maximal oxygen consumption measured during an incremental cycling exercise test to exhaustion | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Maximal aerobic power output | Maximal aerobic power output measured as mean power output during the last minute of an incremental cycling exercise test to exhaustion | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Power output at lactate threshold | Power output at 4 mmol blood lactate concentration measured during an incremental cycling exercise test (with 5 minute steps) | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Gross efficiency | Contribution of total energy turnover to power output in the fresh and fatigued state | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Fractional utilization of VO2max (incremental test) | Fractional utilization of VO2max measured at 4 mmol blood lactate concentrations measured during an incremental cycling exercise test (with 5 minute steps) | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Fractional utilization of VO2max (15-minute performance test) | Fractional utilization of VO2max measured during a 15-minute performance test | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Hemoglobin mass | Hemoglobin mass measured using CO rebreathing (g) | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Blood volume | Blood volume measured using CO rebreathing | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Plasma volume | Plasma volume measured using CO rebreathing | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Red blood cell volume | Red blood cell volume measured using CO rebreathing | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 
| Hematocrit | Hematocrit measured using centrifugation | Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Ribosomal RNA, Cycling, Endurance performance, Skeletal muscle biology, Individualization, Muscle fiber type proportions