Enhancing Adaptations to Exercise
Enhancing Adaptations to Exercise
Researchers are trying to understand how chronic inflammation affects muscle function and
 responses to exercise.They are also trying to determine if suppressing chronic inflammation
 using omega-3 fatty acids (n3-PUFA) restores skeletal muscle function and exercise
 responsiveness in older adults.
Participants will be divided into two groups. Men and women between the ages of 20-35 years
 and 65-85 years. Participants in the older age group will be randomly assigned to receive
 groups (n3-PUFA or placebo (soybean oil)) in a double-blind manner. Before and after the
 intervention, all participants will complete an outpatient study day (body composition, blood
 draw, treadmill test, strength test) and an inpatient study day (muscle biopsies, fat
 biopsies, indirect calorimetry, exercise test, mixed meal test). During the intervention
 phase of the study, participants will be instructed to swallow 2 softgels twice per day with
 meals (morning and evening) for a total of 4 softgels per day. Every 4 weeks, participants
 will report to the Clinical Research and Trials Unit (CRTU) to pick up a new prescription and
 return any remaining capsules from the previous prescription. On the day they pick up
 prescription refills, participants will report to the CRTU for a fasting blood sample. The
 duration of the intervention will be 6 months.
Inclusion criteria:

 -  Men and women between the ages of 20-35 years

 -  Men and women between the ages of 65-85 years

 Exclusion criteria:

 -  Regular use of omega-3 nutritional supplements

 -  Diabetes or fasting plasma glucose > or equal to 126 mg/dL

 -  Anemia (female subjects hemoglobin of <11 g/dl and male subjects hemoglobin <12 g/dl)

 -  Active coronary artery disease or history of unstable macrovascular disease (unstable
 angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, and revascularization of coronary, peripheral
 or carotid artery within 3 months of recruitment)

 -  Renal failure (serum creatinine > 1.5mg/dl)

 -  Chronic active liver disease (AST>144 IU/L or ALT>165 IU/L)

 -  Oral warfarin group medications or history of blood clotting disorders.

 -  international normalized ratio (INR) >2.01.5

 -  Smoking

 -  Pregnancy or breastfeeding

 -  Alcohol consumption greater than 2 glasses/day or other substance abuse

 -  Untreated or uncontrolled hypothyroidism

 -  Debilitating chronic disease (at the discretion of the investigators)

 -  Fish or shellfish allergy