Resistance versus concurrent training with three assigned protein targets in middle-aged and older women: a randomized 2 &#xd7; 3 factorial trial.

Reza Bagheri; Hamid Ghobadi; Maryam Mansordehghan; Donny M Camera; Mehdi Kargarfard

doi:10.1080/15502783.2026.2720742

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Resistance versus concurrent training with three assigned protein targets in middle-aged and older women: a randomized 2 × 3 factorial trial.

Reza Bagheri·Hamid Ghobadi·Maryam Mansordehghan·Donny M Camera·Mehdi Kargarfard

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Evidence is limited regarding whether assigned protein targets modify responses to resistance training (RT) alone or to the same RT program plus cycling (concurrent training [CT]) in middle-aged and older women. This randomized 2 × 3 factorial trial examined bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived skeletal muscle mass (SMM; primary outcome), other body composition outcomes, muscular and functional performance, and cycle-derived estimated VO₂max. METHODS: In this randomized 2 × 3 factorial trial, 108 women aged 40-77 years were assigned to 12 weeks of supervised RT or CT (identical RT followed by cycling) and protein targets of 0.8, 1.6, or 2.2 g·kg-1·d-1. Baseline-adjusted ANCOVA tested training × protein interactions and marginal training and protein effects. Complete-case analyses included 83 participants. RESULTS: For SMM, no training-condition × protein-target interaction (p = 0.856), marginal protein-target effect (p = 0.726), or marginal training-condition effect (p = 0.273) was detected. CT had a lower baseline-adjusted week-12 BFP than RT (adjusted difference, -2.04 percentage points; 95% CI, -2.94 to -1.14; p < 0.001). RT had a higher baseline-adjusted week-12 leg-press estimated 1-RM than CT (CT - RT: -6.68 kg; 95% CI, -8.32 to -5.04; p < 0.001), whereas CT had a higher baseline-adjusted week-12 cycle-derived estimated VO₂max (adjusted difference, 4.53 mL·kg-1·min-1; 95% CI, 3.80 to 5.25; p < 0.001). No detectable marginal protein-target effects or training-condition × protein-target interactions were observed for the key secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: No detectable differences in SMM or key secondary outcomes were attributable to assigned protein target. Compared with RT, CT favored estimated aerobic fitness and BFP, whereas RT favored leg-press strength. Because CT included additional cycling and greater exercise exposure, these differences cannot be attributed solely to training modality. Null protein findings do not establish equivalence among doses.

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Humans Female Resistance Training Body Composition Middle Aged Aged Muscle, Skeletal Dietary Proteins Muscle Strength Adult Oxygen Consumption Electric Impedance Bicycling Exercise training body composition muscular adaptations nutrition Journal Article Randomized Controlled Trial

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Reza Bagheri, Hamid Ghobadi, Maryam Mansordehghan, Donny M Camera, Mehdi Kargarfard. 2026-09-14. Resistance versus concurrent training with three assigned protein targets in middle-aged and older women: a randomized 2 × 3 factorial trial.. https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2026.2720742

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Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial resource Adult subject Aged subject Bicycling subject Body Composition subject Dietary Proteins subject Electric Impedance subject Exercise training subject Female subject Humans subject Journal Article subject Middle Aged subject Muscle Strength subject Muscle, Skeletal subject Oxygen Consumption subject Randomized controlled trials study

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