Metformin to Augment Strength Training Effective Response in Seniors (MASTERS)

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2018-06-28
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a commonly prescribed drug, metformin, can enhance the benefits seen during resistance exercise such as increased muscle mass and strength.

• Phase: Early Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Philip Kern
• Collaborator: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Treatments: Metformin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• ≥65 years of age.

• Independently mobile with a SPPB score 3-12.

• Access to transportation.

• Capable of providing informed consent (cognitively intact).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Obesity (BMI>30)

• Serum creatinine >1.4 because of risk of lactic acidosis with metformin.

• History of regular resistance training within the past year.

• History (or ECG evidence) of previous myocardial infarction, history of congestive heart failure.

• Current angina pectoris or symptoms of myocardial ischemia or congestive heart failure.

• Chronic aspirin or NSAID use (unless it can be safely stopped prior to the biopsies), and any other use of an anticoagulant (e.g., Coumadin) or history of bleeding.

• History of alcoholism or liver disease.

• History of hypo- or hyper-coagulation disorders including subjects taking Coumadin.

• Any end-stage disease and/or a life expectancy less than one year.

• Neurological, musculoskeletal, or other disorder that would preclude them from completing resistance training and all performance tests.

• Uncontrolled hypertension.

• Diabetes mellitus as demonstrated with- HgbA1C>6.5, or fasting glu>126 mg/dl.

• Any other medical condition that would interfere with testing or increase one's risk of complications during exercise, as judged by the study physicians.

• Any other condition or events considered exclusionary by the PI and/or physician, such as non-compliance.

• Lidocaine allergy (1% lidocaine is the local anesthetic used during the muscle biopsy procedure).