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. 2020 Apr 3;229(3):e13465. doi: 10.1111/apha.13465

TABLE 2.

The effects of age on muscle fibre characteristics in humans

Study Sex Age, yrs (n) Muscle fibre size Myonuclear content Myonuclear domain size
Cristea et al 121 M1 21‐32 (6) vs 72‐96 (9)

I: ↑ (23%)

IIa: ↓ (31%)

I: ↑

IIa: ↔

I: ↔

IIa: ↓ (33%)
W1 24‐32 (6) vs 65‐96 (9)

I: ↑ (38%)

IIa: ↓ (15%)

I: ↑

IIa: ↑

I: ↔

IIa: ↓ (41%)
Dreyer et al 95 M1 21‐35 (10) vs ≥ 60 (9)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (25%)

 Mixed: ↔  
Hikida et al 122 M1 23 ± 6 (7) vs 65 ± 6 (8) Mixed: ↓ (31%) Mixed: ↔  
Kadi et al 123 M2 26 ± 3 (15) vs 74 ± 4 (13)   Mixed: ↑ (23%)  
W1 23 ± 3 (16) vs 76 ± 3 (14)   Mixed: ↑ (23%)  
Kelly et al 124 M/W1 26 ± 4 (27) vs 66 ± 4 (91)

I: ↔

II: ↓

I: ↔

II: ↔

I: ↔

II: ↓
Kramer et al 89 W1 18‐25 (15) vs ≥ 65 (15)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (30%)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (23%)

I: ↑ (31%)

II: ↔
Mackey et al 113 M1 24 ± 3 (12) vs 66 ± 4 (12)

I: ↔

II: ↔

I: ↔

II: ↔

I: ↔

II: ↔
Manta et al 125 M/W1 17‐30 (4) vs 31‐60 (4) Mixed: ↓ Mixed: ↓ Mixed: ↔
17‐30 (4) vs > 60 (7) Mixed: ↓ Mixed: ↓ Mixed: ↑ (19%)
31‐60 (4) vs > 60 (7) Mixed: ↔ Mixed: ↔ Mixed: ↑ (27%)
McKay et al 126 M1 21 ± 3 (9) vs 70 ± 4 (9)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (21%)

  

I: ↔

II: ↓ (19%)
Petrella et al 9 M1 20‐35 (15) vs 60‐75 (13) Mixed: ↔ Mixed: ↔ Mixed: ↔
W1 20‐35 (16) vs 60‐75 (14) Mixed: ↔ Mixed: ↔ Mixed: ↔
Renault et al 127 M/W3 23 ± 1 (6) vs 74 ± 4 (6)   Mixed: ↔  
Verdijk et al 96 M1 20 ± 1 (8) vs 76 ± 1 (8)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (27%)

I: ↑ (17%)

II: ↑ (13%)

I: ↓(16%)

II: ↓ (31%)
Verdijk et al 90 M1 31 ± 3 (8) vs 75 ± 2 (8)

I: ↔

II: ↓

I: ↔

II: ↓ (40%)

I: ↔

II: ↔
Verdijk et al 92 M1 18‐49 (50) vs 50‐69 (53)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (18%)

I: ↔

II: ↔

I: ↔

II: ↔
18‐49 (50) vs ≥ 70 (49)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (29%)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (24%)

I: ↔

II: ↔
50‐69 (53) vs ≥ 70 (49)

I: ↔

II: ↔

I: ↓ (15%)

II: ↓ (20%)

I: ↔

II: ↔
Verdijk et al 94 M1 26 ± 2 (14) vs 72 ± 1 (16)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (26%)

I: ↓ (21%)

II: ↓ (30%)

  
Walker et al 128 M1 27 ± 2 (5) vs 70 ± 2 (6)

I: ↔

II: ↓ (28%)

 Mixed: ↔

Mixed: ↓
W1 27 ± 2 (5) vs 70 ± 2 (5)

I: ↔

II: ↔

 Mixed: ↔

Abbreviations: ↑, significantly higher compared with younger age category; ↓, significantly lower compared with younger age category; I, type I muscle fibres; II(a), type II(a) muscle fibres; M, men; M/W, men and women combined, ↔, no difference between age category; Mixed, mixed muscle fibre type; n, number of subjects included. Analyses were performed in the 1vastus lateralis, 2tibialis anterior or 3biceps brachii/masseter muscle; W, women.