Journal of Sport and Exercise Physiology

Journal of Sport and Exercise Physiology

The effect of six weeks of resistance training with whey protein supplementation on sphingosine 1-phosphate and gastrocnemius muscle hypertrophy in young male Wistar rats

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
somaiyeh Jafari motlagh 1
fereshteh shahidi 2
majid kashef 3
1 exercise physiology faculty, shahid rajaee teacher training university, Tehran, Iran.
2 Exercise physiology, Shahid rajaee teacher training university, Tehran, Iran
3 Exercise physiology, shahid rajaee teacher training university, Tehran, Iran
10.48308/joeppa.2025.240277.1370
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Currently, increasing muscle mass and implementing methods to improve recovery after training are of particular importance. Resistance training plays a special role in increasing muscle mass and hypertrophy. Taking various types of supplements, such as whey protein after resistance training, can also help in this process. Sphingosine monophosphate (S1P) has a structural role in regulation, cell differentiation and hypertrophy, and this factor can play an important role in hypertrophy with training and supplementation. Whey protein, in combination with resistance training, can increase muscle protein synthesis, improve training and recovery in younger individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the combined effect of six weeks of resistance training with whey protein supplementation on S1P and hypertrophy of the gastrocnemius muscle of young male Wistar rats.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 23 eight-week-old rats with a weight range of 250 to 270 grams were randomly assigned to four groups: supplement plus training, resistance training, sham, and control. They were trained for six weeks, five sessions per week. Each session included performance of 3 sets of 5 repetitions, climbing a one-meter ladder while carrying a weight attached to the tail. Whey protein supplement solution was administered by gavage in the supplementa plus training group. S1P gene expression was measured by Real Time-PCR and muscle hypertrophy was measured through weighing the gastrocnemius muscle. Data analysis were performed by using one-way variance, and Scheffe post-hoc test.
Results: Data analysis revealed a significant increase in S1P gene expression (P=0.001), muscle volume (P=0.016), and 1-RM (P=0.001) in training-supplement group compared to both training and sham groups. However, no significant differences in muscle volume were detected between the training and sham groups in comparison to the control group (p=0.6).
Conclusions: Overall, the findings of this study suggest that combining exercise with supplementation might induce muscle adaptations through its effects on S1P gene expression. However, due to study limitations, caution is warranted in generalizing these results to the population. Future studies with larger sample sizes, longer intervention periods, and concentrating on molecular mechanisms could help to shed some more lights on mechanisms.
Keywords
Resistance training
Muscle weight
Sphingosine-1-phosphate
Whey protein
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 03 June 2025
  • Revise Date 08 September 2025
  • Accept Date 28 September 2025
  • First Publish Date 28 September 2025
  • Publish Date 22 June 2026