THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF EXERCISE AND INGESTION OF A MEAL REPLACEMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENT ON BODY COMPOSITION AND FITNESS PARAMETERS IN COLLEGE-AGED MEN AND WOMEN

Poole, CN, Roberts, MD, Dalbo, VJ, Tucker, PS, Sunderland, KL, DeBolt, ND, Billbe, BW, and Kerksick, CM. The combined effects of exercise and ingestion of a meal replacement in conjunction with a weight loss supplement on body composition and fitness parameters in college-aged men and women. J Strength Cond Res 25(1): 51-60, 2011-This study was performed to evaluate the combined effect of a meal replacement and an alleged weight loss supplement (WLS) on body composition, fitness parameters, and clinical health in moderately overweight college-aged men and women. Body mass, bench press 1 repetition maximum (1RM), leg press 1RM, body composition, (V)over dotO(2)max, fasting glucose (GLU), and lipid panels were evaluated before (T1) and after (T2) 8 weeks of combined resistance training (RT) and cardiovascular training (CVT). After T1, subjects were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to either the WLS (6 men, 7 women; 21 +/- 5 years, 168 +/- 68 cm, 75.4 +/- 612.7 kg, 31.6 +/- 67.7% BFAT) or placebo (PLA: 6 men, 6 women; 22 +/- 4 years, 174 +/- 9 cm, 84.1 +/- 8.8 kg, 30.2 +/- 5.6% BFAT) group. Both groups performed 3 d center dot wk(-1) of combined progressive RT (2 X 12 reps of 8 exercises at 75-80% 1RM) and CVT (30 minutes on a cycle ergometer at 70-85% heart rate reserve). Subjects consumed 4 capsules per day and a once-daily meal replacement throughout the protocol. Percent body fat, bench press 1RM, and leg press 1RM significantly improved (p < 0.05) in both groups. Blood GLU (G X T; p = 0.048) improved in WLS and systolic blood pressure (SBP) approached significance (G X T; p = 0.06) in the WLS group. Follow-up analysis of SBP revealed a significant within-group decrease in the WLS group, whereas no within-group changes were found for either group for GLU. Practically speaking, daily supplementation with a meal replacement and a thrice weekly exercise program can increase fitness levels and improve body composition, whereas adding a thermogenic substance provides no additional benefit over fitness or body composition changes but may favorably alter serum markers of clinical health.