Muscles

Yoga and Fitness

Exercise Key to Keep Muscles Healthy, Stay Young

London: Want to stay young? Lifelong physical activity could protect against age-related loss of muscle mass and function, according to research. The study, published in The Journal of Physiology, showed that individuals aged 68 and above who were physically active throughout their life have healthier ageing muscle that has superior function and is more resistant to fatigue compared to inactive individuals, both young and old. This is the first study to investigate muscle, stem cell and nerve activity in humans, said researchers from University of Copenhagen. "This is the first study in humans to find that lifelong exercise at a recreational level could delay some detrimental effects of ageing. Using muscle tissue biopsies, we've found positive effects of exercise on the general ageing population. This has been missing from the literature as previous studies have mostly focused on master athletes, which is a minority group," said lead author Casper Soendenbroe, from the varsity. They found that elderly individuals who keep physically active throughout their adult life, whether by taking part in resistance exercise, ball games, racket sports, swimming, cycling, running and/or rowing had a greater number of muscle stem cells, otherwise known as satellite cells in their muscle. These cells are important for muscle regeneration and long-term growth and protect against nerve decay. In the study, 46 male participants took part and were divided into three groups: young sedentary (15), elderly lifelong exercise (16) and elderly sedentary (15). They performed a heavy resistance exercise, sitting in a mechanical chair performing a knee extension movement to evaluate muscle function. The amount of force produced was measured. Blood samples were taken, and muscle biopsies were analysed from both legs. The researchers found elderly lifelong exercisers outperformed both the elderly and young sedentary adults. Importantly, the study showed that even a little exercise seems to go a long way, when it comes to protecting against the age-related decline in muscle function. "This is an encouraging finding which can hopefully spur more people to engage in an activity that they enjoy. We still have much to learn about the mechanisms and interactions between nerves and muscles and how these change as we age. Our research takes us one step closer," Soendenbroe said. (agency) Read More► Why Exercise Gets Harder The Less You Do It
Yoga and Fitness

Stay Strong As You Age

Did you know that over 40-year-olds might lose up to 8 per cent of their muscle mass every decade? After the age of 70, the pace of decrease may double. Sarcopenia, or advanced muscle loss, affects roughly one-third of persons over the age of 50. Muscles are crucial for organ function, skin health, immunity and metabolism, as well as for common physical acts like picking things up, reaching for something, opening a jar or getting out of a chair. To put it another way, keeping muscle mass as you become older is critical to living a happy and healthy life. "Muscle loss is an ageing factor that is rarely discussed, and people accept its signs, such as a loss of strength and energy, as a natural part of ageing," says Ganesh Kadhe, Associate Director Medical and Scientific Affairs at Abbott Nutrition. "However, muscle fitness can often predict how we will age and remain active and independent." The good news is that you may assist, prevent or delay muscle loss by taking the appropriate precautions. While muscle loss is unavoidable as we age, it does not have to be. To stay strong as you age, start following the tips below to fuel and keep muscles fit for years to come! 1. Engage in regular exercise, including resistance training, to maintain muscles and strength. 2. Eat good source of protein from lean meats, eggs and beans; aim for 25-30 grams of protein at every meal. 3. Choose a balanced diet full of veggies, fruits, whole grains, proteins, healthy fats and key vitamins and minerals like calcium and vitamin D. 4. Consider taking other muscle health ingredients, like HMB. 5. Talk to your healthcare provider about nutrition, especially if you are ill, hospitalised or recovering from surgery, to manage illness-related muscle loss. Read More► 6 Bone Strengthening Yoga Poses for Osteoporosis
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Vitamin C can be key

London, Aug 27 (IANS) People above 50, kindly take note. Researchers have found that older people who eat plenty of Vitamin C -- commonly found in citrus fruits, berries and vegetables -- have the best skeletal muscle mass.This is important because people tend to lose skeletal muscle mass as they get older - leading to sarcopenia (a condition characterised by loss of skeletal muscle mass and function), frailty and reduced quality of life.People over 50 lose upto one per cent of their skeletal muscle mass each year, and this loss is thought to affect more than 50 million people worldwide, according to the study, published in the Journal of Nutrition. "It's a big problem because it can lead to frailty and other poor outcomes such as sarcopenia, physical disability, type-2 diabetes, reduced quality of life and death," said study researcher Ailsa Welch from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK."We know that Vitamin C consumption is linked with skeletal muscle mass. It helps defend the cells and tissues that make up the body from potentially harmful free radical substances," Welch added.But until now, few studies have investigated the importance of Vitamin C intake for older people. The team wanted to find out whether people eating more Vitamin C had more muscle mass than other people. The research team studied data from more than 13,000 people aged between 42-82 years, who are taking part in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) Norfolk Study.They calculated their skeletal muscle mass and analysed their vitamin C intakes from a seven-day food diary. They also examined the amount of vitamin C in their blood. The study found that people with the highest amounts of Vitamin C in their diet or blood had the greatest estimated skeletal muscle mass, compared to those with the lowest amounts."We are very excited by our findings as they suggest that dietary Vitamin C is important for muscle health in older men and women and may be useful for preventing age-related muscle loss," said study researcher Richard Hayhoe also from UEA.This is particularly significant as Vitamin C is readily available in fruits and vegetables, or supplements, so improving intake of this vitamin is relatively straightforward. "We're not talking about people needing mega-doses. Eating a citrus fruit, such as orange, each day and having a vegetable side to a meal will be sufficient for most people," the study authors wrote.--IANSbu/avk