The age-related loss of muscle is called sarcopenia. This loss of muscle is slow at first, but then from the 40’, there is a more rapid loss of muscle. For more information see the post Dieters Lose Muscle If Not Exercising.

Sarcopenia can lead to problems for the elderly. Having weak muscles particularly in the legs can lead to a fall and that characteristic shuffling gait. With weak leg muscles, the feet are not lifted far enough off the ground. This increases the tendency to trip and fall since the feet can catch more easily. The fear of falling causes the gaze to be down, rather than ahead when walking, which besides reducing anticipation of problems ahead, makes you look old.

Exercising regularly will slow the loss of muscle and help maintain physical abilities much later in life.

Though exercising helps slow sarcopenia, it has been assumed that there is no way to reverse loss. Now there is research that suggests that there may be a way to, in part, reverse some of the loss.

The research looked at a growth factor called mechano growth factor, abbreviated to MGF. This growth factor is formed from the same gene as myotrophin, which has been investigated for use in increasing muscle mass, particularly in ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) with mixed results.

Mechano growth factor is made in muscle when they are stretched during exercise. It has been shown to cause satellite cells within the muscle (not fully developed “baby” muscle cells) to divide and fuse with muscle cells to repair them. It is the cycle of muscle damage and repair that results in increased muscle strength.

Now, it has been shown that elderly men who were given MGF, while in an exercise program had significantly increased muscle mass.

This suggests that there may be a way to partially reverse sarcopenia. If this turns out to be correct, there could be a huge impact on quality of life, with more confident walking and less falls. It could, also, result in reduced health care costs, both for hospitalization but also long term care.

photo credit: ~ggvic~

Technorati Tags: sarcopenia, mechano growth factor, MGF, myotrophin, muscle, satellite cells

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If you use a DVD or go to a class to do exercise that involves abdominals, usually you are told repeatedly the same thing. “Pull in your tummy. Try to flatten or hollow out your abs. Try to flatten your back against the floor. “

The idea behind keeping the abs flat and the back against the floor is to work the deep abdominals. The idea is to work the transversus abdominis, since many years ago some research suggested that this muscle did not work properly in those who had back pain. Therefore, it was suggested that if these muscles were strengthened then back pain would be lessened or cured.

Now some researchers are suggesting that the original research may be flawed, or at least not universally applicable for all back pain.

Further, now many think that perhaps it is not just the deep abdominals that need working. They are suggesting that you need to work all the muscles round the core including the surface (superficial) muscles.

Others suggest that the flat tummy, lower back on the floor is actually bad for your spine. That this goes against the natural curve of the lower back and the muscles that hold the curves of the back.

Further some researchers suggest that sit-ups (crunches) are bad for your spine and that other exercises should be done to strengthen the core. So whether you should have a flattened tummy, or not, is irrelevant. The theory behind crunches being bad for you is that the spine flexes back for each crunch and this squeezes your spine in a way that is bad for it, if it is done repeatedly.

The NYT* has an article about the different points of view. There is also a short video in which 4 exercises that work the core are demonstrated. These 4 exercises do not involve sit-ups and were developed to work all the core muscle groups. I think the video is very interesting so check it out.

I am going to try the new exercises – tomorrow.

*You need to register to look at much of the content on the NYT website, however there are no strings attached to registering.

photo credit: rich115

Technorati Tags: abdominal exercises, sit-ups, crunches, flattened tummy, core, spine

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In the last few years it has been discovered that many adults are vitamin D deficient. This is a combination of eating less vitamin D containing foods, and the recent horror of getting any sun on our skin.

New research measured the circulating vitamin D levels of the study subjects before starting a diet. The study participants then all followed a diet for 11 weeks that was individually calculated to have 750 calories less than their estimated daily needs.

The results showed that the higher the circulating vitamin D levels, the greater the weight loss. The authors say that for every increase of 1 ng/ml of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol— measurement of concentration, of a pre-form of vitamin D – study participants lost another half a pound by the end of the diet period. For every increase of 1 ng/ml of the active form of vitamin D, study participants lost another quarter of a pound by the end of the diet period.

In addition, higher levels of vitamin D were related to greater loss of abdominal fat.

The question is, why low vitamin D levels slow weight loss.

There are at least several possible explanations. For instance, are the actual levels of vitamin D not important? Instead are vitamin D levels an indicator of how much time is spent outside being active? Which would lead to increased weight loss.

Vitamin D has many important functions in the body, including functioning as a hormone. Recently, there has been a lot of evidence that several other hormones influence appetite, where fat is deposited and other aspects of eating and weight. It could be that vitamin D also plays a role in hormonal control of weight loss and gain.

If the second reason turns out to be correct, this provides another good reason for making sure that we have adequate vitamin D levels in our bodies, from foods, supplements or the sun.

photo credit: ODHD

Technorati Tags: vitamin D, weight loss, low vitamin D

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The trouble is that after a period of stress, it sometimes almost becomes addictive. We get a stress response, which makes us more sensitive to stress. We then over-respond to new stress and so the whole thing snowballs. The more stressed we are, the more we get stressed.

A friend of mine, at work, is a prime example of somebody who has a really strong stress response. She certainly has some reasons to be stressed. Her father has dementia and is hard to look after. However, she will get worked up about everything. We will have a department meeting about something trivial that does not affect her. But she will nearly always find something to get upset and stressed about during the meeting. I can usually expect her to visit my office afterwards, and stress about something that nobody else care about. Her levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, must be through the roof.

Short term stress is very useful to us, but if it persists then it is bad for us. It can make us irritable, make us tense muscles, make it harder to concentrate, give us insomnia, headaches, increase heart rate, upset our digestive system, and often make us make bad food and drink choices.

How can you reduce stress? Of course, there are a number of drugs out there, but what can you do without drugs?

Exercise is a great stress reducer. Part of stress responses are based on the fight or flight response. Consequently, we are primed by stress for activity. Once we manage to get moving, it will help reduce stress. The hardest part is getting going. Get out and go for a walk.

Something that you have to concentrate on, is good too. Doing yoga is an example. In yoga moving through and holding poses with the correct alignment takes concentration. When you are concentrating on your body, you are letting go of what is stressing you.

Yoga and most forms of meditation are also useful in that you have control and slow your breathing. In addition to the concentration required, the slow breathing has a calming effect. Meditation reduces heart rate, blood pressure and drops the level of cortisol. Meditation is now starting to be used in medical settings for treatment of stress, insomnia and pain management.

Get away from the stress-causing situations. Take a break and go somewhere else. Go to a concert, visit a local attraction, go camping, get a pedicure, or whatever takes your fancy.

Rule your stress. Don’t let it rule your life.

photo credit: leunix

Technorati Tags: stress, yoga, meditation, cortisol, breathing, concentrate, insomnia, exercise

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Energy drinks are everywhere. The supermarket has a big selection. Most of the energy drinks consumed contain some form of sugar and “energy ingredients” mainly caffeine.

There have been a number of well publicized studies that have shown that the some brands have little, to no, caffeine. However, since consumers seem to find all brands give them energy, it has been suggested that it is often the sugars that are responsible for the energy response.

Recently, it has also been shown that rinsing out your mouth with an energy drink and then spitting it out, not swallowing any, has the some effect as drinking the drink!

Why should just having the drink in your mouth have an effect? Previously it had been suggested that it was the rapid rush of calories that resulted in the energy effect.

However, recently it has been shown that just having calories in your mouth activates your brain! This activation can lead to improved athletic performance.

In a new study athletes were give one of three drinks. One contained glucose, one contained maltodextrin, a carbohydrate that we cannot taste, and the last one no carbohydrate, water. The taste of all three was adjusted with artificial sweetener so that they all tasted the same.

The athletes that were given drinks with carbohydrate, either glucose or maltodextrin, performed better than those given the water. Since the maltodextrin also had the effect, there must be carbohydrate receptors in our mouths that sense carbohydrate in addition to those sensing sweet.

MRI studies of brains showed that the glucose and maltodextrin triggered responses in the same part of the brain, but that there was not a similar response to artificial sweetener alone. This is good evidence that there are major effects are directly from the mouth to the brain. The drinks do not have to go into the tummy!

So, if you rinse, spit and don’t swallow energy drinks, you can get the benefits without the calories.

photo credit: urbaer

Technorati Tags: energy drink, spit, swallow, carbohydrate, maltodextrin, glucose, brain

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A deteriorating sense of balance, and at a later stage a loss of muscle strength in the legs are the main causes of becoming frightened of falling over.

Fear of falling over is aging for two reasons. First, it starts to limit horizons, the world becomes smaller and more restricted. Rough ground, steep stairs, and crowded places are examples of places that are avoided. Not being able to be easily able and comfortable going where you want is a feature of the aging process for many people.

Second, in a more obvious way, fear of falling changes body posture and gait. If you are frightened of falling you look down a lot more, which will increase the tendency to get the characteristic curved spine, head down look. Young people look up and around not just in front of their feet, and have straighter backs. Fear of falling also tends to make for a slower, smaller step style of walking. Often, eventually developing a shuffling gait.

There are a number of studies that have shown that yoga, tai chi and similar exercise types can make a significant difference to the elderly in terms of improving their walking abilities and reducing the fear of falling. Statistics from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the leading causes of both non-fatal injury, and admission to hospital for trauma in those 65 years and older, is falling.

So why not start to do a little tai chi or yoga, even before you develop the fear of falling? Yoga, tai chi, etc., definitely will help delay or even prevent developing a strong fear of falling.

Obviously, yoga and tai chi help improve the sense of balance. As we age our sense of balance deteriorates. However, balance training can restore our sense of balance to a level that is similar to when we were much younger. (I will do another post soon on aging and balance since it has several facets.)

One important part of balance is flexibility. If you can flex you are much less likely to fall over. When we are standing, we are balancing on our feet and constantly correcting our balance. If you are very inflexible then it is hard to correct from a wavering away from the center of balance – think ninepin. If you can flex then it is easy to bend the body in a way that will correct the imbalance and remain standing or walking.

Another advantage of these types of exercises is that they strengthen the legs. Aging results in a decrease in muscle mass and strength, called sarcopenia. Often the elderly will develop a shuffling gait, not picking their feet up properly. This is partly due to lack of muscle strength. Look at an elderly person’s legs; they are usually really thin and spindly. Everybody will undergo sarcopenia, and have a decline in muscle mass as they age. Fortunately, exercises that strengthen muscles will significantly slow the decline.

The increase in muscle strength and the movements and postures of these disciplines will also help strengthen the core, chest shoulders and back and improve posture, stopping or slowing the development of an older body shape.

So get a yoga or tai chi or qi gong (or anything that takes your fancy) DVD, book or go to a class once a week. A small amount of time will have a big benefit.

Not only will yoga, or whatever, help with stress, which itself is aging, but it will really slow one aspect of aging, fear of falling.

photo credit: j / f / photos

Technorati Tags: fear of falling, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, sense of balance, sarcopenia, posture, gait

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Everybody has wondered why hair goes gray. Many people hate it, since it is such an obvious sign of aging. So much money is spent each year on dyes hiding it.

New research suggests that it is hydrogen peroxide that makes our hair go gray. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂0₂) is an oxidizing agent, so it has bleaching properties. It is found in products for bleaching hair.

Apparently, there is a build up of hydrogen peroxide in hair shafts. This hydrogen peroxide blocks both directly and indirectly the synthesis of hair pigments, so we go gray and eventually white.

Our bodies naturally make hydrogen peroxide and therefore also make enzymes to break down peroxides, called peroxidases. These enzymes will break down hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. As hair follicles age there is less activity of a number of enzymes including peroxidases. The reduced levels of these enzymes result in less pigment being formed, and the destruction of any pigment that is made. So we go gray.

One thing that I have noticed is that those with darker thicker hair tend to go gray faster. Those, like me, with thin mousy hair tend to go gray much more slowly. Perhaps thin mousy hair means better peroxidases or other enzymes that are involved in hair pigmentation. I was always envious of those with thick hair, not so much anymore.

I wonder if soon there will be a deep scalp treatment to stop graying and/or to stimulatie production of pigment. Better hurry up; despite my thin hair, I am going gray.

photo credit: loop_oh

Technorati Tags: gray hair, grey hair, hydrogen peroxide, peroxidases, pigment

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An interesting news release discusses the thesis of a graduate student, Izabela Buraczewska, who did research in Sweden. Her work suggests that some creams may not be good for your skin. Skin creams may actually cause the skins own protective barrier to start to breakdown.

The research indicates that some oils in creams may dry your skin out. Two oils that did dry out the skin were mineral oil and a vegetable oil. A more complex oil mix (not identified) did not dry the skin out.

The reason that skin got drier was that genes in skin cells that control the amount of oil made by the skin were downregulated. Consequently, after applications of the cream, the skin starts to make less oil. This means that the skin has less of a natural barrier and becomes drier.

This suggests that the cosmetic industry needs to study the components of skin products and find which products at least do not reduce the skins natural barrier, and perhaps find compounds that will stimulate the production of a natural barrier. These would be helpful both for aging, and also those who have a dry skin condition.

I have not used cleansers or toners on my skin in years. I have thought for a long time that skin through the ages has developed its own method of making a barrier and has efficient oils. I do not understand putting products on your face and stripping out the natural oils, and replacing then with something unnatural that probably is not so good for your skin as the oils that were just stripped out. This new finding sugggests that even though I do not strip out the natural oils, that my skin cream could making my skin make less oils. Should I stop using skin creams, except for sun screen?

photo credit: Orin Optiglot

Technorati Tags: skin cream, oil, protective barrier, skin drier

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One benefit of exercise is for aging. As we age physical activity becomes more important.

Have you heard of sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is the loss muscle mass, strength and function that occurs with aging.

Generally the time of peak muscle mass in the mid 20’s. After this time there are changes in muscle. These changes are slow until about the mid 40’s when they increase, and there is a further increase at around 65 to 70 years.

The changes in muscle include loss of muscle fibers and changes that make muscle contract more slowly; there is a loss of strength and also the ability to move the muscles as precisely.

Sarcopenia leads to less strength, slower reaction times, increased risk of injury, reduced ability to do fine movements, an increased risk of injury and falls.

Sarcopenia is a natural aging process so for everybody there is going to be some loss of function. However, an exercise program can have significant effects on sarcopenia.

The less physical activity, the faster the progression of sarcopenia.

Though all exercise is beneficial, progressive resistance training is the most important for slowing and even reversing some of the functional effects of sarcopenia.

Progressive resistance training is the use of some form of resistance (weights, rubber tubing, own body weight, etc.) when contracting muscles. The aim is to have sufficient resistance, so that somewhere between 8 and 15 repetitions the movement will become hard to do. As muscles get stronger the amount of resistance is increased.

So the answer to the question, how helpful is exercise? The answer is – it might not prevent some diseases but it is essential for slowing the effects of aging on muscle. It is important for keeping us mobile, injury free and able to have the lifestyle that we want.

For How helpful is exercise? Part 1

photo credit: happysnappr

Technorati Tags: muscle, sarcopenia, muscle loss, progressive resistance training

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After about 25 years of age, we all start to lose muscle mass, strength and get reduced muscle function. Then from about age 40 there is a more rapid loss. This loss of muscle mass and strength is known as sarcopenia.

The loss of muscle strength and function due to sarcopenia, leads to decreased ability to lift things, less injury, finding it harder to balance and more likely to fall. Generally life gets a bit more difficult.

Sarcopenia is a natural part of the aging process. However, the rate at which it occurs and the impact sarcopenia has on the quality of life can be moderated by exercising.

A new study looked at weight loss in an older study population. The main finding was that those who did not combine exercising with eating less, lost muscle as well as fat.

The loss of muscle due to dieting in an individual who already has a significant level of sarcopenia can have major consequences. If you already don’t have a lot of muscle, loss of more muscle is going to have a very negative impact on life.

The study showed that those who exercised lost fat rather than muscle. Additionally, by the end of the study, those that exercised had the benefit of better muscle function too.

So as we age exercise has even more benefit, not only for cardiovascular health, but also for weight loss and general quality of life. Slow down sarcopenia!

photo credit: rileyroxx

Technorati Tags: older dieters, lose muscle, exercising, muscle strength, muscle function, sarcopenia

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