Anyone who’s in midlife or beyond has probably noticed that you have to work harder to maintain muscle strength and mass as you age. However, a pilot study suggests that fish oil may make your muscles act younger, minimizing the effect of normal age-related muscle loss.

Aging Muscles

During healthy aging, muscle size is reduced by approximately 0.5-2% a year. This process - known as sarcopenia - can result in a reduction in quality of life and loss of independence.

One way muscle function can be maintained is through exercise.  But as we age our body is less able to increase muscle mass through exercise alone.  In the last few years, researchers have found that our body needs additional nutritional support as well, including added protein, certain vitamins and now, fish oil.

Study Details

Among a group of elderly women, University of Aberdeen researchers found that 12 weeks of resistance exercise training coupled with taking fish oil improved muscle strength by 20% compared to an 11% increase in the placebo group.

“We believe the benefits of fish oil are due to a number of factors. Older people tend to have low-level inflammation in the body which interferes with the muscles’ ability to increase strength and mass. The anti-inflammatory qualities found in fish oil may reduce this inflammation and therefore inhibit this interference,” said lead researcher, Dr. Stuart Gray.

The omega-3 found in fish oil helps make muscles more fluid and proteins involved in increasing muscle mass function at a higher level in the body, he added.

Based on these encouraging results, a new longer study will soon be underway.  In this study, males and females over the age of 65 will participate in an 18 week course of resistance training.  Half the participants will take fish oil supplements the other half a placebo.

To determine the impact of fish oil in combating sarcopenia, the research will monitor changes in muscle including mass, volume and fat content using MRI. They will also measure insulin sensitivity and inflammation in blood samples and changes in protein synthesis and molecular signaling in muscle biopsies.

The research team hopes that providing new insights into the benefits of fish oil on muscles could lead to the development of new treatments to prevent against the loss of muscle with age.

Source:

The University of Aberdeen

Years ago, when people spent more time outdoors and sunscreen was for wussies, vitamin D deficiency wasn’t that common. Exposure to sunlight was all your body needed to make enough vitamin D.

But times have changed and studies are finding that over 75% of Americans, young and old, are deficient in vitamin D. Consequently, we’re also seeing what happens to our bodies when we don’t get enough vitamin D, which is essential for a healthy immune system, strong bones and muscles and much more.

Recent studies highlight some of these effects of vitamin D deficiency:

Muscle Health

Researchers studying elite NFL football players found that lacking in vitamin D may increase the chance of muscle injuries.

Eighty percent of the football teams they studied had a vitamin D insufficiency. African-American players and players who suffered muscle injuries had significantly lower levels.

Other studies have found similar results in younger athletes as well.

Mobility and Falls Among Seniors

For older adults, vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of losing mobility and falls—two of the biggest fears among seniors for good reason.

Being physically active helps maintain general health and prevent many chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Therefore, losing mobility may lead to an overall decline in health, loss of independence and the ability to enjoy life.

One study reported a 30% increased risk of mobility limitations for those older adults who had low levels of vitamin D, and almost a two-fold higher risk of mobility disability.

Vitamin D plays an important role in muscle function, so it is plausible that low levels of the vitamin could result in the onset of decreased lower muscle strength and physical performance, study authors explained.

Mobility problems often lead to falls--a leading cause of serious injury and the principle reason why older adults enter nursing homes. As many as 40% of people aged 65 and older living outside of nursing homes fall at least once a year, and up to 10% of those who fall will suffer fractures, lacerations, or head injuries.

After reviewing more than 50 clinical trials to assess the best way to prevent falls in older adults living independently at home, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force found determined that exercise or physical therapy and vitamin D supplementation can help reduce the risk of falls in people aged 65 and older.

Although the report did not address vitamin D dosage, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) call for people at increased risk for falls to take a supplement of at least 800 international units (IU) of the vitamin a day.

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

The daily recommended amounts vary by age, so be sure to read this post and speak with your doctor if you think you might be lacking vitamin D.

With widespread deficiency in this nutrient, many doctors now check serum vitamin D levels during regular check-ups.

If you are deficient, vitamin D supplements are a quick and easy way to get your Vitamin D levels back to normal.

Sources:

Drug Store News

WebMd

Linus Pauling Institute

Drug Store News

Before heading to the gym to pump iron, you might want to down a glass of green tea.  It seems that the antioxidants called polyphenols in green tea may protect your muscles from exercise induced stress.  Put simply—it helps reduce the wear and tear on your body that intense physical exercise can produce.

As antioxidants, polyphenols help protect your body from free-radical damage that occurs as part of being a living, breathing organism, as well as more taxing body burdens such as smoking, environmental toxins, and yes, high intensity exercise.

Study Details

Study participants consisted of 35 young men who had no previous strength training. During the four-week study, they received strength training and either green tea extract containing 640 mg of polyphenols or a placebo.

Results were based on performing a short-term muscular endurance test prior to and following the study. Each endurance test was followed by blood tests for markers of oxidative stress and damage, lipid hydroxperoxides and creatine kinase. Blood samples were collected at rest, 5 minutes after the muscular endurance test, and after 24 hours of recovery  

As expected, the baseline muscular endurance test resulted in an increase in activity of creatine kinase and lipid hydroxperoxides in both the placebo and green tea extract groups.

However, supplementation with green tea extract:

• increased total plasma levels of polyphenols at rest and 5 minutes after the muscular endurance test.
• contributed to a rise of resting total antioxidant status in plasma.
• prevented increases in plasma creatine kinase activity after 24 hours of recovery.

This study builds on a growing body of research that supports many potential health benefits from green tea and its extract—from supporting cardiovascular health to promoting healthy gums and normal body weight.

Sources:

Nutrition Research

PubMed

University of Maryland Medical Center