Regular Exercise
Increases Muscle Stem Cells to Renew Aging Muscles, Study Says
We can let
ourselves dream about creating a new drug for humans one that could
increase muscle mass and ameliorate the negative effects of aging
Dec. 1, 2010
In most of the analysis seeking answers to the magical longevity of
centenarians there are references to their physical activity and
strength but there have been few answers as to how this happens how
their muscles overcome natural aging. Now, researchers from Tel Aviv
University think they can explain why senior citizens who have exercised
throughout their lives age more gracefully.
Prof. Dafna
Benayahu and her team at TAU's Sackler School of Medicine say "endurance
exercises," like a Central Park jog or a spinning class, can make us
look younger, because exercise unlocks the stem cells of our muscles.
Are
American senior citizens who say they're happy simply part of an era
that predisposed them to good cheer? Or do most people whether born
and raised in boom times or busts have it within themselves to reach
their golden years with a smile?
Vibration
therapy lacks cardiovascular benefit of exercise
for senior citizens, but it can improve muscle strength and weight loss
- See video in story on how it works
They have
discovered how endurance exercise increases the number of muscle stem
cells and enhances their ability to rejuvenate old muscles. The
researchers hope their finding can lead to a new drug to help the
elderly and immobilized heal their muscles faster.
The real rat
race
The muscles and
skeleton in our bodies work together, explains Prof. Benayahu.
"When we age, we
experience sarcopenia, a decline in mass and function of muscles, and
osteopenia referrers to bone loss," she says. As a result, our
musculoskeletal system is more susceptible to daily wear and tear, which
also explains the increased risk of falling in the elderly.
Investigating a
rat population, Dr. Gabi Shefer from the research team says that the
finding shows that exercise increased the number of satellite cells
(muscle stem cells) a number which normally declines with aging. The
researchers believe that a decline in the number of these cells and
their functionality may prevent proper maintenance of muscle mass and
its ability to repair itself, leading to muscle deterioration.
Comparing the
performance of rats of different ages and sexes, they found that the
number of satellite cells increased after rats ran on a treadmill for 20
minutes a day for a 13-week period. The younger rats showed a 20% to 35%
increase in the average number of stem cells per muscle fiber retained
and older rats benefited even more significantly, exhibiting a 33% to
47% increase in stem cells.
A good reason
to get up and dance
Endurance
exercise also improved the levels of "spontaneous locomotion" of old
rats - the feeling that tells our bodies to just get up and dance. Aging
is typically associated with a reduced level of spontaneous locomotion.
The combination
of aging and a sedentary lifestyle significantly contributes to the
development of diseases such as osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes and
cardiovascular diseases, as well as a decline in cognitive abilities. If
researchers can discover a method to "boost" satellite cells in our
muscles, that could simulate the performance of young and healthy
muscles - and hold our aging bones in place.
"We hope to
understand the mechanisms for the activation codes of muscle stem cells
at the molecular level," says Prof. Benayahu. "With this advance, we can
let ourselves dream about creating a new drug for humans one that
could increase muscle mass and ameliorate the negative effects of
aging."
The results of
the study were recently published in the journal PLoS ONE.
Grants for this
study were provided by the EU-FP7 Excell project; the Israeli Ministry
of Health; and the U.S. Israel Binational Science Foundation jointly
with Prof. Yablonka-Reuveni from the University of Washington.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
Dec. 1, 2010
In most of the analysis seeking answers to the magical longevity of
centenarians there are references to their physical activity and
strength but there have been few answers as to how this happens how
their muscles overcome natural aging. Now, researchers from Tel Aviv
University think they can explain why senior citizens who have exercised
throughout their lives age more gracefully.
