Saving physiques from muscle loss

United Press International

02-16-10

A U.S. researcher says future generations may slow sarcopenia -- muscle loss due to aging. Study leader Holly Van Remmen of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio found muscle cells die when oxidative stress impairs the cells' energy centers -- mitochondria. Understanding how to help mitochondria function may lead to new treatments for muscle disorders, Van Remmen says. Van Remmen and colleagues found mitochondria became impaired without a certain anti-oxidant enzyme to balance the formation of harmful reactive oxygen species. When the researchers analyzed normal mice and mice genetically engineered to lack this anti-oxidant enzyme -- called copper-zinc superoxide dismutase -- they found reduced mitochondria function in the enzyme-deficient mice contributed to more cell death and muscle atrophy. "The impaired function of mitochondria also has a detrimental effect on the way motor neurons 'talk' to the muscle to achieve muscle contraction," Van Remmen says in a statement. "This interaction occurs at a specialized synapse where the nerve and muscle come in close contact." The findings are published online in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal.

Pri ohranjanju mišic na stara leta je zelo pomembno ohranjanje mitohondrijev - organeli ki proizvajajo energijo, ki se nahajajo v mišičnih celicah oziroma njihovo varovanje pred prostimi radikali. Torej veliko antioksidantov. Ter seveda trening z utežmi..