Sarcopenia, Energy Production and Redox Signaling

This article shows that crosstalk between immune cells and organ cell determines integrity, function and the maintenance of the cell network.  The Redox signaling determines the rate of aging or degeneration of muscle or sarcopenia/osteopenia.

In the brain and in the skeletal system decreased energy production, increased redox signaling leads to inflammation, loss of function and structure.

Note how sarcopenia, and by extension dementia, is blocked by substances that increase energy production, and reverse signaling of declining energy production.  Below is a sample of age reversal agents that signal restoration of structure and function and longevity

DHA an omega 3 fatty acid that increases fluidity of membranes and the receptors that enter and exit the cell membrane

Green Tea Extract increases mobilization  and use of visceral body fat by being an O-methyl transferase inhibitor which blocks the breakdown of noradrenalin releasing more glucose and fatty acids for energy production.

Ursolic acid, an exercise and intermittent fasting mimetic, increases and shifts energy production from glucose to fatty acids to help both brain and muscle.  The latter becomes 30% stronger in human studies and metabolized 3.6% of body fat over 8 weeks.

BDNF is a bio marker of lifestyle effects that shift energy production from glucose to fatty acids/ketones. The indirect proof of this is trained soldiers from identical physical training and identical measured VO2 max (peak energy output measure) one half of whom added brain speed training which increases BDNF on testing endurance in an exercise to exhaustion were able to cycle 72% farther.  The putative increase in endurance was the result of producing more energy from fat.  

If my hypothesis that HRV index is a functional test of energy production is true, the above soldiers would have varied in HRV even though VO2 max was identical.

As today is the running of the Kentucky Derby 5/7/2016, I have a thought experiment that HRV index would predict the order the horses would finish in a straight run without interference!  Of course running economy would be an independent variable.

Highlights

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  The capacity of skeletal muscle to regenerate declines with aging.
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  Skeletal muscle repair involves a cross-talk between immune and muscle cells.
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  The physiological activities of immune and muscle stem cells decline with aging.
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  Nutrients can act as controllers of immune and muscle cell function.
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  Nutrition may help in preserving the capacity for muscle to repair during aging.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568163715300398

Abstract

After skeletal muscle injury a regeneration process takes place to repair muscle. Skeletal muscle recovery is a highly coordinated process involving cross-talk between immune and muscle cells. It is well known that the physiological activities of both immune cells and muscle stem cells decline with advancing age, thereby blunting the capacity of skeletal muscle to regenerate. The age-related reduction in muscle repair efficiency contributes to the development of sarcopenia, one of the most important factors of disability in elderly people. Preserving muscle regeneration capacity may slow the development of this syndrome. In this context, nutrition has drawn much attention: studies have demonstrated that nutrients such as amino acids, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols and vitamin D can improve skeletal muscle regeneration by targeting key functions of immune cells, muscle cells or both.

 (MY CONJECTURE  ;  FROM INCREASED ENERGY). 

Here we review the process of skeletal muscle regeneration with a special focus on the cross-talk between immune and muscle cells. We address the effect of aging on immune and skeletal muscle cells involved in muscle regeneration. Finally, the mechanisms of nutrient action on muscle regeneration are described, showing that quality of nutrition may help to preserve the capacity for skeletal muscle regeneration with age.