Lecture 7: Successful strategies to improve muscle mass / functioning during ageing

Question 1

 Mitochondrial oxidative capacity and NAD+ biosynthesis are reduced in people with X

Answer 1

sarcopenia

Question 2

Improving mito’s can be done via exercise (all types). What nutrients might be beneficial for improving mito’s?

Answer 2

 Pufa: no effect shown yet (potential by lowering inflammation)
 Resveratrol: two studies have shown improvement
 Epicatechin: one study
 Potential for Vitamin B3, B6, B9, B12 / PUFA / Phospholipids

Question 3

Pol Grootswagers did a study about a novel oral nutritional supplement. What was currently used as nutrition? How effective is it?

Answer 3

Medical nutrition: protein, energy and macronutrient supplementation
> effective in weight gain, not in improving physical functioning

Question 4

What did the novel product contain?

Answer 4

 Whey + casein protein: potent stimulator muscle mass
 Branched Chain Amino Acids
 Ursolic Acid
Vit D

Question 5

What effect has ursolic acid on mice?

Answer 5

improvement in
- muscle mass
- grip strength
- fiber distribution.

Also results found in mitochondrial improvement (make mice hang on longer on wire).

Question 6

What were the outcomes of the study?

Answer 6

 Body weight did not increase as much on novel product; Fat mass increases more with standard care
 Improved walk speed
 No effects on other functional outcomes

Question 7

What was the mechanism behind the results of the study?

Answer 7

Muscle biopsy taken, resulted in biggest expression in muscle in mitochondrial genes in intervention group.

So, mito functioning

Question 8

 Exercise always works to improve muscle mass (not necessarily strength)
True/false?

Answer 8

True. protein might give an elevated effect, but protein alone does not work

Question 9

What are risk factors for plant-based protein intake in older adults vs animal protein?

Answer 9

Plantbased:

Increased risk malnutrition (lower protein content)
Higher protein requirement
B12 deficiency
D deficiency
Low bioavailability
Incomplete amino-acid profile

Question 10

 If you do not get one essential amino acid, all other amino acids eaten are burned as a source of energy
True/false?

Answer 10

True, Muscles are made up of amino acids in a specific ratio

Question 11

Vit D: no function on muscle in RCT’s, only positive results in cross-sectional studies
true/false

Answer 11

True

Question 12

What PUFA’s can reduce inflammation? And thereby save muscle mass?

Answer 12

EPA + DHA

Question 13

Fatty fish consumption is negatively associated, in a dose-response manner, with grip strength
true/false?

Answer 13

false

Question 14

Omega-3 FA increase thigh muscle volume by about 3-5% , in absence of exercise training
True/false

Answer 14

True

Question 15

Muscle strength and quality increase following 18 weeks of RET + omega 3 in women, but not in men

Answer 15

True