How you manage your muscles now might affect your future more than you realize! Because muscle strength is directly associated with functionality and independence, it is important to keep your muscles toned up, because shrinking skeletal muscle mass can lead to declining health. Age-related loss of muscle and function is closely related to loss of bone tissue, and as well, can significantly contribute to both disabilities and several major chronic diseases. Are you ready to learn about one strategy that reduces muscle loss and increases the enjoyment of your life? Read on.
Resistance training (RT) consists of repetitive exercises with weights, resistance bands, weight machines, or even one’s own body weight. It increases growth hormone, which improves protein synthesis in muscle and bone, and increases muscle strength. In conjunction with an adequate protein intake, RT helps older people gain muscle strength and size. It also prevents decline in skeletal muscle mass and function when the mechanical stimuli provided by the tasks of daily living are not sufficient to offset these age-related declines. Adults who do not perform RT often experience a fifty percent reduction in fast-twitch fibers by 80 years of age. On the other hand, individuals who do resistance-training exercises can actually experience increases in muscle strength, function, and mass well into their 90s! RT also improves balance in frail elderly individuals.
RT can also benefit persons with myositis (inflammation of the muscles) by reducing the activity of genes involved in inflammation. For individuals prone to high blood sugar or sluggish metabolisms, RT can prove to be a therapeutic activity as well. It improves the ability of the muscle cells to respond to insulin and increases resting energy expenditures.
Just one caution here: If you are not used to exercise, first build up your muscles by engaging in modest aerobic exercise and stretching. Be sure to discuss with your doctor your desire to start RT, and whether it would be safe for you with your current medical conditions. Take precautions and know your limitations, start slow, and gradually work up to your goals. Your efforts will pay off.
Works cited:
Melov, S., et al., Resistance Exercise Reverses Aging in Human Skeletal Muscle, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070522210926.htm
Lundberg, I.E., et al., Molecular effects of exercise in patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease. Natl Clin Pract Rheumatol, 4(11):597-604, 2008
Reviewed by P.S. on Sept. 12, 2017
Observational Study Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets
. 2023;23(1):86-94. doi: 10.2174/1871530322666220627145635.
Correlation Between Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases
Tinatin Kacharava 1, Elene Giorgadze 1, Shota Janjgava 1, Nino Lomtadze 1, Iamze Taboridze 2
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PMID: 35761487 DOI: 10.2174/1871530322666220627145635
Abstract
Background: Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) are the most prevalent organ-specific autoimmune disorders. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the proper functioning of the immune system. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and AITD.
Materials and methods: A total of 306 patients (aged 18-65 years, mean – 37.6 ± 11.3 years and comprising 87 males and 219 females) were studied retrospectively (observational study). Patients were divided into groups: with and without vitamin B12 deficiency, and with and without AITD. Differences between groups were evaluated by Fisher’s exact test for qualitative variables and by Student’s t-test for quantitative variables. Correlations for quantitative factors were determined by the Pearson correlation coefficient and for qualitative factors by Spearman correlation analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of vitamin B12 deficiency for AITD were calculated by ROC analysis.
Results: The vitamin B12 level was significantly lower in patients with AITD (and 200.70 + 108.84) compared to controls (393.41+150.78 p<0.0001). Patients with vitamin B12 deficiency were characterized by significantly higher mean values of anti-TPO (236.60+455.74) compared to controls (39.51+165.57 p<0.0001). Vitamin B12 levels were inversely correlated to anti-TPO levels (r=- 0.233, p<0.001). Roc analysis of vitamin B12 as a diagnostic test for AITD gave the area under curve as 0.881 (95% CI: 0.839-0.924), a sensitivity of – 0.947, a specificity of – 0.768, and a cutoff value of – 178.9.
Conclusion: The vitamin B12 level correlates significantly to AITD. The concentration of vitamin B12 should therefore be determined in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis as a diagnostic test with high sensitivity and good specificity.