Lifetime serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH) is associated with hand grip strengths: insight from a Mendelian randomisation

Clinical trials have suggested that increased 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) has positive effect on hand grip strength. This Mendelian randomisation (MR) was implemented using summary-level data from the largest genome-wide association studies on vitamin D (n = 73,699) and hand grip strength. Inverse variance weighted method (IVW) was used to estimate the causal estimates. Weighted median (WM)-based method, MR-Egger and leave-one-out were applied as sensitivity analysis. Results showed that genetically higher-serum 25(OH)D levels had a positive effect on both right hand grip (IVW = Beta: 0.038, P = 0.030) and left hand grip (IVW = Beta: 0.034, P = 0.036). There was a low likelihood (statistically insignificant) of heterogeneity and pleiotropy, and the observed associations were not driven by single single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Furthermore, MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier did not highlight any outliers. In conclusion, our results highlighted the causal and beneficial effect of serum 25(OH) D on right- and left-hand grip strengths

Bone Loss Rate May Interact with Other Risk Factors for Fractures among Elderly Women: A 15-Year Population-Based Study

Aim was to investigate fracture risk (FR) according to bone loss (BL) rate. A random sample of 1652 women aged 53.5 years was measured with dual X-ray absorptiometry in femoral neck in 1989 and 1994 and divided into tertiles of annual BL rate: high >0.84%, moderate 0.13%–0.84%, and low <0.13%. Low trauma energy fractures during following 10 years were recorded. There were no differences in FR between BL tertiles in Cox regression model. Factors predicting lower FR in Cox model were in high tertile: high T-score (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.54–0.93, P = .012), no sister's fracture (HR 0.35; 0.19–0.64, P = .001), no mother's fracture (HR 0.52; 0.31–0.88, P = .015), in moderate tertile: high T-score (HR 0.69;0.53–0.91, P = .008) and good grip strength (HR 0.98; 0.97–0.99, P = .022). In low tertile there were no predictors for FR. BL predicted FR in women with mother's fracture in univariate and multivariate model (OR 2.6; 1.15–5.7, P = .021) but with sister's fracture this was observed only in multivariate model (OR 2.66; 1.09–6.7, P = .039). Accordingly, the risk factors for postmenopausal fractures, especially mother's fracture, may interact with BL

Dietary protein intake is associated with better physical function and muscle strength among elderly women

Dietary protein intake might be beneficial to physical function (PF) in the elderly. We examined the cross-sectional and prospective associations of protein intake of g/kg body weight (BW), fat mass (FM) and lean mass (LM) with PF in 554 women aged 65·3–71·6 years belonging to the Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Fracture Prevention Study. Participants filled a questionnaire on lifestyle factors and 3-d food record in 2002. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and PF measures were performed at baseline and at 3-year follow-up. Sarcopaenia was defined using European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria. At the baseline, women with higher protein intake (≥1·2 g/kg BW) had better performance in hand-grip strength/body mass (GS/BM) (P=0·001), knee extension/BM (P=0·003), one-leg stance (P=0·047), chair rise (P=0·043), squat (P=0·019), squat to the ground (P=0·001), faster walking speed for 10 m (P=0·005) and higher short physical performance battery score (P=0·004) compared with those with moderate and lower intakes (0·81–1·19 and ≤0·8 g/kg BW, respectively). In follow-up results, higher protein intake was associated with less decline in GS/BM, one-leg stance and tandem walk for 6 m over 3 years. Overall, results were no longer significant after controlling for FM. Associations were detected between protein intake and PF in non-sarcopaenic women but not in sarcopaenic women, except for change of GS (P=0·037). Further, FM but not LM was negatively associated with PF measures (P<0·050). This study suggests that higher protein intake and lower FM might be positively associated with PF in elderly women

Dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid and alpha-linolenic acid are associated with physical capacity measure but not muscle mass in older women 65–72 years

Abstract Purpose The aim was to investigate the cross-sectional association of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids PUFA (alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) intake with multiple physical functions, muscle mass and fat mass in older women. Method Study subjects were 554 women from the Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Fracture Prevention Study, with dietary intake assessed with 3-day food record. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Physical function measures included walking speed 10 m, chair rises, one leg stance, knee extension, handgrip strength and squat. Short physical performance battery (SPPB) score was defined based on the European working group on sarcopenia criteria. Results The multivariable adjusted models showed statistically significant associations for dietary ALA with higher SPPB (β = 0.118, P = 0.024), knee extension force at baseline (β = 0.075, P = 0.037) and lower fat mass (β = − 0.081, P = 0.034), as well as longer one-leg stance (β = 0.119, P = 0.010), higher walking speed (β = 0.113, P = 0.047), and ability to squat to the ground (β = 0.110, P = 0.027) at baseline. Total dietary omega-3 PUFA was associated with better SPPB (β = 0.108, P = 0.039), one-leg stance (β = 0.102, P = 0.041) and ability to squat (β = 0.110, P = 0.028), and with walking speed (β = 0.110, P = 0.028). However, associations for dietary EPA and DHA with physical function and body composition were not significant. Conclusion Dietary omega-3 and ALA, but not EPA and DHA, were positively associated with muscle strength and function in older women. The intake of omega-3 and its subtypes was not associated with muscle mass. Longitudinal studies are needed to show whether omega-3 intake may be important for muscle function in older women. </jats:sec

Physical capacity, subjective health, and life satisfaction in older women: a 10-year follow-up study.

BackgroundPhysical capacity and subjective wellbeing are important for healthy aging. Our aim was to study how objective/subjective physical capacity and subjective health relate to life satisfaction, in a 10-year follow-up of aging women.MethodsThe participants (n = 1485, mean age 67.4 years) consisted of community-dwelling older women living in Kuopio, Finland. Grip strength and one-legged stance test time were used as objective, and self-rated mobility (SRM) as subjective physical capacity measures. Self-rated health (SRH) and SRM were assessed with one-item scales and life satisfaction with a 4-item scale. Correlation and linear regression were used to analyze these relationships and correlation network analysis to visualize them. Age and BMI were included in the analysis as adjusting factors.ResultsAll the study variables were significantly correlated with baseline and follow-up life satisfaction, except BMI, which was only associated with life satisfaction at follow-up. On both occasions, SRH and SRM were the two strongest correlates of life satisfaction, but their mutual correlation was still higher. In linear regression analyses, SRH was positively associated with both baseline and follow-up life satisfaction, but physical capacity measures became non-significant after including SRH and SRM in the model. In the partial correlation network analyses, SRH and SRM were the most central nodes, connecting every other variable.ConclusionsSelf-reports on health, mobility, and life satisfaction are closely intertwined and provide easily accessible health information among aging women, but the impacts of objective physical capacity measures warrant further longitudinal studies in respect to subjective wellbeing among aging people