Age- and Sex-Specific Normative Values for Muscle Mass Parameters in 18,625 Brazilian Adults.

Background: The present study aimed to provide age- and sex-specific normative values for muscle mass parameters in Brazilian adults. Methods: Data pertaining to Brazilian adults (18+ years) who attended a nutritional clinical between January 2018 and July 2022 were analyzed. Muscle mass parameters were assessed using a bioimpedance digital scale (InBody 230, GBC BioMed NZ). Assessments were conducted under standard conditions, with participants refraining from physical exercise for 96 h and from eating or drinking (including water) for 8 h before evaluations. Results: A total of 18,625 Brazilian adults were analyzed. Normative values for absolute and relative (height, m2) muscle mass and appendicular muscle mass (ASM) were calculated. In addition, specific age-related changes in muscle mass parameters were observed. In women, muscle mass peaked between the ages of 40–49 before gradually declining at an average rate of 5.7% per decade from the sixth decade of life onwards. ASM reached its peak earlier, during the third decade of life, and started to decline later, from 50 to 59 years. In contrast, absolute and ASM peaked at 40–49 years and declined from the sixth decade of life in men. Both sexes displayed a slightly greater decline in ASM than in muscle mass (13 vs. 12%). Conclusions: The present study provides normative values for absolute and relative muscle mass and ASM in Brazilian adults. Furthermore, important specific age-related changes in muscle mass parameters were observed. These data have public health implications and might serve as a reference tool to guide health professionals

Age- and sex-specific normative values for muscle mass parameters in 18,625 Brazilian adults

BackgroundThe present study aimed to provide age- and sex-specific normative values for muscle mass parameters in Brazilian adults.MethodsData pertaining to Brazilian adults (18+ years) who attended a nutritional clinical between January 2018 and July 2022 were analyzed. Muscle mass parameters were assessed using a bioimpedance digital scale (InBody 230, GBC BioMed NZ). Assessments were conducted under standard conditions, with participants refraining from physical exercise for 96 h and from eating or drinking (including water) for 8 h before evaluations.ResultsA total of 18,625 Brazilian adults were analyzed. Normative values for absolute and relative (height, m2) muscle mass and appendicular muscle mass (ASM) were calculated. In addition, specific age-related changes in muscle mass parameters were observed. In women, muscle mass peaked between the ages of 40–49 before gradually declining at an average rate of 5.7% per decade from the sixth decade of life onwards. ASM reached its peak earlier, during the third decade of life, and started to decline later, from 50 to 59 years. In contrast, absolute and ASM peaked at 40–49 years and declined from the sixth decade of life in men. Both sexes displayed a slightly greater decline in ASM than in muscle mass (13 vs. 12%).ConclusionsThe present study provides normative values for absolute and relative muscle mass and ASM in Brazilian adults. Furthermore, important specific age-related changes in muscle mass parameters were observed. These data have public health implications and might serve as a reference tool to guide health professionals

Effect of training-detraining phases of multicomponent exercises and BCAA supplementation on inflammatory markers and albumin levels in frail older persons

Nowadays, it is accepted that the regular practice of exercise and branched-chain amino acids supplementation (BCAAs) can benefit the immune responses in older persons, prevent the occurrence of physical frailty (PF), cognitive decline, and aging-related comorbidities. However, the impact of their combination (as non-pharmacological interventions) in albumin and the inflammatory markers is not fully understood. Therefore, we investigated the effect of a 40-week multifactorial intervention [MIP, multicomponent exercise (ME) associated or not with BCAAs] on plasma levels of inflammatory markers and albumin in frail older persons (≥75 years old) living at residential care homes (RCH). This study consisted of a prospective, naturalistic, controlled clinical trial with four arms of multifactorial and experimental (interventions-wahshout-interventions) design. The intervention groups were ME + BCAAs (n = 8), ME (n = 7), BCAAs (n = 7), and control group (n = 13). Lower limb muscle-strength, cognitive profile, and PF tests were concomitantly evaluated with plasma levels of albumin, anti-and pro-inflammatory cytokines [Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) respectively], TNF-α/IL-10 ratio, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity at four different time-points: Baseline (T1), after 16 weeks of multifactorial intervention (T2), then after a subsequent 8 weeks washout period (T3) and finally, after an additional 16 weeks of multifactorial intervention (T4). Improvement of cognitive profile and muscle strength-related albumin levels, as well as reduction in the TNF-α levels were found particularly in ME plus BCAAs group. No significant variations were observed over time for TNF-α/IL-10 ratio or MPO activity. Overall, the study showed that MIP triggered slight alterations in the inflammatory and physical function of the frail older participants, which could provide independence and higher quality of life for this population

Effect of a 40-weeks multicomponent exercise program and branched chain amino acids supplementation on functional fitness and mental health in frail older persons

BACKGROUND: The ageing process implies several physiological and psychological changes that hence affect the general health, mood states, and quality of life of older persons. Exercise and adequate nutrition are renowned non-pharmacological strategies that significantly delay and alleviate the adverse consequences of the ageing process. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation and a multicomponent exercise program (ME) on the physical frailty and mood states of older persons. METHODS: 35 participants (women and men; 83 ± 3 years old) from residential care homes were submitted to a 40-week exercise-washout-retraining intervention (16 weeks of the elastic band based exercise and/or supplementation, 8 weeks of washout, and 16 weeks of multicomponent exercise and/or resupplementing), with or without BCAA supplementation. The experimental groups were: (i) ME plus BCAA supplementation (ME+BCAA); (ii) ME; (iii) BCAA supplementation (BCAA), and (iv) control group (CG). Fried's phenotype was used to assess frailty prevalence. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Profile of Mood State (POMS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), were used to access mental health and cognition. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to access functional capacity. Salivary testosterone levels (ST) were also determined to access the anabolic effects of the intervention. RESULTS: Exercise was effective in improving functional capacity and prevented the increase in frailty that occurred in the non-exercising CG, where the frailty scores increased over time (p < 0.01). BCAAs supplement alone had no impact on functional fitness, but in a short time (16 weeks) contributed to diminishing frailty and combined with exercise may have the potential to reduce the effect of a detraining period on functional capacity. Salivary testosterone levels correlated with handgrip strength and could be a useful indicator of susceptibility to frailty. No effects were found for mood states, cognition, and depression. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a long-term exercise program, independent of being multicomponent or strength elastic band-based, was effective in improving functional capacity and prevented an increase in frailty in frail and pre-frail older persons living in residential care homes

Acute and chronic effects of traditional and high-speed resistance training on blood pressure in older adults: A crossover study and systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose: The present study included two related investigations that explored the acute and chronic effects of high-speed resistance training (HSRT) on blood pressure (BP) in older adults. Methods: The first study involved a randomized crossover study that compared the acute effects of traditional resistance exercise (TRT) and high-speed resistance training (HSRT) on hemodynamic parameters in frail older adults. Sixteen institutionalized frail older adults were recruited. BP was recorded before, over 1 h, and 24 h after the end of the experimental session. Participants performed 4 resistance exercises involving 4–8 sets with 4–10 repetitions at moderate intensity. The second study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies that investigated the acute and chronic effects of HSRT on BP in older adults. Crossover, quasi-experimental, and randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of HSRT on BP in people aged 60+ years as a primary or secondary outcome were included. Studies were retrieved from MEDLINE, SPORTDiscuss, CINAHL, SCOPUS and AgeLine databases from inception through December 31, 2021. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle - Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). A pooled effect size was calculated based on standard mean differences (SMD). Results: In study 1, we observed that both TRT and HSRT caused post-exercise hypotension (PEH). However, systolic BP (SBP) was significantly lowered for up to 60 min after TRT, while it was only reduced 30 and 50 min after HSRT. There was no difference in SBP between resistance exercise protocols. A reduction in mean arterial pressure was only observed after TRT. In study 2, 1114 articles were identified, and 8 were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled analyses indicated that HSRT did not cause significant PEH. However, a significant reduction in SBP was observed after HSRT programs in comparison to controls (SMD = 0.61, P = 0.009) and baseline values (SMD = 2.03, P = 0.04). Conclusion: In study one, we observed that both TRT and HSRT caused systolic PEH in comparison to baseline in frail older adults. However, specific patterns were observed according to each type of RT. Indeed, a longer PEH in comparison to baseline was observed after TRT, whereas HSRT had greater reductions in comparison to CS. In addition, TRT had exclusive reductions in MAP. These results were not supported by our meta-analysis, given that no significant effects of an acute session of HSRT on office and ambulatorial BP were observed. On the other hand, our findings suggest that HSRT might significantly reduce SBP in older adults

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field