Supporting Vascular Health Prevents Muscle Deterioration in the Elderly

SadaNews - Researchers found that protecting the fragile layer lining the blood vessels, known as the glycocalyx, can prevent muscle deterioration and help maintain physical performance in old age.

The researchers discovered that a dietary supplement containing "high-molecular-weight hyaluronan," a key component of the glycocalyx, enables aging mice to maintain muscle mass and their ability to exercise.

The study was led by researchers from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and the University of Utah in the United States, and its results were published in the journal "Aging-US" on August 30, and reported by the website EurekAlert.

This research builds on previous evidence that the glycocalyx is essential for healthy vascular function. Since muscle health depends on proper blood flow and oxygen delivery, restoring the glycocalyx may help maintain strength and mobility as we age, according to the research findings.

Maintaining Muscle Mass

The study examined how maintaining the glycocalyx using the dietary supplement affects physical function in aging mice. The researchers initially studied genetically modified mice lacking the enzyme "Has2," which is responsible for producing high-molecular-weight hyaluronan.

These mice showed a thinner glycocalyx and a decrease in athletic performance and mitochondrial function in their muscles, despite normal muscle mass. Mitochondria are the energy-producing units in living cells.

These results suggest that damage to the glycocalyx alone can directly impair physical performance.

The team fed the aging mice a diet containing the supplement for 10 weeks, compared with untreated mice, and these mice maintained muscle mass and performed better in treadmill tests.

Notably, treated mice did not show the usual age-related decline in muscle strength and endurance.

Although the dietary supplement did not fully restore youthful performance, it significantly slowed physical deterioration, indicating a protective benefit; in contrast, untreated older mice lost body mass and muscle size during the same period.

The study may offer a new approach to reducing frailty and supporting mobility in the elderly by targeting the glycocalyx, but further research is needed to confirm these results in humans.

Source: EurekAlert