Time certainly does not wait for anyone; it passes by indifferently. As much as we all wish to feel and look like we are 21 forever, this is unfortunately not human nature, as sooner or later we will age, particularly when it comes to muscle weakness.
Some people suffer from a greater loss of strength than others, and a recent study has uncovered biological risk factors that make some individuals more vulnerable to muscle weakness in their later years than others. This study, conducted at the University of Exeter, indicates that chronic illnesses, such as osteoporosis and diabetes, may significantly contribute to muscle weakness as one ages. Additionally, severe muscle weakness that hinders an individual's ability to live their life is medically known as "sarcopenia." While this may sound somewhat alarming, sarcopenia is actually quite common, with about one in ten adults over the age of 50 suffering from it to varying degrees. It is also associated with an increased risk of mortality.
However, the specific biological or genetic reasons that make some people experience sarcopenia more severely than others has always been a puzzle for scientists. To shed some light on this topic, researchers conducted a comprehensive genetic analysis of up to 250,000 individuals over the age of 60, along with 21 additional analyses focusing on other data sets. The study authors looked at hand grip strength as an indicator of muscle loss or function, which helped the research team identify a series of specific biological mechanisms that appear to cause some individuals to suffer from sarcopenia while actually protecting others from muscle weakness. Overall, the study identified 15 genomic regions associated with muscle weakness, notably, 12 of these regions had not previously been linked to the decline of hand grip strength and muscle over time, which truly surprised the researchers.
The researchers also explained that some biomarkers in the blood, such as inflammation and red blood cells, may share pathways related to the condition of sarcopenia. They noted that the results of this study should be sufficient to help identify adults at greater risk of developing and suffering from this condition in the future. The lead author of the study, Dr. Garan Jones, stated: "The strongest associations we found were close to genomic regions that regulate the immune system and the growth and development of the muscular and skeletal systems. However, we also discovered associations with regions not previously known to be linked to muscle and skeletal traits. We found that our analysis of muscle weakness in older adults shares common genetic pathways with metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and autoimmune conditions like osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. In subgroups of individuals at increased risk for these conditions, the presence of sarcopenia may be a major outcome to be sought and prevented." He added, "We hope that by understanding the genetic contributions to muscle weakness as we age, we can highlight potential therapeutic interventions early in life that would lead to a happier and healthier aging process for older adults in the future."
