Sarcopenia and tea catechins

Sarcopenia and tea catechins

Sarcopenia and tea catechins

By Prof. Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, RH(AHG) Huntington College of Health Sciences

Sarcopenia, or the decline of skeletal muscle tissue and loss of muscle function or strength with age, is a major cause of functional decline and loss of independence in older adults. Its cause is widely considered to be multifactorial, with neurological decline, hormonal changes, activation of the inflammatory pathway, decline in activity, chronic disease, fatty infiltration and poor nutrition being proven contributing factors. Recent molecular insights into apoptosis, mitochondrial degradation, and the angiotensin system in skeletal muscle have revealed biological mechanisms that may contribute.1

Treatment of sarcopenia
Results from clinical intervention studies in even the oldest and frailest nursing home residents have shown significant functional improvement in sarcopenia through a combination of diet and resistance training.2 Clinical trials have also shown improvement along with a significant increase in muscle protein synthesis in older adults who received physical activity and diet.3 Additionally, catechins from tea may help.

Treatment with catechins and exercise
To investigate the effects of exercise and/or tea catechin supplementation on muscle mass, strength and walking ability in elderly subjects with sarcopenia, a study4 was conducted in which a total of 128 sarcopenic women over the age of 75 years were randomly divided into four groups: exercise and tea catechin supplementation (350 ml tea + 540 mg catechin) (n = 32), exercise (n = 32), tea catechin supplementation (n = 32) or health education (n = 32). The exercise group participated in a 60-minute comprehensive exercise program twice a week, and the tea catechin supplement group consumed 350 ml of a catechin-fortified tea drink daily for three months. Body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Interview data and functional fitness measurements such as muscle strength, balance, and walking ability were collected at baseline and after the three-month intervention. The results showed that significant group × time interactions were observed for Timed Up & Go (P < 0.001), normal walking speed (P = 0.007), and maximum walking speed (P < 0.001). The exercise + catechin group showed a significant effect on changes in the combined variables of leg muscle mass and usual walking speed compared to the health education group. In summary, the combination of exercise and tea catechin supplementation had a positive effect on physical function as measured by walking ability and muscle mass.

Conclusion
Given the easy access to tea/green tea products standardized for polyphenol-catechin content (e.g. EGCG, etc.), it appears that catechin supplementation may be a viable addition to a comprehensive program (that includes resistance training and nutrition) for patients with sarcopenia.

References
1. Fialston JD. Sarcopenia in older adults.Curr Opin Rheumatol.November 2012; 24(6): 623–627. 2. Fiatarone MA, O'Neill EF, Ryan ND, et al. Exercise training and nutritional supplements for physical frailty in very old people.N Engl. J Med.1994;330:1769–1775. 3. Timmerman KL, Dhanani S, Glynn EL, et al. Moderate acute increases in physical activity improve nutrient flux and muscle protein anabolic response to mixed nutrient intake in older adults.Am J Clin Nutr.2012;95:1403–1412. 4. H. Kim, T. Suzuki, K. Saito, H. Yoshida, N. Kojima, M. Kim, M. Sudo, Y. Yamashiro, I. Tokimitsu. Effects of exercise and tea catechins on muscle mass, strength and walking ability in community-dwelling older Japanese sarcopenic women: a randomized controlled trial.Geriatr Gerontol Int.2013 Apr;13(2):458-65.

Professor Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, the provost for Huntington College of Health Sciences, is a nutritionist, herbalist, writer and educator. For more than 37 years, he has educated and trained natural products retailers and healthcare professionals, researched and formulated natural products for dozens of dietary supplement companies, and written articles on nutrition, herbal medicine, nutraceuticals, and integrative health topics for trade and consumer magazines and peer-reviewed publications. He can be reached at gbruno@hchs.edu.

• Übung
• funktioneller Rückgang
• Muskelfunktion
• Ernährung
• Physische Aktivität
• Prof. Gene Bruno Blog
• Sarkopenie
• Skelettmuskelgewebe
• Catechine aus Tee

Read original article in English.