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1.
[Diagnosis and therapy of sarcopenia-an update].
Goisser, S, Kob, R, Sieber, CC, Bauer, JM
Der Internist. 2019;(2):141-148
Abstract
Since 2016 sarcopenia, the age-associated loss of muscle mass, strength and function, has the ICD-10-GM code M62.50 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, German Modification). The diagnosis of sarcopenia requires the combined presence of low muscle strength and low muscle mass. Well-established approaches for the prevention and therapy of sarcopenia are exercise programs-in particular strength, endurance and power training-and nutritional interventions, preferably a combination of both. Adequate protein intake is considered highly relevant, while the role of other nutrients involved in muscle metabolism (e. g. creatine, vitamin D, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids) is less clear, being still the subject of controversial discussions. Innovative pharmacological therapies are currently under investigation and their future relevance for this indication is unclear. In general, it has to be stated that there are still only few intervention studies available that focused specifically on sarcopenia in older individuals. More studies in this rapidly increasing population are urgently needed.
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2.
Carotenoids: How Effective Are They to Prevent Age-Related Diseases?
Tan, BL, Norhaizan, ME
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2019;(9)
Abstract
Despite an increase in life expectancy that indicates positive human development, a new challenge is arising. Aging is positively associated with biological and cognitive degeneration, for instance cognitive decline, psychological impairment, and physical frailty. The elderly population is prone to oxidative stress due to the inefficiency of their endogenous antioxidant systems. As many studies showed an inverse relationship between carotenoids and age-related diseases (ARD) by reducing oxidative stress through interrupting the propagation of free radicals, carotenoid has been foreseen as a potential intervention for age-associated pathologies. Therefore, the role of carotenoids that counteract oxidative stress and promote healthy aging is worthy of further discussion. In this review, we discussed the underlying mechanisms of carotenoids involved in the prevention of ARD. Collectively, understanding the role of carotenoids in ARD would provide insights into a potential intervention that may affect the aging process, and subsequently promote healthy longevity.
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3.
The ApoE ε4 Isoform: Can the Risk of Diseases be Reduced by Environmental Factors?
Bos, MM, Noordam, R, Blauw, GJ, Slagboom, PE, Rensen, PCN, van Heemst, D
The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences. 2019;(1):99-107
Abstract
Candidate gene studies and genome-wide association studies found that genetic variation in APOE is robustly associated with multiple age-related diseases and longevity. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is an apolipoprotein that plays an important role in triglyceride and cholesterol metabolism. In literature, especially the ApoE ɛ4 isoform has been associated with an increased risk of mortality and age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), as compared to the "neutral" ApoE ɛ3 isoform. There are, however, large differences in the deleterious effects of the ApoE ɛ4 isoform between ancestries and populations, which might be explained by differences in environmental and lifestyle exposures. In this respect, poor nutrition and physical inactivity are two important lifestyle factors that have been associated with increased risks for AD and CVD. Therefore, in this narrative review, we discuss how omega-3 fatty acid intake and physical activity may modify the impact of ApoE ɛ4 on AD and CVD risk.
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4.
Definitions of successful ageing: a brief review of a multidimensional concept.
Urtamo, A, Jyväkorpi, SK, Strandberg, TE
Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis. 2019;(2):359-363
Abstract
Successful ageing has become an important concept to describe the quality of ageing. It is a multidimensional concept, and the main focus is how to expand functional years in a later life span. The concept has developed from a biomedical approach to a wider understanding of social and psychological adaptation processes in later life. However, a standard definition of successful ageing remains unclear and various operational definitions of concept have been used in various studies. In this review we will describe some definitions and operational indicators of successful ageing with a multidimensional approach.
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5.
The Effect of Exercise on Glucoregulatory Hormones: A Countermeasure to Human Aging: Insights from a Comprehensive Review of the Literature.
Sellami, M, Bragazzi, NL, Slimani, M, Hayes, L, Jabbour, G, De Giorgio, A, Dugué, B
International journal of environmental research and public health. 2019;(10)
Abstract
Hormones are secreted in a circadian rhythm, but also follow larger-scale timetables, such as monthly (hormones of the menstrual cycle), seasonal (i.e., winter, summer), and, ultimately, lifespan-related patterns. Several contexts modulate their secretion, such as genetics, lifestyle, environment, diet, and exercise. They play significant roles in human physiology, influencing growth of muscle, bone, and regulating metabolism. Exercise training alters hormone secretion, depending on the frequency, duration, intensity, and mode of training which has an impact on the magnitude of the secretion. However, there remains ambiguity over the effects of exercise training on certain hormones such as glucoregulatory hormones in aging adults. With advancing age, there are many alterations with the endocrine system, which may ultimately alter human physiology. Some recent studies have reported an anti-aging effect of exercise training on the endocrine system and especially cortisol, growth hormone and insulin. As such, this review examines the effects of endurance, interval, resistance and combined training on hormones (i.e., at rest and after) exercise in older individuals. We summarize the influence of age on glucoregulatory hormones, the influence of exercise training, and where possible, examine masters' athletes' endocrinological profile.
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6.
In search of nutritional anti-aging targets: TOR inhibitors, SASP modulators, and BCL-2 family suppressors.
Sharma, R, Padwad, Y
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.). 2019;:33-38
Abstract
In pursuit of developing anti-aging or age-delaying strategies, nutritional interventions have long been considered promising candidates. However, emerging advances in the understanding of the causes and effects of senescence per se have enhanced the prospects of a more focused approach in the exploration of therapies aimed at the modulation of aging. The aim of this study was to review recent developments on the molecular basis of aging and provide evidence that regulation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and apoptotic pathways could be the key mechanistic targets of prospective senescence modulatory interventions. The emerging role of nutraceuticals in specifically targeting these molecular aspects of senescence are reviewed with the rationale of identifying novel opportunities and challenges in formulating food- and nutrition-based anti-aging therapies.
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7.
Molecular basis of vitamin D action in neurodegeneration: the story of a team perspective.
Gezen-Ak, D, Dursun, E
Hormones (Athens, Greece). 2019;(1):17-21
Abstract
Vitamin D, a secosteroid hormone, has, over the years, mainly been known for its classic role in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis of the human body. However, there is increasing understanding that vitamin D contributes to the regulation of Ca2+ homeostasis, especially via voltage-gated calcium channels, in another major organ that uses calcium, the brain. Almost 30 years ago, the role of dysregulation in the aging brain and in Alzheimer's disease (AD) gave rise to the Ca2+ hypothesis of brain aging and dementia. We thus made calcium homeostasis the starting point of our studies, proposing the notion that the consequences of long-term deficiency and/or inefficient utilization of vitamin D may cause the disruption of calcium homeostasis in neurons, this creating a vulnerability of neurons to aging and neurodegeneration. In this mini-review, we aim to describe the potential of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) as a neurosteroid based on our findings and conclusions.
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8.
Current State of Saliva Biomarkers for Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.
François, M, Bull, CF, Fenech, MF, Leifert, WR
Current Alzheimer research. 2019;(1):56-66
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Aging is the primary risk factor for major human pathologies, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD). AD is a progressive degenerative disorder of the brain and is the most common form of dementia. METHODS To-date no simple, inexpensive and minimally invasive procedure is available to confirm with certainty the early diagnosis of AD prior to the manifestations of symptoms characteristic of the disease. Therefore, if population screening of individuals is to be performed, easily accessible tissues would need to be used for a diagnostic test that would identify those who exhibit altered or aberrant aging profiles that may be indicative of AD risk, so that they can be prioritized for primary prevention. This need for minimally invasive tests could be achieved by targeting saliva, since it is now well recognized that many aging diseases including AD are associated with peripheral biomarkers that are not only restricted to pathology and biomarkers within the brain. RESULTS Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize some of the main findings of salivary biomarkers of aging and AD; including various proteins, metabolites, and alterations to DNA and miRNA. The future of healthy aging resides in innovative platforms, biosensors and point-of-care devices that can extract real time information on the health status of an individual. Those platforms may be achieved through the development and validation of novel biomarkers of health using saliva which, although being the least explored for biomedical purposes, has the distinct advantage that it can be self-collected in a non-invasive manner.
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9.
Micro(RNA)-managing muscle wasting.
Sannicandro, AJ, Soriano-Arroquia, A, Goljanek-Whysall, K
Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). 2019;(2):619-632
Abstract
Progressive skeletal muscle wasting is a natural consequence of aging and is common in chronic and acute diseases. Loss of skeletal muscle mass and function (strength) often leads to frailty, decreased independence, and increased risk of hospitalization. Despite progress made in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying muscle wasting, there is still no treatment available, with exercise training and dietary supplementation improving, but not restoring, muscle mass and/or function. There has been slow progress in developing novel therapies for muscle wasting, either during aging or disease, partially due to the complex nature of processes underlying muscle loss. The mechanisms of muscle wasting are multifactorial, with a combination of factors underlying age- and disease-related functional muscle decline. These factors include well-characterized changes in muscle such as changes in protein turnover and more recently described mechanisms such as autophagy or satellite cell senescence. Advances in transcriptomics and other high-throughput approaches have highlighted significant deregulation of skeletal muscle gene and protein levels during aging and disease. These changes are regulated at different levels, including posttranscriptional gene expression regulation by microRNAs. microRNAs, potent regulators of gene expression, modulate many processes in muscle, and microRNA-based interventions have been recently suggested as a promising new therapeutic strategy against alterations in muscle homeostasis. Here, we review recent developments in understanding the aging-associated mechanisms of muscle wasting and explore potential microRNA-based therapeutic avenues.
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10.
Nutrition and frailty: Current knowledge.
Feart, C
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry. 2019;:109703
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW Nutrition, as part of lifestyle and modifiable environmental factors, constitutes an interesting approach for the prevention of geriatric syndromes. The objective of this review was to examine the most recent evidence on the association between nutrition, from dietary patterns to specific nutrients, and frailty, before the onset of disability, among elderly individuals. RECENT FINDINGS Based on available epidemiological studies, three meta-analyses published in 2018 have outlined a protective effect of greater adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet (MeDi) on the risk for frailty, with up to a 60% reduction in risk. Several studies focusing on particular food groups, macronutrients and micronutrients have also been published and have highlighted that a protein intake of 1 g/kg in body weight per day should be fulfilled (except for patients suffering from kidney or hepatic dysfunction) and that vitamin deficiencies should be avoided. Available interventional studies of nutritional supplements and/or physical activity programs have mainly been limited to disabled participants to date. SUMMARY Research efforts should target both developing a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying frailty and improving detection tools and the effectiveness of intervention studies, alongside efforts to address the specific needs of older people. For instance, ensuring an adequate nutritional status, by fighting the age-related increased prevalence of undernutrition or sarcopenic obesity, should be privileged.