Growing Older: Aging Gracefully Starts at Age 20

 

In this issue, we will take a brief look into some items of interest related to findings that can be helpful as we grow older, such as Intestinal Hyperpermeability or leaky gut syndrome (LGS).

 

There are a wide variety of changes associated with aging. Most of them are quite gradual, and take place at a very slow, but regular rate. Some of them can go unnoticed for a while, but they are happening, as sure as the days are passing. Some changes may be more obvious than others. It is often pointed out that after the age of 20, we start to have a drop off in basal metabolic rate (BMR), and eventually, after age 45 a decline in muscle mass (at a rate of 1% per year) and strength will take place. Other neuromuscular changes will take place, as well, including a decline in cognitive function later on. What can be done to fight against or slow these age related changes? Although, so far, nothing has been found to completely stop the onslaught of age related physical decline, there have been found things that we can do to allow ourselves to show the signs of age at a slower rate, which involve changes in lifestyle, such as exercise and dietary changes.

 

Creatine monohydrate was introduced as a dietary supplement in 1993. Since that time, the benefits of this dietary ingredient have been looked at in many studies. Initially, all of them were involved with aspects of muscle performance and size, and therefore quickly picked up for sports nutrition purposes, which lead to more clinical evaluations involving sports performance.

 

A few years after the introduction of creatine monohydrate, Albion developed and introduced a form of magnesium creatine chelate (US patent 6,114,379) which is branded as Creatine MagnaPower®. Magnesium creatine chelate has been found to be a more effective form of creatine in clinical studies, causing us to have extended interest in the benefits and uses of creatine ingredients.

 

Age related sarcopenia and its related loss in strength and endurance are a part of the aging process, as are things involved with cognitive performance. There is an increased incidence of certain neurodegenerative diseases seen as we age, as well- things like Parkinson’s and others related. Over the last several years, much more research has been devoted to the potential usage of creatine to help in all of these matters related to aging and neurodegenerative problems. Frailty Syndrome has become an increasingly recognized predictor of morbidity and mortality in older individuals. There are several components to this syndrome, including sarcopenia (muscle wasting), osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fatigue, and weight loss being other aspects. Creatine is being looked at as a possible part of the therapy to fight against this serious health problem [Altern. Med Rev. 2007; 12(3):246-258].

 

A number of published clinical studies are demonstrating positive findings for the use of creatine in the elderly. In one such study, a 14 day course of creatine in men and women (ages 64-86) was found to increase upper body grip strength and increase physical working capacity by delaying neuromuscular fatigue, which may be important for maintaining health and independent living in the elderly [J Nutr Health Aging. 2007; 11(6):459-64]. Another study demonstrated that oral creatine increases the anaerobic power and work capacity of sedentary elderly during maximum pedaling tasks, while, yet another study on the elderly shows that creatine plus resistance training enhanced the resistance exercise mediated gains in fat-free mass and strength [Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2008; 33(1):213-27].

 

This is thought to possibly result from a shift in the proportion of mtDNA genotype towards that of a younger adult subsequent to its activation of satellite cells. On the down side, it has been seen that older individuals have a smaller increase in muscle phosphorcreatine after supplementation as compared to younger adults. However, a more recent study suggests that the timing of the ingestion of the creatine in the elderly has an important impact. Taking the creatine near the time of the resistance training sessions may be more beneficial for increasing muscle mass and strength than ingestion at other times of the day [Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2008; 33(1): 184-90].

 

 Additionally, more is being discovered about the possible benefits of creatine in cognitive performance in the elderly, as well as having a potential to protect against age-dependent neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as ALS Huntington’s disease, ischemic stroke and others [Subcell Biochem. 2007; 46:204- 43]. The researchers need to look into all of this much more, but they believe that the potential therapeutic value of creatine supplementation lies in neurodegenerative disorders that have been associated with bioenergetic deficits, such as the ones mentioned.