Carotenoids as protection against sarcopenia in older adults

doi:10.1016/j.abb.2006.11.025

Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics

Volume 458, Issue 2, 15 February 2007, Pages 141-145

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2006.11.025 Get rights and content

Abstract

Sarcopenia, or loss of muscle mass and strength, plays a major role in the disablement process in older adults and increases the risk of impaired physical performance, falls, physical disability, frailty, and death. Oxidative stress is a major mechanism implicated in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia; aging muscle shows increased oxidative damage to DNA, protein, and lipids. Carotenoids quench free radicals, reduce damage from reactive oxygen species, and appear to modulate redox-sensitive transcription factors such as NF-κB that are involved in the upregulation of IL-6 and other proinflammatory cytokines. Recent epidemiological studies in community-dwelling older adults show that low serum/plasma carotenoids are independently associated with low skeletal muscle strength and the development of walking disability. These observations are consistent with a growing number of studies showing that a diet with high intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of inflammation, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mortality.

Section snippets

Oxidative stress and sarcopenia

Oxidative stress has been implicated as a central mechanism in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia [30]. Oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids increases in human skeletal muscle with age. Biopsy studies demonstrate that 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, protein carbonyls, and malondialdehyde (markers of oxidative damage to DNA, protein, and lipids, respectively) are elevated in human skeletal muscle in older adults [31], [32], [33], [34]. Animal models also show that increased oxidative damage to

Inflammatory cytokines and sarcopenia

Reactive oxygen species can damage muscle tissue directly, but they also provide a trigger for the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-6. In sepsis, cachexia, and chronic inflammatory conditions, inflammatory cytokines are associated with loss of muscle mass and strength, but whether long-term, low level elevations in proinflammatory cytokines in aging adults cause sarcopenia requires further investigation [1]. Redox-sensitive

Dietary carotenoids in older adults

Given the importance of ROS and redox-sensitive signaling in the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines, what is the relative role of antioxidant nutrients in oxidative stress and inflammation? The six major dietary carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene) comprise an important component of the antioxidant defense system in humans, and the major dietary sources of carotenoids are fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids are hydrophobic molecules, and

Evidence for role of carotenoids in sarcopenia

New investigations are emerging that show that low serum/plasma carotenoids are independently associated with poor skeletal muscle strength and impaired physical performance. Among 669 women aged 70–79 years in the Women’s Health and Aging Studies (WHAS) I and II, low serum carotenoid levels were associated with poor muscle strength [62]. In multivariate models adjusting for age, race, smoking, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and serum IL-6, low total carotenoids were associated with low

Carotenoids and other related outcomes in adults

The relationships that have been observed between serum/plasma carotenoids and sarcopenia in epidemiological studies should be seen in the broader context of other outcomes such as inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Carotenoids are considered the best biological marker for fruit and vegetable intake [66], and recent large epidemiological studies show that a higher intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease [67], [68], [69], disability [70],

Conclusions

Recent epidemiological studies suggest that carotenoids or carotenoid-rich foods are protective against a decline in muscle strength and walking disability among older community-dwelling adults. This line of investigation also suggests that the possible health benefits of carotenoids or carotenoid-rich foods extend beyond hypertension, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease, the clinical outcomes that are conventionally examined in relationship to dietary factors. Further work is needed to

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Institute on Aging Contracts N01-AG-916413, N01-AG-821336, N01-AG-5-0002, and NIA Grant R01 AG027012. This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, NIH.

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Searches were performed on the Web of Science Core Collection for articles related to inflammation in sarcopenia from 2007 to 2022, and selected in compliance with PRISMA guidelines. A variety of data were analyzed and visualized using VOSviewer and CiteSpace, including countries, institutions, authors, keywords, journals, and publications.
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Plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations associated with musculoskeletal health and incident frailty in The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)
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Citation Excerpt :
As such, it will be interesting to explore these relationships further in future Waves of TILDA. The mechanisms by which carotenoids may affect muscle function are unclear, but are mainly hypothesised to relate to attenuated age-related skeletal muscle mitochondrial DNA damage resulting from oxidative stress, leading to the atrophy, loss and impaired function of muscle fibres (McKenzie et al., 2002; Semba et al., 2007). There is also some recent evidence that lutein may influence synaptic function independent of its antioxidant activity, in conditions of mitochondrial dysfunction (Maglioni et al., 2022).
Lutein and zeaxanthin are diet-derived carotenoids that are proposed to help mitigate frailty risk and age-related declines in musculoskeletal health via their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between lutein and zeaxanthin status and indices of musculoskeletal health and incident frailty among community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years in the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).
Cross-sectional analyses (n = 4513) of plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations and grip strength, usual gait speed, timed up-and-go (TUG), probable sarcopenia (defined as grip strength <27 kg in men, <16 kg in women), and bone mass (assessed using calcaneal broadband ultrasound stiffness index) were performed at Wave 1 (2009–2011; baseline). In the longitudinal analyses (n = 1425–3100), changes in usual gait speed (at Wave 3, 2014–2015), grip strength (Wave 4, 2016) and TUG (at Wave 5, 2018), incident probable sarcopenia (at Wave 4) and incident frailty (Fried's phenotype, Frailty Index, FRAIL Scale, Clinical Frailty Scale-classification tree, at Wave 5) were determined. Data were analysed using linear and ordinal logistic regression, adjusted for confounders.
Cross-sectionally, plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations were positively associated with usual gait speed (B [95 % CI] per 100-nmol/L higher concentration: Lutein 0.59 [0.18, 1.00], Zeaxanthin 1.46 [0.37, 2.55] cm/s) and inversely associated with TUG time (Lutein −0.07 [−0.11, −0.03], Zeaxanthin −0.14 [−0.25, −0.04] s; all p < 0.01), but not with grip strength or probable sarcopenia (p > 0.05). Plasma lutein concentration was positively associated with bone stiffness index (0.54 [0.15, 0.93], p < 0.01). Longitudinally, among participants who were non-frail at Wave 1, higher plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations were associated lower odds of progressing to a higher frailty category (e.g. prefrailty or frailty) by Wave 5 (ORs 0.57–0.89, p < 0.05) based on the Fried's phenotype, FRAIL Scale and the Clinical Frailty Scale, and in the case of zeaxanthin, Frailty Index. Neither plasma lutein nor zeaxanthin concentrations were associated with changes in musculoskeletal indices or incident probable sarcopenia (p > 0.05).
Higher plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations at baseline were associated with a reduced likelihood of incident frailty after ~8 years of follow up. Baseline plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations were also positively associated with several indices of musculoskeletal health cross-sectionally but were not predictive of longitudinal changes in these outcomes over 4–8 years.
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The systematic review included 28 studies (19 OS, 9 RCTs), whereas the meta-analysis included 4 RCTs. Results of the systematic review of OS revealed that higher A-RF consumption was associated with better sarcopenia outcomes. Results of the RCTs meta-analysis indicated that higher fruit/vegetable consumption, supplementation with magnesium, and vitamin E plus vitamin D and protein significantly reduced the time to complete 5 stands (mean difference; 95% CI; −1.11 s; 1.70, −0.51; p < 0.01). Additionally, including tea catechin supplementation significantly increased handgrip strength (1.02 kg; 0.60, 1.44; p < 0.01).
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Yeasts are alternative source of natural carotenoids, a group of colored terpenoids with various market applications. Carotenoid Production by yeast fermentation technology is greatly effective and proposes considerable benefits with large scale production, cost effectiveness and safety. In this study, four pigment-producing yeasts were isolated from forest park soils with the potential to produce carotenoids. Morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular characterization indicates the isolates belong to Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Carotenoid production was optimized by small scale cultivation. The optimum condition was 120 h of incubation at pH 6.0, 28 °C, white light irradiation, Yeast Extract Peptone Glycerol medium composed of 10 g/L yeast extract, 20 g/L peptone, 20 ml/L glycerol, yielding maximum content of 223.5 μg/g dry weight. The β-carotene content was confirmed by HPLC and FT-IR. The results suggested that soil yeasts are potential sources of carotenoids that could be utilized as a natural agent for industrial products.

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MinireviewCarotenoids as protection against sarcopenia in older adults

Abstract

Section snippets

Oxidative stress and sarcopenia

Inflammatory cytokines and sarcopenia

Dietary carotenoids in older adults

Evidence for role of carotenoids in sarcopenia

Carotenoids and other related outcomes in adults

Conclusions

Acknowledgments

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Minireview
Carotenoids as protection against sarcopenia in older adults