Inflammation and Muscle Strength

A result from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam gives yet another reason to try to avoid chronic inflammation: "The findings of this prospective, population-based study suggest that higher levels of IL-6 and CRP increase the risk of muscle strength loss, whereas higher levels of ACT [alpha1-antichymotrypsin] decrease the risk of muscle strength loss in older men and women." ACT "limits tissue injuries during inflammations, since it is an effective inhibitor of proteolytic enzymes that are released by inflammatory cells." Correlation is not causation - but it's not hard to think up possible ways in which greater age-related cellular damage due to inflammation could lead to loss of muscle strength.

Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2005.10.049

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