Wouldn’t it be nice if our bodies got more toned, taut, and physically fit as we got older?
Unfortunately we don’t live in that world, and many of us will spend our later years fighting off sarcopenia, or the loss of muscle mass as we age. To make matters worse, this gradual decline in strength might be a warning sign of dementia, according to a new review.
Read more: “Why You Move Factors in to Whether It Protects You From Dementia”
An international team of health scientists took a deep dive into over 80 studies related to weight, body fat, muscle health, and dementia. According to the team, those with sarcopenia showed a 42 percent higher risk of developing any form of dementia.
“It’s not just about how much you weigh—maintaining muscle strength and function also appears to be important as we age,” study author Uraiporn Booranasuksakul of Thailand’s Burapha University explained in a statement. “Our findings suggest losing muscle could be an important warning sign for dementia risk.”
It’s a big risk elevation, but the relationship between the two isn’t that surprising. After all, lower grip strength, slower walking pace, sedentary lifestyles, and other factors related to sarcopenia are also associated with dementia.
When the team investigated obesity, however, things got a bit more interesting. According to the review, people with obesity before the age of 65 had a 17 percent higher risk of dementia, but after that the relationship flipped. Obese people over the age of 65 actually showed a nine percent lower risk of developing dementia. Basically, a little more padding around the midsection seemed to have a protective effect on the brain.
That said, the team isn’t entirely sure why. During preclinical dementia (before the onset of symptoms), the brain can struggle to burn glucose for energy and instead start breaking down other fuels sources. It’s possible, the researchers say, that having a larger energy reserve later in life combats this energy starvation. On the other hand, the arrow of causation may point in the other direction, and the early stages of dementia might be reducing weight in senior citizens.
So does any of this mean we can and should let ourselves go once we hit retirement age? Unfortunately not. “This doesn’t mean people should gain weight as they get older,” study author Mario Siervo of Australia’s Curtin University said. “Rather, it shows us that the relationship between body weight, aging, and dementia is complex.”
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