Researchers have found that protecting the fragile layer lining blood vessels, known as glycocalyx, can prevent muscle deterioration and help maintain physical performance in old age.
The researchers discovered that a nutritional supplement containing high-molecular-weight hyaluronan, a major component of the glycocalyx, enables elderly mice to maintain muscle mass and their ability to exercise.
The study was led by researchers from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and the University of Utah in the United States, and its results were published in the journal “Aging-US” on August 30, and the Eurek Alert website wrote about it.
This research builds on previous evidence that the glycocalyx is essential for healthy blood vessel function. Since muscle health depends on healthy blood flow and oxygen delivery, restoring the glycocalyx may help maintain strength and mobility as you age, according to the research findings.
Maintaining muscle mass
The study investigated how preserving the glycocalyx using a nutritional supplement affected physical function in elderly mice. The researchers first studied genetically modified mice that lacked the enzyme “Has2”, which is the enzyme responsible for the production of high-molecular-weight hyaluronan.
These mice showed thinner glycocalyx, decreased athletic performance, and decreased muscle mitochondrial function, although muscle size remained normal. Mitochondria are the energy production unit in living cells.
These findings suggest that glycocalyx damage alone can directly impair physical performance.
The team gave elderly mice a diet containing the nutritional supplement for 10 weeks, compared to untreated mice, and these mice maintained muscle mass and performed better in treadmill tests.
It is worth noting that the treated mice did not show the usual age-related decline in muscle strength and endurance.
Although the supplement did not fully restore youthful performance, it significantly slowed physical decline, suggesting a protective benefit. In contrast, untreated older mice lost body mass and muscle size over the same period.
The study may offer a new approach to reduce frailty and support mobility in older people by targeting the glycocalyx, but more research is needed to confirm these findings in humans.