In numerous articles we have dealt with diet and its direct effects on health. We have seen for example that, according to some scientific studies, chocolate with the addition of olive oil contributes to the reduction of diabetes complications. We have also worked on diets that can turn back the epigenetic clock in a few weeks. The food we ingest interacts and modifies our microbiome (the set of microorganisms present in our body). In this last sentence there is an inaccuracy that is difficult to unravel: it would seem that our organism and the microbiome are two distinct elements. Actually we, meaning our body as a single unit, are also those microorganisms. As is now clear, we are ecosystems populated by thousands of species of bacteria or viruses.
The microbiome is capable of profoundly modifying the organism as a whole (both in a negative and a positive sense). Following a healthy diet allows us to select the bacteria that help us feel good in an evolutionary way. Now scientists have highlighted some benefits related to foods we know well: green tea and cocoa. This is why these 2 specific ingredients included in the diet could counteract the loss of mass and strength in the elderly, i.e. sarcopenia.
Sarcopenia and old age
Aging is associated with a progressive loss of muscle function, with a relapse on the loss of independence as we age. The term sarcopenia is commonly used to describe the loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that occurs in concert with biological aging. Multiple factors lead to the development of sarcopenia. Chronic inflammation, metabolic and endocrine alterations, poor nutrition, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage and neurogenic factors seem to play an important role in sarcopenia.
In an extraordinary study by researchers at Stanford University, led by the Italian Vittorio Sebastiano (Sarkar TJ et al, 2020), it was possible to revert (“rejuvenate”) the muscle cells of an elderly person into youth cells, using a “soup” of molecules (called nuclear reprogramming factors). Looking ahead, it could be the starting point for a solution to sarcopenia.
These 2 specific ingredients included in the diet could counteract the loss of mass and strength in the elderly
Green tea and cocoa both contain many flavonoids. We have already seen that flavonoids can be important for those suffering from high blood pressure. In a newly published work (Gras S et al, 2021) researchers have highlighted how the presence of flavonoids in green tea (called catechins) and cocoa (flavonols) may be useful in managing age-related muscle deterioration. In this study, conducted on mice, in fact, an improvement was seen on numerous parameters related to muscle fibers, in diets enriched with green tea and cocoa.
As indicated by the researchers, future research is needed to investigate the right doses of flavonoids to introduce into the diet and the consequences of long-term interventions that can lead to improved movement.