Skin advanced glycation end product accumulation and muscle strength among adult men

Abstract

Aging is associated with decreased skeletal muscle function. Increased levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in skeletal muscle tissue are observed with advancing age and in diabetes. Although serum AGE level is negatively associated with grip strength in elderly people, it is unknown whether this association is present in adult males. To determine the relationship between AGE accumulation in tissue and muscle strength and power among Japanese adult men. Skin autofluorescence (AF) (a noninvasive method for measuring tissue AGEs), grip strength (n = 232), and leg extension power (n = 138) were measured in Japanese adult men [median (interquartile range) age, 46.0 (37.0, 56.0) years]. After adjustment for potential confounders, the adjusted means [95% confidence interval (CI)] for grip strength across the tertiles of skin AF were 44.5 (43.2, 45.9) kg for the lowest tertile, 42.0 (40.6, 43.3) kg for the middle tertile, and 41.7 (40.3, 43.1) kg for the highest tertile (P for trend < 0.01). Moreover, the adjusted geometric means (95% CI) of leg extension power across the tertiles of skin AF were 17.8 (16.6, 19.1) W/kg for the lowest tertile, 17.5 (16.4, 18.7) W/kg for the middle tertile, and 16.0 (14.9, 17.1) W/kg for the highest tertile (P for trend = 0.04). Among Japanese adult men, participants with higher skin AF had lower muscle strength and power, indicating a relationship between AGE accumulation and muscle strength and power. A long-term prospective study is required to clarify the causality.

Relationship Between Skin Intrinsic Fluorescence—an Indicator of Advanced Glycation End Products—and Upper Extremity Impairments in Individuals With Diabetes Mellitus

“…38 High levels of AGE accumulation in older adults has been associated with low grip strength values. 41,42 Higher concentrations of AGEs in the intramuscular connective tissue may contribute to decreases in muscle function and increased disability. The SIF measure was negatively related to the peak humerothoracic elevation, indicating that as the skin AGEs accumulation increases the movement decreases.…”

Molecular Basis of Arterial Stiffening: Role of Glycation – A Mini-Review

“…It is proposed that the Maillard reaction results in intermolecular cross-links between the triple helices of collagen fibers thus rendering these fibers too stiff for their optimal functioning and consequently of the particular tissue involved [44] . In adult men, there is a significant inverse relationship between autofluorescence in skin by AGE Reader versus muscle strength and power as measured by grip strength and leg extension power [45] . In rodents, long-term exercise decreased plasma levels of proteinlink autofluorescence and CML [46] as well as inhibited the age-related cross-linking of collagen in heart muscle as determined by collagen solubility [47] .…”

Comparison of Different Heat Modalities for Treating Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness in People with Diabetes

“…41 However, exercise is still the best means of increasing glycemic control due to reducing blood glucose, thus giving the individual with diabetes a better chance of coping with this disease and preventing its symptoms from getting worse. 42 In the present investigation, subjects participated in an intense exercise program involving a single bout of exercise to identify (1) the extent of muscle soreness and (2) if heat could reduce the soreness in people with diabetes compared with age-matched and younger subjects.…”