Regular movement appears to benefit our mind and body. Exercise is performed for many reasons, maintenance or weight loss, growth, muscle building, development, increasing athletic skills, enjoyment and cardiovascular health. Food knowledge is power and what you put on your plate can have a huge impact on your life, whether it's helping to boost energy, improve your mood or help reduce the risk for a variety of conditions including diabetes, cancer and heart disease, as previously mentioned. Here Ralph Flores, Science.news, reflects on research findings associated with diabetes and the decline of muscle mass:

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“Diabetes, a condition that one in four Americans have, is a leading cause of death and disability. While it’s linked to multiple health problems, chief of which are cardiovascular disease and multiple organ damage, Japanese researchers found that it can also cause a rapid decline in muscle mass. In a study published in JCI Insight, researchers from the Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine revealed that high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) can lead to muscle atrophy via the upregulation of a certain protein.

The role of diabetes in muscle loss

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The loss of muscle mass, also known as sarcopenia, is a condition that’s usually seen in people over the age of 50. Older adults with sarcopenia lose, on average, three percent of their muscle strength every year, impairing their physical mobility. The condition also makes them prone to many health problems, which can ultimately shorten their life expectancy. These consequences make sarcopenia a serious health burden in regions where there are many older adults.

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Currently, one in 11 people around the world is 65 years old or older, according to the latest World Population Prospects report. By 2050, these numbers are expected to balloon to one in six people. Regions such as Europe and North America are expected to have at least a quarter of their populations be older adults. Countries such as Germany, Italy, and Japan – where the study was conducted – are also estimated to see a decline in their populations within 10 years.

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In the study, researchers noted that while muscle loss is a complication that many older adults with diabetes face, the link between the two conditions is ambiguous. They proffered that insulin may have a role to play in sarcopenia: Given its role in cell growth and development, having insufficient amounts of insulin may lead to suppressed cell growth and contribute to a decline in muscle mass.”

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Read More … Article Source: https://www.science.news/2019-07-25-scientists-discover-that-high-blood-sugar-causes-muscle-atrophy.html

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