WATCH - Beyond protein: How antioxidants can improve muscle health and prevent age-related diseases

This is according to Dr Robert Corish, the global medical advisor at Biointelligence Group, who spoke about the topic “Leaping over the mobility hurdle: New insights and therapeutic strategies”​ at Vitafoods Asia held in Singapore.

Speaking to NutraIngredients-Asia​, Dr Corish explained how preserving muscle health could maintain the health of other body organs and in turn prevent other age-related diseases.

“While muscles contract, they actually release chemical signals into the circulation and those signals are called myokines.​

“Those myokines travel to the brain, to the heart, to the muscles and other parts of the body and they actually give instructions and information to these other organ systems, telling them how to function and what to do.​

“And now, we are making a connection on sarcopenia, this loss of muscles as we age, with a reduction in these chemical signals…aAnd we are beginning to link chronic age related diseases with sarcopenia,”​ he said.

A common way to support muscle health is increasing protein intake and exercising.

New studies have shown that antioxidants, such as astaxanthin can also play a role in building muscle health. 

“The nutraceutical industry is now just learning ways outside of protein on how to protect the muscle cells,” ​he said.

Watch the video to find out more.