Immune-Mediated Interactions Between Sarcopenia And Atherosclerosis In Aging
As we age, two common health challenges often emerge: the decline in muscle mass, known as sarcopenia, and the hardening of our arteries, or atherosclerosis. While they might seem like distinct problems, new research reveals a surprising connection between them—our immune system.
It turns out that a phenomenon called “inflammaging,” which is essentially chronic, low-grade inflammation that increases with age, plays a crucial role in linking these two conditions. This persistent inflammation involves a dysregulation of our immune responses, including imbalances in specialized immune cells called macrophages and issues with T and B cells.
These immune changes contribute to increased oxidative stress (damage from unstable molecules) and insulin resistance (when our bodies don’t respond well to insulin), creating a harmful cycle that worsens both muscle deterioration and the health of our blood vessels.
Understanding these intricate immune-mediated interactions is vital because it suggests that strategies targeting these shared inflammatory pathways could offer a dual benefit, helping to mitigate both muscle loss and arterial disease simultaneously as we get older. This could pave the way for more integrated approaches to managing age-related health issues.
Source: link to paper