This study investigated the effects of Resveratrol supplementation on age-related motor dysfunction, muscle mass loss, and heart cell enlargement.

“Aging is associated with dysfunction of skeletal muscle and the cardiovascular system.”

Key Points:

The study showed that treatment with Resveratrol had several benefits in aged mice:

• Prevented age-related motor dysfunction
• Preserved muscle mass
• Suppressed age-related enlargement of heart muscle cells

Animal Study Evaluates the Effects of Resveratrol on Aged-Related Changes in Muscle

Mice were randomly divided into two groups.

At 28 weeks old, one group began consuming Resveratrol (0.4 g/kg diet) and the other continued to consume a standard diet for 32 weeks.

For comparison assessments, 20 week old mice were used.

Aged-Related Motor Dysfunction was Prevented

Motor activity and endurance was measured by measuring how long the mice could stay on a spinning rod as its speed increased.

Control mice showed shorter running times at 11 and 12 months compared to baseline, while mice treated with Resveratrol maintained their running time at 12 months.

The lines in the figure represent the amount of time (sec) mice were able to run before falling.

The mice supplemented with Resveratrol (green line) maintained a running time that was not significantly different from their baseline, whereas control mice (black line) had significantly shorter running times at months 11 and 12.

Muscle Mass was Preserved in Aged Mice

Muscle fiber size of the aged mice was compared to young mice.

Aged (60 week old) control mice had smaller muscle fibers (represented by the white bar) compared to young (20 week old) mice, showing muscle loss, while aged mice given Resveratrol (represented by the green bar) maintained muscle mass similar to young mice.

Age-Related Enlargement of Heart Muscle Cells was Suppressed

Heart muscle cells in older (60 week old) control mice were much larger than those in young (20 week old) mice, but Resveratrol supplementation prevented this age-related enlargement, maintaining heart cell size similar to young mice.

“In the heart, resveratrol attenuated an aging-associated increase in the cardiomyocyte diameter.”

Conclusion

Resveratrol supplementation effectively protected mice against age-related muscle mass loss, heart cell enlargement, and motor dysfunction.