Grip strength is closely linked to mortality in people of all incomes and may be a better predictor of life expectancy than blood pressure.
Want to know if you’re aging well? Check the strength of the hand grip (gripping, grasping or holding).
A recent study of 1,275 men and women found that people with relatively low hand strength – a reliable indicator of overall muscle quality and strength – showed signs of aging accelerated by yours DNA. Their genes seemed to age faster than those of the strongest people.
The study, while preliminary, raises the possibility that going to the gym or doing push-ups in the living room could help turn back the clock and make our cells look younger, whatever our age.
A lot of research already tells us what to have Force it’s good. People who lift weights are substantially less likely to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, and many other chronic diseases than those who skip resistance exercise.
Strength can also be a harbinger of how long we will live. In a 2015 study of nearly 140,000 adults in high-, middle-, and low-income countries, impaired grip strength was shown to be closely related to mortality in people of all incomes, predicting risks of premature death better than blood pressure. which is often considered one of the best indicators of life expectancy.
“Grip strength is a simple but powerful predictor of future disability, morbidity, and mortality,” concluded the authors of an accompanying editorial, the effects of which hold true “not only in older people, but also in middle-aged and older people.” in young people”. .
But how can a strong grip today affect our well-being tomorrow?
“Grip strength is often cited as a biomarker of aging,” said Mark Peterson, an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor who led the new study. “But the biological context of why it’s so predictive of good and bad outcomes during aging isn’t very clear.”
Perhaps, Peterson and his colleagues speculated, the key is the epigenetics.
Epigenetics involves changes in the numbers and actions of certain tiny molecules that attach themselves like clams to the outer surface of a gene and influence how and when that gene is turned on. Epigenetic changes occur in response to our diets, exercise habits and many other aspects of life, affecting our DNA and our health.
Epigenetics can also signal how quickly we age, as recent science shows.
About a decade ago, researchers began analyzing huge datasets of epigenomes — which are the epigenetic changes unique to each of us — and using that data to develop so-called “epigenetic clocks,” which estimate our biological age. .
Chronological age, of course, tells you how old you are, according to your birth certificate. Biological age indicates the functional age and health of our cells and body. The two numbers may differ substantially.
Epigenetic clocks use algorithms to estimate biological age based on the various patterns of molecules in genes. If the clock suggests that your biological age is older than your chronological age, you’re aging faster than normal, and frankly, you’re approaching frailty and death at a faster rate than someone whose biological age is younger.
Aware of the latest research on epigenetic clocks, Peterson and his colleagues wondered whether strength could be linked to epigenetic age, for better or worse.
They began by collecting data from 1,275 participants in an ongoing aging study who had already donated blood and used a device called a handheld dynamometer to measure grip strength.
The researchers then determined the approximate epigenetic age of each from their blood cells, using three different clocks. (Different labs have developed their own epigenetic clocks, which vary slightly.) They also looked at death records up to ten years after people entered the study, and finally compared that data to people’s grip strength.
They found that, in general, the weaker the grip strength, the higher the epigenetic age. These people’s DNA looked less youthful than that of their stronger contemporaries, potentially making them more vulnerable to disease or death.
“Overall, this study further supports the association of epigenetic age with frailty,” said Guillaume Paré, professor and director of the Laboratory of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Paré studies epigenetics, but was not involved in the new research.
The study also raises new questions. “A key issue that still needs to be addressed is the causality of these associations,” Paré said.
While it shows that people with weaker muscles are also people with high epigenetic age, the study fails to show that weakness directly caused accelerated aging. Other factors may be at play, such as income, diet, medical history, or other aspects of lifestyle.
But even with its limitations, the study’s findings are provocative, Peterson said, suggesting that our muscle vigor — or its opposite — may influence our epigenomes and, in the process, how and how much we age.
how to test
If you’re wondering what your current strength is, many gyms have hand-held dynamometers you can use to test it.
If your results are poor, you don’t need to focus only on your hands. You can increase the strength of your hand by becoming stronger overall.
In fact, we don’t need to measure our exact grip strength to realize that we might benefit from more strength training. “The exercise pyramids, which show how much exercise you need, put strength training at the top,” Peterson said, “as if it’s the part you need least. But I think strength should be at the bottom, in the bottom.” medium. base. . It is essential for health.”
Then, use the gym membership you bought this month. Grab a dumbbell to leave on your desk. Try a bodyweight workout or do burpees (movements that start with a push-up and end with a jump). In addition to the strength of your biceps, you may end up changing the age of your epigenome. / TRANSLATION BY RENATO PRELORENTZOU
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
