Cellular damage caused by oxidative stress is one of the main underlying causes of age-related cognitive and muscle strength decline. Antioxidants can reduce oxidative stress and prevent age-related health decline. A new study has found that mice given a mixed antioxidant supplement show significant improvements in spatial cognition, short-term memory, and a blunted age-related decline in muscle mass. The study suggests that blended antioxidant supplements show promise as a dietary intervention for health problems associated with aging.
Age-related decline in cognitive and muscular function remains a major challenge for the healthcare field. Healthcare costs associated with the treatment of age-related cognitive decline and muscle weakness are expected to increase substantially in the future. One of the main underlying mechanisms responsible for age-related health decline is oxidative stress, which refers to the progressive damage inflicted by oxygen free radicals on cells.
Certain compounds in foods, known as antioxidants, are capable of neutralizing oxygen free radicals. Eating foods rich in antioxidants is known to reduce cellular damage and slow down age-related health decline. In the absence of a diet rich in antioxidants, people often turn to antioxidant supplements that offer comparable or greater health protection. Now, a team of scientists, led by Professor Koji Fukui, affiliated with the Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT), and including Dr. Fukka You of Gifu University, found that giving a mixture of antioxidant supplements to mice of Older age significantly improves your spatial cognition, in short. -term memory and muscle durability. The article was published in the special issue ‘Antioxidants in health and disease’ of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences on February 28, 2024.
“In this study, significant improvements in spatial learning ability and short-term memory were observed in aged mice treated with supplements. Long-term intake of mixed antioxidant supplements may be effective, even considering the effects of aging and increased related to oxidation in the body,” explains Professor Fukui, principal investigator of the study. Memory loss is associated with several debilitating diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, which disproportionately affects older people. The discovery that combined antioxidant supplements improve memory in mice suggests that they may also be beneficial in preventing memory loss in humans.
Sarcopenia, another age-related disease, causes a progressive loss of muscle strength in older people. This condition significantly affects people’s mobility, often leading to social isolation. Additionally, sarcopenia may increase the risk of developing cognitive disorders. If blended antioxidant supplements can improve muscle strength in mice, they may also have the potential to mitigate muscle fragility and sarcopenia in humans.
“Frailty and sarcopenia are now serious problems and powerful risk factors for dementia. Although the mechanism is unknown, it is innovative that taking supplements can prevent muscle weakness,” says Professor Fukui.
There are numerous types of antioxidant supplements available on the market and determining which are the right supplements to purchase can often be a challenge for consumers. The results of this groundbreaking study by Professor Fukui and his colleagues support the use of combination antioxidant supplements to prevent age-related health decline. However, more research is needed to establish the efficacy and safety of mixed antioxidant supplements in humans. Furthermore, specific antioxidant mixtures can have various effects on the human body and, ideally, their use should be based on clinical evidence. The antioxidant blend used in the study was Twendee X, which has a similar composition to the commercial supplement Oxycut®.
“Although there are many types of antioxidant supplements available, the effect is greater if several types are taken simultaneously rather than just one. However, it is difficult to know which type and how much to take, since it is possible to take too many of some vitamins,” he notes. Professor Fukui. “We recommend taking only multivitamins that are guaranteed safe,” he warns.
In addition to choosing the right antioxidant supplement, adopting the right regimen can also confuse consumers. Future research on individual differences in the effects of antioxidants may reduce confusion about the optimal dosage and composition of antioxidant supplements. In the long term, optimal use of antioxidant supplements can significantly reduce age-related health decline. “In the future, there will come a time when we will provide multiple supplements tailored to each individual. There will be no need to worry about an overdose,” concludes Professor Fukui.