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Aging of human muscle: structure, function and adaptability

Porter, M M ; Vandervoort, A A and Lexell, Jan LU (1995) In Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports 5(3). p.129-142
Abstract
With increasing age, human skeletal muscles gradually decrease in volume, mainly due to a reduced number of motor units and muscle fibers, and a reduced size of type 2 fibers. As a result, progressive weakening and impaired mobility occur. High-resistance strength training is beneficial, even in the very old, and could possibly reverse some of the detrimental effects of age-related weakness. The importance of exercise for older people affords an excellent opportunity for the medicine community as a major source of information and promotion of physical activity for this rapidly growing segment of the population. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the effects of aging on the human neuromuscular system, describe some of the... (More)
With increasing age, human skeletal muscles gradually decrease in volume, mainly due to a reduced number of motor units and muscle fibers, and a reduced size of type 2 fibers. As a result, progressive weakening and impaired mobility occur. High-resistance strength training is beneficial, even in the very old, and could possibly reverse some of the detrimental effects of age-related weakness. The importance of exercise for older people affords an excellent opportunity for the medicine community as a major source of information and promotion of physical activity for this rapidly growing segment of the population. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the effects of aging on the human neuromuscular system, describe some of the major underlying mechanisms of the aging atrophy and focus on the importance of strength training to improve muscle function in older people. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
aging, muscle, muscular atrophy, physical fitness, physiological adaptation
in
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
volume
5
issue
3
pages
129 - 142
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:7552755
  • scopus:0029314961
ISSN
1600-0838
DOI
10.1111/j.1600-0838.1995.tb00026.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b72052ad-d8f2-45a4-ac9f-684e64159583 (old id 1109533)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:11:03
date last changed
2021-09-19 03:40:07
@article{b72052ad-d8f2-45a4-ac9f-684e64159583,
  abstract     = {{With increasing age, human skeletal muscles gradually decrease in volume, mainly due to a reduced number of motor units and muscle fibers, and a reduced size of type 2 fibers. As a result, progressive weakening and impaired mobility occur. High-resistance strength training is beneficial, even in the very old, and could possibly reverse some of the detrimental effects of age-related weakness. The importance of exercise for older people affords an excellent opportunity for the medicine community as a major source of information and promotion of physical activity for this rapidly growing segment of the population. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the effects of aging on the human neuromuscular system, describe some of the major underlying mechanisms of the aging atrophy and focus on the importance of strength training to improve muscle function in older people.}},
  author       = {{Porter, M M and Vandervoort, A A and Lexell, Jan}},
  issn         = {{1600-0838}},
  keywords     = {{aging; muscle; muscular atrophy; physical fitness; physiological adaptation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{129--142}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports}},
  title        = {{Aging of human muscle: structure, function and adaptability}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.1995.tb00026.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1600-0838.1995.tb00026.x}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{1995}},
}