Muscle

Synbiotics and vitamin D support muscle function

Synbiotics reduced fibromyalgia symptoms

The latest theory on fibromyalgia (FM) is overstimulated nerves trigger brain and spinal cord changes that increase pain-signaling chemicals and widespread muscle and joint pain. In this study, 15 women with FM, about half of whom also had chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) took a pre-and probiotic combination containing 200 mg of fructooligosaccharides plus 1-billion colony-forming units of lactobacilli- and bifidobacteria-based probiotics per day.

After one month, women with FM but not CFS saw decreased levels of inflammatory factors, and beneficial changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis that boosted cortisol levels, helping regulate inflammation levels. All the women also reported less stress, anxiety, fatigue, and symptoms of depression.

Reference: Nutrients; 2023, Vol. 15, No. 7, 1591

Vitamin D preserves muscle strength

Muscle power typically declines with age, partly due to muscle atrophy and exacerbated by low vitamin D levels. This study on aging included 3,205 participants, aged at least 50, who entered the trial with normal muscle mass and function.

Over four years of follow-up, doctors measured hand-grip strength several times; a good proxy for overall muscle strength. Those deficient in vitamin D, with levels below 30 nanomoles per liter of blood (nmol/L) or 75 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), were 70 percent more likely to develop muscle weakness compared to those whose vitamin D levels were above 50 nmol/L or 125 ng/mL. 

Doctors said maintaining good vitamin D levels helps preserve physical function and the capacity to live independently longer.

Reference: Calcified Tissue International; 2022, 571-9