Purpose

Abstract by: Tracy Ray

Zinna, E. M., & Yarasheski, K. E. (2003). Exercise treatment to counteract protein wasting of chronic diseases. Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 6(1), 87-93.

Purpose

Progressive resistance exercise training (PRT) is known to increase lean body mass and muscle protein mass, and improve physical function. This type of training may be an effective treatment for certain chronic diseases in which protein deficits contribute to the pathogenesis of the condition. The objective of this study is to summarize the results of several recent studies that have explored the benefits of physical activity to the treatment of wasting associated with the following conditions; sarcopenia, cancer, chronic renal insufficiency, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and HIV.

Method

The inclusion criteria for this review were that the studies had to be original investigations that included structured PRT. Case-reports and non-peer-reviewed articles were not included.

Results

Sarcopenia is defined as "a loss of muscle protein mass, function, and quality that accompanies advancing age." (Zinna, 2003). Muscle weakness associated with this disease is believed to contribute to physical frailty, functional impairments, and loss of independence. The study used showed that after 3 months of PRT there was an increase in mixed muscle and the myosin heavy chain synthesis rate.

Cancer cachexia in patients with progressive tumor growth is associated with muscle wasting and may deplete up to 80% of muscle mass. The first study reviewed was on electrically stimulated muscles in mice implanted with a tumor. Found here was that PRT increased muscle protein synthesis. In a second study, breast cancer patients showed maintenance of physical function and reduced fatigue with prescribed PRT.

Chronic renal insufficiency is often associated with protein-restricted diets to delay the end stages of the disease. Subjects given PRT increased maximum voluntary upper- and lower-body muscle strength. Osteoarthritis is one of the leading conditions associated with muscle weakness and wasting. Participants in the study that had the lowest activities of daily living disability risk were the ones with the highest exercise compliance.

Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with inflammation of the membrane lining causing pain that limits joint movement and physical activity. Exercise therapy produced muscle maximum voluntary isometric strength improvement and participants' ability to activate that motor nerves maximally improved. HIV/AIDS is often accompanied by the loss of lean body mass and muscle protein. PRT was found to improve physical function, increase body cell mass and muscle mass, and reduce body fat.

If patients with chronic wasting conditions are willing and capable of resistance and aerobic exercise training, they can increase their muscle protein mass and strength. These benefits were even found in low- to moderate-intensity exercises.

Discussion

The summary of reviews offers a recent look at what studies are reporting on the benefits of exercise. It is important to reinvestigate findings periodically to ensure the most accurate information and determine what is no longer true. Not only is it important that these reviews are finding rewards in almost all treatments of exercise on muscle-wasting conditions, but also that there are changes in the quality of life in people with these chronic conditions. This review puts into perspective that not only is exercise for healthy people to maintain their vigor but that it is something for everyone that will benefit well-being and possibly delay morbidity.

This fact sheet was last updated on 12-21-2005.

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