How do Muscles Feel Pain

Your body needs to sense how long your muscles are to understand their position to help them function more efficiently. They have tiny sensory organs called muscle spindles. These are the sensory nerves that tell how long are short the muscle is worth it is quickly stretched.

Muscles have pain receptors in the membranes that surround them as well as where blood vessels course in the muscle. Research published in 2010 sheds new light onto how pain is felt in relation to these muscle spindles. When the muscle is injured such as an overload or a sprain strain these pain receptors are activated. Damage to these filaments can contribute to chronic muscle pain.

Journal: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0011131

Lipid turnover rates and aging insight may help with regenerative medicine

A better understanding of lipids cellular metabolism may have clinical applications with regenerative medicine in the future. A recent article published in the journal Nature Medicine investigates an interesting question. Why do many older people struggle to keep from gaining excess weight? This longitudinal study took place over a 13-year period and they studied the fat cells of 54 men and 41 women who had gastric bypass type surgery. They found that over time the rate of lipid turnover in these individuals slowed up. This decreasing rate of processing fat appeared to be an independent variable on a cellular level. It also suggested that one way to increase lipid metabolism is regular exercise.

exercise healthy mind

Exercise and well being

The physical health benefits of exercise are widely understood and agreed upon. The benefits of exercise for a healthy mind is also commonly understood. A new research study from the journal Global Advances in Health and Medicine from this year have demonstrated this healthy benefit for the mind through scientific research. Practitioners at inpatient psychiatric facilities acquired baseline reporting for their patients feelings. They measured levels of anger,  anxiety, depression, self-esteem and overall moods. They had roughly 100 patients exercise routinely in a gym for 30 minutes a day and then re-evaluated there in patients experiences. They found a significant reduction in negative feelings and an increase in their feelings of well-being. Overall patients were very pleased with structural exercises and the doctors saw a decrease in the amount of time they needed to be in the hospital and hopefully a reduction in the medications that were needed. Checking with the physician before beginning an exercise program is an important part. Exercise is good for the body and the mind. Self esteem and feeling good about yourself are both very important.

self esteem well being

Rotator Cuff Tears and Stem Cells

Regenerative medicine with stem cells for rotator cuff injuries is being researched. Rotator cuff injuries are a common problem with the shoulder. The rotator cuff is a set of muscles and tendons which provide stability for the shoulder and allows extensive movement. The rotator cuff is prone to injury either through something abruptly happening or wear and tear or a combination of both. Often these injuries are difficult to heal and sometimes require surgery. In regenerative medicine, the body’s own healing potentials are attempted to be harnessed. Stem cells can grow into different types of cells. Researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed the stem cells that surround the rotator cuff and found that there were markers present that were more likely to produce new fat growth instead of new muscle growth when compared to other stem cells around other muscles in the body. This sheds light on to the possibility of taking stem cells from a different part of the body and placing them near the rotator cuff to help develop stronger muscle and tendon.

https://insights.ovid.com/crossref?an=00004623-201902060-00004

Identifying higher risk prostate cancer patients

A study that was published in the January issue of Mayo Clinic proceedings indicated genetic alterations maybe used as a marker in determining higher risk prostate cancer patients. When a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer and it is felt to be lower risk, treatment decisions have to be made between them and their doctor. The publication indicated that genetic markers may be analyzed in these patients to help determine if they should be more aggressive with their treatment or not. This is good news for men’s health and working with their physician.

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(18)30546-9/fulltext

Elevated levels of a newly discovered molecule responsible for aging bones

As we age, our bodies increasingly produce a molecule that suppresses certain functions. As levels of this regulatory molecule rise, key signalling molecules that mediate bone growth decline. Older bodies suppress stem cell production on a molecular level, scientists report.

Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University have uncovered exciting evidence of systemic alterations that occur with age. Their work has revealed how bones weaken and deteriorate in the aging body. One molecule in particular – microRNA-141-3P – appears to accumulate in bone tissue over time. Scientists have found that elevated levels of microRNA-141-3P are associated with osteoporosis and assorted bone pathology. The problematic molecule inhibits the absorption of vitamin C by various bone cells. It prevents the skeleton from effectively utilizing vitamin C – slowly starving bones of a much needed nutrient. This systemic shift in nutrition limits the resources available for normal bone growth. Over time, aging bones weaken and osteoporosis can develop.

Researchers suspected that suppressing microRNA-141-3P could keep bones processing vitamin C and regenerating themselves for far longer than they would under normal aging conditions. Rodent test subjects were treated with a clinical grade inhibitor of microRNA-141-3P; the result was younger, stronger bones. Scientists theorize that a similar inhibiting medication could be used in human subjects to reverse and prevent bone deterioration. The research is compelling and paints an optimistic picture of beneficial anti-aging therapy.

Development and distribution of this drug are likely far in the future. Nevertheless, the research indicates that scientists may be able to keep bones younger, for longer. By regulating a single key component of a complex cellular network, bone aging may be prevented.

  1. Sudharsan Periyasamy-Thandavan, John Burke, Bharati Mendhe, Galina Kondrikova, Ravindra Kolhe, Monte Hunter, Carlos M Isales, Mark W Hamrick, William D Hill, Sadanand Fulzele. MicroRNA-141-3p negatively modulates SDF-1 expression in age dependent pathophysiology of human and murine bone marrow stromal cellsThe Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 2018; DOI: 10.1093/gerona/gly186

Gene mutation associated with hair loss and wrinkles

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have been experimenting with mouse mitochondrial DNA. When they introduce a mutation into this gene sequence, mice develop hair loss and wrinkles. When this gene mutation is reversed and turned back on to normal, the mice returned to smooth skin and normal fur again. They also noticed that the mice seemed to have less energy and move more slowly. What is interesting is that these external signs of aging were able to be reversed.

Bhupendra Singh, Trenton R. Schoeb, Prachi Bajpai, Andrzej Slominski, Keshav K. Singh. Reversing wrinkled skin and hair loss in mice by restoring mitochondrial functionCell Death & Disease, 2018; 9 (7) DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0765-9

Eat Raw for a Mental Boost

A healthy diet can sometimes be simple to prepare. Researchers at the University of Otago have published a paper indicating that eating raw fruits and vegetables may have a more positive effect on your mental health than cooking them first. They speculate cooking some of these foods may diminish the nutrient content making them unavailable to your body. Some of the foods they suggest are carrots, bananas, apples, dark leafy greens such as spinach, grapefruit, lettuce, citrus fruits, fresh berries, cucumber, and kiwifruit.

 

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00487/full

Light Therapy for Skin

DaVinci Med Spa offers light therapy as a modality or as an add on to procedures. According to WebMD in an article titled Testing Potential Uses for Light Therapy, “For instance, when longer wavelength or visibly “red” light hits the skin, it nudges mitochondria (the cell’s powerhouses) to make energy more efficiently and boost production of healing anti-inflammatories or disease-fighting antioxidants.” 

Obesity Management

Dr Cummings recently attended an education meeting on the “Complexity of Obesity and Steps for Effective Management” Bernie Ranchero, MD from Sarah Bush Lincoln Medical Center gave a comprehensive review of the physiologic pathways responsible for obesity with an emphasis on Glucagon Like Peptide- 1 (GLP-1). This is a gut hormone that is released by the body in response to a meal. It inhibits the liver’s release of glucagon, enhances the body’s release of insulin and suppresses the appetite. GLP-1 helps stabilize sugar levels in the blood and can help with weight loss in certain patients.