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A groundbreaking study found that trigonelline, found in coffee and fenugreek, boosts muscle health in aging by improving NAD+ levels and mitochondrial function, offering new strategies for healthy aging and disease prevention.
A research consortium led by Nestlé Research in Switzerland and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) made a recent discovery that the natural molecule trigonelline present in coffee, fenugreek, and also in the human body, can help to improve muscle health and function.
In an international collaboration among the University of Southampton, University of Melbourne, University of Tehran, University of South Alabama, University of Toyama, and University of Copenhagen, the work builds on a previous collaborative study that described novel mechanisms of human sarcopenia.
Sarcopenia is a condition where cellular changes that happen during aging gradually weaken the muscles in the body and lead to accelerated loss of muscle mass, strength and reduced physical independence.
One important problem during sarcopenia is that the cellular cofactor NAD+ declines during aging, while mitochondria, the energy powerhouses in our cells, produce less energy. The study team discovered that levels of trigonelline were lower in older people with sarcopenia. Providing this molecule in pre-clinical models resulted in increased levels of NAD+, increased mitochondrial activity, and contributed to the maintenance of muscle function during aging.
Nutritional Approaches to Combat Aging
NAD+ levels can be enhanced with different dietary precursors like the essential amino Related
