The TLDR:

• Polyphenols found in tea, chocolate, soy, and cocoa have many health benefits
• Sarcopenia is muscle mass loss with aging: it is associated with falls, death, and is an important factor in physical therapy management
• A new Meta-analysis and Systematic Review highlights some possible benefits of supplementing with these polyphenols on sarcopenia...listen to the video for more!

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- Nutrition interventions for chronic diseases (e.g., obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases)

- Advanced nutritional strategies to support physical therapy for patients with metabolic disorders

- Case studies demonstrating successful integration of nutrition into physical therapy care plans

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Transcript:

Preventing Muscle Mass Loss

By Dr. Sean Wells, DPT, PT, OCS, ATC/L, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, CNPT, Cert-DN

As physical therapists (PTs) we do our best to optimize our older clients' strength, balance, and functioning. Obviously, our mainstay interventions focus on exercises, balance training, and adaptive equipment. In our courses, we highlight the importance of Vitamin D status and protein consumption for older adults, to improve balance, strength, and prevent sarcopenia. A recent study in Nature Aging highlights yet another potential dietary component that impacts muscle function: ceramides.

Ceramides, a sphingolipid, which is a type of fat, has been shown to reduce muscle mass and functional capacity in rodents. Moreover, it has been shown that offering ceramide-inhibiting medication effectively reverses sarcopenia, which is very promising for human studies. In the current study the authors examined older adults with a genetic variant to inhibit ceramides. The results showed these adults ...

By Dr. Sean Wells, DPT, PT, OCS, ATC/L, CSCS, CNPT, Cert-DN

I am humbled and honored to have my courses cited and acknowledged in the Japanese Medical Association Journal and the Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Nutrition. The authors cite my courses as a vital step forward for US PTs and the APTA in emphasizing nutrition for physical therapy practice. 

In this free, full-text position paper the authors emphasize the data on how nutrition and PT can impact conditions like sarcopenia, quality of life, and PT goals. With exercise being a core component of our interventions, nutrition must also play a role in the rehabilitation process. From improvements in quality of life (QOL), health, and physical functions, incorporating nutrition with PT practice is important and impactful. The authors also highlight the need of PTs to evaluate nutrition status and the importance of working with a team, including dieticians, physicians, and nurses. 

In the end the Japanese Medical Associatio...