Grizzly bears spend many months in hibernation, but their muscles do not suffer from the lack of movement. In the journal “Scientific Reports”, a team led by Michael Gotthardt reports on how they manage to do this. The grizzly bears’ strategy could help prevent muscle atrophy in humans as well.
“Muscle atrophy is a real human problem that occurs in many circumstances. We are still not very good at preventing it,” says the lead author of the study, Dr. Douaa Mugahid, once a member of Gotthardt’s research group and now a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Professor Marc Kirschner of the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
This could be a game changer for those who are admitted to hospital regularly. When I contracted Pneumonia it was one of my fears that I would get de-conditioned and fought very hard for it not to happen.
I think my inactivity as I have tried to recover from a three week, so far, nasty virus, caused me to rick my back, moving awkwardly, no real weight involved, just out of condition and moving too slowly. The pain in my lower back is now the main problem, so tiring! And so many pain killers. Wish I’d read this first!
I am struggling to prevent muscle atrophy due to my inability to consume enough calories to both stay alive and exercise sufficiently to prevent atrophy,it's a tricky balance and my 500 mtrs on the treadmill today mean i am currently overdrawn. i need a bear blood transfusion as soon as possible,if olympic athletes can do it why can't i.
Skis is no one doing anything for you, weren't you supposed to have a follow up appointment? Maybe there is nothing that can be done. But it seems like you've just been abandoned to your existence on high calorie chicken flavour soup with no care for your quality of life. I can't believe any health care worker would think it's acceptable to let you continue in this way yet they seem to think it is? Who, I wonder, is deemed to be unwell enough to be worthy of their attention? It makes me feel so angry on your behalf and utterly powerless at the same time.
Maybe I'll ask my sheep if they know any bears, and if any of these would be willing to be your personal trainer.
You didn't offend me at all :)i do enough routine pottering around and housework plus my treadmill activity to maintain reasonable health and i can not afford to burn off more calories than i take in or i will actually start eating my own muscles not having any body fat to burn off. x
Good research for space travel as well! Discovery leads to more discovery
I have found that my arm and shoulder muscles just in this short space of time have gone to pot, how people manage when in hopsital for long stays beats me , wouldnt mind a bit if bear blood in me ha!x
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.