Canadian study shows how 80-plus elite masters are motoring

Geoff Power

Geoff Power, our aptly named Canadian scientist friend, shared his team’s latest research on the oldest masters tracksters. Geoff writes: “Participants consisted of 29 elderly males and females with no known neurological, musculoskeletal, metabolic or cardiovascular health conditions. The Masters Athletes consisted of track and field athletes ranked in the top 4 of their respective events at the world masters championships (including 7 current world record holders).Event specialties ranged from sprint and power events to middle and long distance running events (800m up to marathon).” Conclusions: “World champion masters athletes in their 9th decade of life had a greater number of surviving motor units, reduced collateral reinnervation, better preservation of neuromuscular transmission stability and hence better preservation of excitable muscle mass as compared with age-matched controls.”

Names aren’t given for privacy sake, but here’s data on the geezer guinea pigs.

The conclusion concluded:

The presumed better maintenance of MUs in MAs occurs at a time point when MUNE loss is greatest and the loss of muscle mass and strength becomes functionally relevant, potentially maintaining function and attenuating sarcopenia in this
exceptional cohort of older adults.

Future studies on the potential neuroprotective effects of exercise in older humans need to identify the concomitant role genetics and dose-dependence o exercise in maintaining neuromuscular structure and function.