The associations of erythrocyte membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids with skeletal muscle loss: A prospective cohort study

• Published in: Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Scotland), 2023-12, Vol.42 (12), p.2328-2337
• Main Authors: Su, Mengyang, Zhang, Xuanrui, Hu, Wei, Yang, Zhenxiao, Chen, Danyu, Yang, Yingdi, Xie, Keliang, Chen, Yuming, Zhang, Zheqing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Bayes Theorem; Erythrocyte membrane; Erythrocyte Membrane - chemistry; Fatty Acids - analysis; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Humans; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Prospective longitudinal study; Prospective Studies; Skeletal muscle mass
• ISSN: 0261-5614; 1532-1983
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2023.09.027

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may play a vital role in maintaining skeletal muscle mass in the aged population. This study investigated the longitudinal relationship between the concentrations of erythrocyte membrane PUFAs and age-related changes in skeletal muscle mass over an average 6.5 years of follow-up in a Chinese middle-aged and older adult population. A total of 1494 participants aged 57.4 ± 4.7 years were included in this study. Skeletal muscle mass was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Per year percent changes in the skeletal muscle index (Δ% SMI), appendicular skeletal muscle index (Δ% ASMI), and total body lean mass index (Δ% TBLMI) from baseline were calculated. Concentrations of total and individual cis-n-3 and cis-n-6 PUFAs of the erythrocyte membrane were determined using gas–liquid chromatography. Fully adjusted linear regression models showed that per unit increases in the concentrations of C18:2 n-6, C20:4 n-6, C22:4 n-6, and total n-6 PUFAs resulted in increases of 0.022%–0.155 % in the Δ% SMI (P for linearity: