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Australian researchers have discovered a link between poor grip strength and hypoxemia – low oxygen levels in the blood.
Experts evaluated middle-aged and older men for grip strength and blood oxygen saturation, measuring fat and body mass, and adjusting lifestyle information, such as diet, smoking, and physical activity.
They found a link between lower levels of blood oxygen saturation and weaker grip strength, regardless of whether their muscle mass was high or low.
Experts suggest that a reduced hand grip could be a telltale sign of hypoxemia, which interferes with heart and brain function by failing to deliver enough oxygen to organs.
Although the study showed a link between these two factors, “causation cannot be proven,” which means it is not certain that a lack of oxygen in the blood causes poor intake.
Study author Dr. David Stevens, of Flinders University in Adelaide, said, “While examining grip strength, my study does not show that people are at risk of suffering from poor health later in life and die early (although there have been many studies showing it.) ”
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Instead, my study showed that, regardless of male muscle mass, worsening hypoxemia was associated with decreased grip strength.
Decreased grip strength is already linked to increased severity of a number of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease and COPD.
In this new study, the researchers originally aimed to determine the association between grip strength, muscle mass and fat mass and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a potentially serious sleep disorder that could in turn cause hypoxia.
Researchers evaluated 613 men, aged 40 to 88, for androgens, inflammation, lifestyle, environment and stress (MAILES), a long-term sample followed since 2009 to analyze the risk of heart disease and metabolism in the men.
They used a Smedley analog dynamometer – a small handheld device with a dial – to measure the participants’ grip strength.
Experts also used a special type of X-ray called double-beam absorptiometry to determine the muscle mass and fat mass of the entire body.
The researchers found that lower grip strength was associated with a decrease in isotopic oxygen.
Professor Robert Adams of Flinders University says that regardless of the amount of muscle mass, a simple grip test can highlight the underlying problems associated with aging and worsening hypoxemia.
“Without good oxygen levels in the blood, we can’t use the muscles we have to their fullest,” he said.
Dr. Stevens acknowledged that the fact that all participants were male was an “inherent limitation” in the study and meant that the results may not be generalizable to women.
The study is published in the journal Nature and Science of Sleep.
Source: Daily Mail
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