Abstract
Background
Sarcopenia is an age-associated decline in muscle mass that negatively affects the metabolic rate, strength, and function of the body and ultimately leads to a decrease in quality of life. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a modulator of muscle mass and muscle function. There is evidence that IGF-1 is related to the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) and grip strength. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between serum IGF-1 levels and sarcopenia in older people.
Methods
In this cross-sectional survey of 984 people older than 60 years old, we used the 2019 criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) to define sarcopenia. We collected demographic variables, measured ASMI and grip strength, and detected serum IGF-1 data. The levels of serum IGF-1 were separated into quintiles (Q1–Q5).
Results
Adjusted for age, education level, smoking, number of diseases and BMI, the multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that serum IGF-1 levels were related to ASMI in elderly men (coefficient = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.02–0.05, P < 0.001) but were not related to their grip strength. There was no significant relationship between serum IGF-1 levels and ASMI or grip strength in elderly women. The multivariable log-binomial regression analysis showed that higher serum IGF-1 levels were associated with a lower prevalence of sarcopenia in elderly men (prevalence ratio (PR) = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.98–1.00, P < 0.05) but not in elderly women.
Conclusion
Serum IGF-1 levels were highly correlated with sarcopenia in older men. Further studies are needed to further explore the possible reasons for the observed difference between genders. Serum IGF-1 might predict sarcopenia prevalence in elderly men.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
The Seventh National Census Bulletin (No. 1)-Basic Information on the Work of the Seventh National Census. National Bureau of Statistics, Office of the Leading Group for the Seventh National Census of the State Council. http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/202106/t20210628_1818820.html. Accessed on 11 May 2021
Fang EF, Scheibye-Knudsen M, Jahn HJ et al (2015) A research agenda for aging in China in the 21st century. Ageing Res Rev 24:197–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2015.08.003
Mitchell WK, Williams J, Atherton P et al (2012) Sarcopenia, dynapenia, and the impact of advancing age on human skeletal muscle size and strength; a quantitative review. Front Physiol 3:260. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00260
Barbieri M, Ferrucci L, Ragno E et al (2003) Chronic inflammation and the effect of IGF-I on muscle strength and power in older persons. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 284:E481–E487. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00319.2002
Jiang Q, Lou K, Hou L et al (2020) The effect of resistance training on serum insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med 50:102360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102360
Caputo M, Pigni S, Agosti E et al (2021) Regulation of GH and GH signaling by nutrients. Cells 10:1376. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10061376
Volpato S, Bianchi L, Cherubini A et al (2014) Prevalence and clinical correlates of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older people: application of the EWGSOP definition and diagnostic algorithm. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 69:438–446. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glt149
Yang C-W, Li T-C, Li C-I et al (2015) Insulinlike growth factor-1 and Its binding protein-3 polymorphisms predict circulating IGF-1 level and appendicular skeletal muscle mass in Chinese elderly. J Am Med Dir Assoc 16:365–370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2014.11.015
Hassan-Smith ZK, Morgan SA, Sherlock M et al (2015) Gender-specific differences in skeletal muscle 11β-HSD1 expression across healthy aging. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 100:2673–2681. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2015-1516
Fulle S, Belia S, Di Tano G (2005) Sarcopenia is more than a muscular deficit. Arch Ital Biol 143:229–234. https://doi.org/10.4449/aib.v143i3.328
Chen L-K, Woo J, Assantachai P et al (2020) Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 consensus update on sarcopenia diagnosis and treatment. J Am Med Dir Assoc 21:300-307.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2019.12.012
Musarò A, Scicchitano BM (2019) Counteracting sarcopenia: the role of IGF-1 isoforms. Aging (Albany NY) 11:3410–3411. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.102027
Ishii S, Tanaka T, Shibasaki K et al (2014) Development of a simple screening test for sarcopenia in older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 14:93–101. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.12197
Bian A, Ma Y, Zhou X et al (2020) Association between sarcopenia and levels of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 in the elderly. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 21:214. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-020-03236-y
Gielen E, O’Neill TW, Pye SR et al (2015) Endocrine determinants of incident sarcopenia in middle-aged and elderly European men. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 6:242–252. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12030
Moriwaki K, Matsumoto H, Tanishima S et al (2019) Association of serum bone- and muscle-derived factors with age, sex, body composition, and physical function in community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly adults: a cross-sectional study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 20:276. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-019-2650-9
Chen L-Y, Yi-Hui Wu, Liu L-K et al (2018) Association among serum insulin-like growth factor-1, frailty, muscle mass, bone mineral density, and physical performance among community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults in Taiwan. Rejuvenation Res 21:270–277. https://doi.org/10.1089/rej.2016.1882
van Nieuwpoort IC, Vlot MC, Schaap LA et al (2018) The relationship between serum IGF-1, handgrip strength, physical performance and falls in elderly men and women. Eur J Endocrinol 179:73–84. https://doi.org/10.1530/EJE-18-0076
Higashi Y, Sukhanov S, Shai SY et al (2016) Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor deficiency in macrophages accelerates atherosclerosis and induces an unstable plaque phenotype in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Circulation 133:2263–2278. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.021805
Hägg S, Jylhävä J (2021) Sex differences in biological aging with a focus on human studies. Elife 13:e63425. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.63425
Shang Y, Kuang M, Wang Z et al (2020) An ultrashort peptide-based supramolecular hydrogel mimicking IGF-1 to alleviate glucocorticoid-induced sarcopenia. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 12:34678–34688. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c09973
Nakashima K, Ishida A, Shimamoto S et al (2017) Effects of insulin-like growth factor-I on the expression of atrogin-1/MAFbx in chick myotube cultures. J Poult Sci 54:247–252
Schakman SK, Bertrand L, Lause P et al (2008) Role of Akt/GSK-3beta/beta-catenin transduction pathway in the muscle anti-atrophy action of insulin-like growth factor-I in glucocorticoid-treated rats. Endocrinology 149:3900–3908
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFC2000301), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81701366), the "Pioneer" and "Leading Goose" R&D Program of Zhejiang (2022C03161), the Medical Health Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province (2020KY549).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
None.
Ethical approval
Ethics for this research was obtained from Ethics Review Committee of the First. Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine.
Informed consent
All participants signed written informed consent forms.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jiang, Jj., Chen, Sm., Chen, J. et al. Serum IGF-1 levels are associated with sarcopenia in elderly men but not in elderly women. Aging Clin Exp Res 34, 2465–2471 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-022-02180-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-022-02180-2