Athletes with Exercise-Associated Fatigue Have Abnormally Short Muscle DNA Telomeres

Abstract

These findings suggest that skeletal muscle from symptomatic athletes with FAMS show extensive regeneration which most probably results from more frequent bouts of satellite cell proliferation in response to recurrent training- and racing-induced muscle injury.

The influence of physical exercise and sports on telomere length - A model for telomere length and telomerase activity regulation based on a comparative assessment of literature

“…Athletes suffering FAMS have history of high-volume training for many years and are chronically fatigued. Histological evidence indicates extensive muscle regeneration (Collins et al, 2003;490 Vihko et al, 1978490 Vihko et al, , 1979, which results in an elevated demand for satellite cell proliferation (Collins et al, 2003). Consequently, if muscles are damaged over an extended period of time, telomeres can be expected to be shorter in skeletal muscle of FAMS athletes.…”

“…Consequently, if muscles are damaged over an extended period of time, telomeres can be expected to be shorter in skeletal muscle of FAMS athletes. To prove this hypothesis, (Collins et al, 2003) compared TRF min and TRF mean values in vastus lateralis muscle from 13 athletes aged 42.0±10.2 years suffering from FAMS with 13 healthy controls matched for age and, according to the authors, also for training volume. Type I fiber ("slow 495 twitch") proportions were similar in the FAMS and control group.…”

“…The first makes reference to own calculations illustrated 505 in Table 3 and is based on the findings by (Rae et al, 2010) of a change in TRF min in vastus lateralis of about -0.14 bp per hour of training or -1.6•10 3 bases bp per Δlog(total km). The weekly training loads of FAMS and control groups (in h and km, respectively) of the study by (Collins et al, 2003) were extrapolated for 11.8 years (average duration of the career in which FAMS athletes developed their medical condition). The extrapolated values were multiplied either by -0.14 bp per hour of training or by -1.6•10 3 bp per Δlog(total km) to obtain the 510 so-expected difference in TRF min for the different training loads of FAMS and control.…”

“…Hence, there must be other risk factors for developing FAMS than a high running/training volume. (Collins et al, 2003)). **Before first symptoms for FAMS were noticed.…”

Enhancing spontaneous stem cell healing (Review)

“…When satellite cells were heavily recruited for regenerative events, as in the skeletal muscle of athletes, telomere length was found to be either significantly shortened or maintained, and was even found to be longer compared to that in non-trained individuals. Evidence suggested that physical activity may preserve or lengthen telomeres, although exhaustive exercise, such as that performed by athletes, may shorten the telomeres in skeletal muscle (23). Moreover, exercise induces autophagy (24) also demonstrated that SRM may exert multiple effects on the body, including pain reduction, tissue regeneration, immune system modulation and possible telomere lengthening.…”