2018 Volume 18 Issue 7 Pages 325-331
The extension of healthy life expectancy is a major issue in the super-aging society of Japan. We conducted a cross-sectional study on physical fitness to clarify the characteristics of motor function decline with aging and showed that coordination ability such as agility deteriorates remarkably with aging, in healthy Japanese with exercise habits. We demonstrated that dietary sphingomyelin, which is a polar lipid in milk, activates the motor unit centered on the neuromuscular junction and improves physical fitness. Clinical trials have revealed that dietary sphingomyelin with regular exercise improves agility and reduces the risks of falling and frailty. These findings suggest that the approach to motor units centered on the neuromuscular junction may be useful for enhancing physical fitness through nutrition and moderate exercise intervention.
