Evaluating age-related changes of vascular function and oxidative energy metabolism in the lower leg during a plantar flexion exercise

The age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and quality is a multifactorial process whose mechanisms are incompletely understood. NMR allows investigating numerous physiological and biochemical variables in vivo dynamically. Here, 51 physically active subjects performed a normalized plantar flexion exercise to evaluate vascular response (blood flow, T2*, water compartmentalization), tissue oxygenation and oxidative energy metabolism (pH, mitochondrial oxidative capacity, work to [ADP] ratio). Results showed that the vascular and metabolic function was preserved in old subjects relative to young and middle-aged participants. We conclude that vascular and oxidative metabolism impairments are not a necessary condition of old age.