Premium
The Effects of a Synbiotic Diet on Skeletal Muscle Atrophy Induced by Hindlimb Unloading in Rats
Author(s) -
Retana Jessica Lynn,
Blanton Cynthia,
Gabaldon Annette
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.1051.35
Subject(s) - hindlimb , skeletal muscle , spaceflight , muscle atrophy , atrophy , prebiotic , endocrinology , medicine , gastrocnemius muscle , synbiotics , biology , food science , anatomy , probiotic , bacteria , genetics , aerospace engineering , engineering
Skeletal muscle atrophies to a debilitating state within a matter of days during space missions, and astronauts are forced into several weeks of painful rehabilitation. Spaceflight studies show that atrophying muscles (soleus) decrease in lean tissue content and increase in lipid content. This phenomenon also occurs in the hindlimb unloading rodent model. Numerous countermeasures have been developed but have varying degrees of effectiveness. A synbiotic diet has a potential positive effect on bone, and we are predicting that skeletal muscle may also benefit. Synbiotic diets are composed of both prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics are non‐digestible sugars that serve as a food source to the probiotic(s), while probiotics are microorganisms that benefit the host. We hypothesize that a synbiotic diet will reduce the degree of skeletal muscle atrophy in hindlimb unloaded rats. Forty male Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly assigned into a loaded control diet group, an unloaded control diet group, a loaded synbiotic diet group, and an unloaded synbiotic diet group. Unloading and the synbiotic diet were administered to their respective groups for 21 days. After unloading animals were sacrificed. Soleus, gastrocnemius and extensor digitorum longus muscles were harvested from right and left hindlimbs. A part of the study was to determine muscle composition (% water, % lipid, % lean tissue, and % ash) using gravimetric methods. Results from this study showed that the synbiotic diet reduced changes in muscle composition in gastrocnemius but not in soleus. Extensor digitorum longus composition did not change. Results from this study could be used to alleviate other types of skeletal muscle atrophy that is attributed to bedrest and/or inactivity.