4. . Aging Strong: The Benefits of Endocannabinoid System Inhibition

With age, physical activity often decreases, and if nutritional intake remains high, this can lead to obesity, and more specifically, "sarcopenic obesity," a combination of low muscle mass and obesity.

In this context, researchers from our unit focused on the endocannabinoid system, which is essential for regulating energy in the body and is often overactivated in cases of obesity. It also plays a major role in muscle development and function. Inhibiting this system in obese aged mice reduced obesity by increasing the expression of genes involved in the breakdown of fats by the liver and by causing a browning of adipose tissue, making it more capable of burning fat to produce heat. Although muscle mass was not affected by this treatment, the mice's motor coordination and muscle strength improved.

Inhibiting the endocannabinoid system can therefore reduce obesity and improve coordination and muscle strength in aged mice, without changing their muscle mass. Targeting this system during aging could be a strategy to maintain muscle function in older adults.

Contact : Olivier Le Bacquer