Golden-Age Fatigue: Why Does it Happen?

Susan K. Smith of Louisville was caught off-guard by the relentless fatigue that hit her after her stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis in early 2020. Initially, Smith, now 77, considered it might be depression. It was a herculean task just to get dressed every morning. On some days, even getting out of bed seemed impossible. 

 

But as she started to organize her affairs, Smith realized something else was at play. No matter how much she slept, she woke up feeling drained. She was exhausted, even if she didn't do much during the day. 

 

 "When people told me, 'It's just old age.' it didn't help at all. It made me feel there was nothing I could do mentally or physically to manage this," she explained.

Fatigue is a frequent symptom of many diseases that afflict the elderly, such as heart disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, lung disease, kidney disease, and neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis. According to a 2021 review by researchers at the University of Massachusetts, it's one of the primary symptoms associated with chronic illness, affecting 40% to 74% of older people living with these conditions.

This goes beyond the tiredness after an extremely busy day or a sleepless night. It's a persistent feeling of exhaustion that envelopes the whole body, even without physical exertion. "I feel like a spent battery almost all the time," said a user named Amanda in a Facebook group for people with polycythemia vera, a rare blood cancer. "It's like being a thoroughly squeezed-out sponge." 

 

Dr. P., a research scientist at the Regenstrief Institute in Louisville and a professor at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, said that fatigue isn't about being tired for a day; it's about weeks or even months of tiredness. 

 

When he and his team surveyed nearly 3,500 older patients at a primary care clinic in Louisville about distressing symptoms, 55% mentioned fatigue — second only to musculoskeletal pain (65%) and more than back pain (45%) and shortness of breath (41%).

Meanwhile, a 2010 study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society estimated that 31% of people aged 51 and older had experienced fatigue in the past week. 

 

The consequences can be severe. Fatigue is the leading cause of limited activity in people aged 70 and above, according to a 2001 study by Yale researchers. Other studies have associated fatigue with impaired mobility, limitations in performing daily activities, the onset or exacerbation of disability, and premature death. 

 

Often, older adults with fatigue reduce their activity level and become deconditioned, leading to muscle loss and weakness, which intensifies fatigue. "It creates a vicious cycle that can lead to things like depression, which further increases fatigue," said Dr. Amy Harmon, a professor of medicine and chief medical officer at the University of Colorado Hospital. 

 

To break this cycle, Smith developed a strategy after learning her lung cancer had returned. Every morning, she set small goals. One day, she would get up and wash her face. The next, she would take a shower. Another day, she would go grocery shopping. She would rest after each activity.

In the three years since her cancer recurrence, Smith's fatigue has been relentless. But she said, "I'm doing better now" because she has learned to pace herself and find things that drive her, like teaching a virtual class to aspiring teachers and exercising under a personal trainer's supervision.

When should elderly individuals be concerned about fatigue? "If a person was doing fine but now feels constantly tired, it's crucial to get an evaluation," advised Dr. Jennifer Wilson, a physician at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego and the incoming board president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. 

 

"Fatigue is a warning signal that something is off in the body, but it's seldom one thing. Typically, several issues need addressing," noted Dr. Rohit Patel, section chief of the Center for Geriatric Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. 

 

 He listed several factors doctors should investigate: Are thyroid levels normal? Is sleep a problem? Are underlying medical conditions well managed? Is there an underlying infection? Is there chronic dehydration? Is there anemia or an electrolyte imbalance? Are testosterone levels low? Is protein intake sufficient? Have feelings of anxiety or depression increased? Could current medications be causing fatigue? 

 

"Even if the medications and dosages haven't changed, your body's ability to process those medications and remove them from your system might have," Patel said, pointing out that such metabolic changes are common as people age. 

 

Many potential fatigue contributors can be addressed. However, often, fatigue can't be attributed to an underlying medical condition. 

 

This was the case for Lydia Gonzalez, 64, a retired nurse living just outside of Portland, Oregon. On a December trip to Arizona, she suddenly found herself winded and extremely tired during a hike, despite being fit. After being diagnosed with an asthma flare-up at an urgent care facility and prescribed steroids, she didn't find any relief. 

 

 Soon, Gonzalez was spending most of her day in bed, overwhelmed by intense tiredness and weakness. Even minor activities exhausted her. But none of the medical tests she received in Arizona or back in Portland — including a chest X-ray and CT scan, blood work, and a cardiac stress test — revealed anything abnormal. 

 

 "It's hard for anyone to believe you're ill when there's no objective evidence of disease," she shared with me.

Gonzalez began frequenting long covid websites and chat rooms for chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers. She now believes she has post-viral syndrome from an infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report fatigue that hinders daily life as one of the most frequent symptoms of long covid. 

 

Several strategies exist for managing persistent fatigue. For cancer patients, Dr. Jason Fowler, an associate professor of palliative medicine at the University of Kansas Health System, said, "the best evidence supports physical activities like tai chi, yoga, walking, or low-impact exercises." The goal is to "gradually expand patients' stamina," he mentioned. 

 

For long Covid, though, overdoing it too soon can result in "post-exertional malaise." It's often advised to pace activities: do only what's most important when energy levels are at their peak, and rest afterward. "You learn how to set realistic goals," said Dr. Mark Ashton, senior education advisor at the Center to Advance Palliative Care. 

 

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help the elderly with fatigue learn to adjust expectations and tackle intrusive thoughts like, "I should be able to do more." At the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, plans for managing fatigue in older patients typically include strategies to address physical activity, sleep health, nutrition, emotional health, and support from family and friends. fatigue among seniors.

"Much of managing fatigue is about developing new habits," pointed out Dr. Sarah Green, a palliative care and integrative medicine physician at MD Anderson. "It's crucial to understand that this doesn't occur instantly: It takes time."

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement
https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for infor on cancer and health related topics
https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs. I'm going to add posts there, do give me your valuable feed back on my blogs. Thanks a lot, take care, be healthy and be happy.

Hypertension News - What Science Discovered in 2020

Despite the overwhelming coverage of the Novel Coronavirus pandemic and its many aspects by the majority of medical news outlets, we’re here to tell you that Covid-19 was not the only topic investigated by medical researchers this year. However, these new discoveries did often fly under the radar, which is a real shame. In this article, we’ve condensed 7 key medical studies investigating one of the most widespread health issues of contemporary life, the so-called “silent killer” - hypertension. Here is what researchers discovered about high blood pressure in 2020.

1. Hypertension in seniors

Is hypertension always bad in older adults? The majority of research says ‘yes’, as the condition is known to increase a person’s risk of stroke and heart attack, but one 10-year study published in the journal Age and Ageing this year looked at the connection between high blood pressure and mortality rates in 415,980 seniors and discovered that hypertension in older people may not be the clear-cut predictor of bad health we consider it to be now.

As the authors pointed out in the study, “Hypertension was not associated with increased mortality at ages above 85 or at ages 75–84 with moderate-severe frailty, perhaps due to complexities of coexisting morbidities”. Essentially, the researchers found that seniors with hypertension and moderate to severe frailty actually had a 16% reduced mortality risk

Needless to say, that doesn’t mean that you should stop taking your blood pressure medication if you’re 75 or older, but it sure does provide much-needed emotional relief to those who suffer from the condition and their relatives.

2. The surprising connection between thigh size and blood pressure

As you may or may not know, an apple-shaped body and a large waist circumference are associated with a higher risk of hypertension and other dangerous health conditions. Previous research suggests that waist measurements of 102 cm and more in men and 88 cm in women are likely to develop the condition.

When it comes to thigh measurements, though, the opposite seems to be true, at least that’s what a study published in the journal Endocrine Connections in April found. The research investigated the connection between thigh circumference and blood pressure in 9,520 people. According to the study, participants that were diagnosed as overweight or obese had a lower chance to develop high blood pressure when they had a larger thigh size.

We are yet to find out what accounts for these surprising findings, but the authors of the study suggest the following, “The most likely cause of this association is that there is more thigh muscle or fat deposited under the skin which secretes various beneficial substances that help keep blood pressure in a relatively stable range.”

3. Specific blood pressure medications prevent lung damage in people with severe Covid-19

We previously touched upon the cardiac complications of Covid-19, but the association between the virus and cardiovascular issues isn’t all bad news. In fact, several studies have suggested at this point that one specific group of blood pressure medication may actually protect Covid-19 patients from complications.

The medications in question are renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors, which are active in the same area of the cell membrane through which SARS-CoV-2 enters the cells. Initially, researchers feared that these medications may increase the risk of severe Covid-19, but upon further investigation, studies conclude that the opposite seems to be true.

In fact, according to a handful of studies, RAAS inhibitors could prevent lung injuries brought about by Covid-19. One large review study, for example, pointed out that “On the contrary, we found that there was a significantly lower risk of death and critical outcomes, so they might, in fact, have a protective role — particularly in patients with hypertension.”

In any case, if you’re taking RAAS inhibitors to treat hypertension, you needn’t worry about it increasing your risk of developing a severe form of Covid-19. Furthermore, at this point, there is no convincing evidence to suggest that having hypertension enhances the risk of catching or having severe Covid-19.

4. High blood pressure increase dementia risk in most adults

Unfortunately, researchers also learned this year that developing hypertension increases the probability of having dementia later in life, no matter your age. The research in question appeared in the journal Hypertension and it followed and measured the cognitive function and blood pressure of over 6,000 participants in Brazil over the course of 4 years.

Having hypertension seems to speed up the process of cognitive decline. According to the author of the study, Sandhi Maria Barreto, PhD, “We initially anticipated that the negative effects of hypertension on cognitive function would be more critical when hypertension started at a younger age. However, our results show similar accelerated cognitive performance decline whether hypertension started in middle age or at older ages.” 

 

The cognitive decline occurs because the brain depends on blood vessels to feed nerve cells and clear up any waste materials that could potentially affect brain functioning, including the plaques that occur in Alzheimer’s. Since high blood pressure increases the risk of stroke and impairs all of the above-listed processes in the brain, it leads to cognitive decline. 

 

But there is a silver lining - the researchers also found that early diagnosis and effective treatment helps reduce or prevent the acceleration of cognitive decline completely. So, make sure to treat hypertension to keep the brain healthy and happy.

5. Taking daily bath benefits cardiovascular health

We all know that a hot bath can do wonders for reducing stress, but the positive health effects of hot baths seem to extend to cardiovascular health as well. According to a large Japanese article published in the journal Heart, frequent baths improve blood circulation and reduce hypertension in the long run. 

 

This study involved over 30 thousand participants over the course of 20 years, and the researchers observed a 28% decreased risk of cardiovascular issues and a 26% lower risk of a heart event in daily bathers compared to those who took baths less frequently. The water temperature seems to matter, too, as the study states that bathing in hot water reduced the risk of cardiovascular issues to 35%, as opposed to only 26% in warm water. To read more about this fascinating study, read our article Taking a Daily Bath Can Benefit Cardiovascular Health. 

 

 

 

6. Dairy can protect the blood vessels from hypertension

We’re so used to limiting our intake of dairy since we’ve been told time and time again that it can clog up the arteries and lead to high blood pressure, but one nutrition study published in 2020 challenges this idea. The study was published in the journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, and it looked at data from nearly 150,000 participants. 

 

The study looked at the effect of dairy consumption on cardiovascular health specifically, and surprisingly, the article concludes that eating more whole fat dairy, so things like butter, cream, and whole fat milk are actually capable of lowering one’s risk of hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. 

 

So, for those of you who love dairy and can tolerate lactose, this study is great news. A similar study also found back in 2017 that chocolate can be beneficial for hypertension and may even prevent cardiovascular issues.

7. Traffic noise may raise one’s risk of high blood pressure

The last very surprising study we’ll feature in this article concerns traffic noise. Yes, unfortunately, the sounds of traffic do seem to be not just annoying, but also quite harmful for our physical wellbeing. That’s the conclusion of a Canadian research paper published in 2020 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The data was collected from more than 1 million adult Toronto residents over the course of 15 years. 

 

The research points out that there may be serious long-term repercussions to elevated traffic noise, namely an increased risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure, even after the authors controlled for air pollution and other confounding factors. According to the results, each 10-decibel rise in chronic traffic noise also raises the risk of diabetes by 8% and the risk of hypertension by 2%. 

 

As Hong Chen, the senior author of the study, pointed out this may have to do with stress and poor sleep induced by traffic sounds. The stress response could then lead to metabolic problems and insulin resistance over time, which can culminate in diabetes and hypertension after years of stressful traffic noises. Does that mean we should all get noise-canceling headphones and use earplugs for sleeping? The study doesn’t specify that, but we think it won’t hurt.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement
https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for infor on cancer and health related topics
https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs. I'm going to add posts there, do give me your valuable feed back on my blogs. Thanks a lot, take care, be healthy and be happy.

Seniors, Warning! Study Finds New Dementia Risk Factor

Age is one of the biggest risk factors for dementia. The older we get, the higher our of dementia. But what is it about advanced age that makes us more likely to develop this debilitating disease? 

 

Cardiovascular issues, chronic inflammation, and even hearing loss are all correlated with dementia and are more common in seniors. Japanese scientists have added a new and rather surprising risk factor - sarcopenic obesity - to that list.  

 

Dementia in Japan

The latest statistical estimates suggest that 15% of older adults in Japan (aged 65 and older) suffer from dementia, and the statistics are gradually increasing every year. To compare, the Population Reference Bureau suggests that around 10% of American seniors aged 70 and older suffer from this severe medical issue. For Japan, a country that historically had one of the lowest rates of dementia in the world, this was a wake-up call. 

 

For understandable reasons, Japanese scientists were concerned. Why are the cognitive abilities of more and more seniors withering away before their eyes? 

 

The Study 

To investigate this alarming tendency, researchers at the Juntendo University in Japan involved 1615 Japanese seniors in the 65-84 age range from the Bunkyo Health Study, an ongoing cohort study of over 10 years. Their theory was that the increase in dementia is linked to two other factors - sarcopenia and obesity - both of which have been shown to increase the risk of cognitive issues in past studies. 

 

As Dr. Yoshifumi Tamura, the lead researcher of the study, pointed out to Scitech Daily, “If the association between sarcopenic obesity and dementia is established, appropriate preventive measures can be taken to reduce the occurrence of this condition and the risk of dementia in elderly patients.” 

 

The study was published in the March 2022 issue of the Clinical Nutrition journal.  

 

What is sarcopenic obesity?

Like dementia, obesity has gradually become increasingly common in Japan. In the senior population, this condition often appears hand in hand with sarcopenia - an age-related loss of muscle mass and strength that typically begins after age 40. Together, these two factors create a condition called sarcopenic obesity, where weakness co-occurs with excessive weight. 

 

Sarcopenic obesity is assessed by taking two measures into consideration: handgrip strength to test sarcopenia and body mass index (BMI) to measure obesity. 

 

Having considered these measures, the participants were evaluated based on their sarcopenia and obesity status and divided into four groups: participants with obesity, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, and control subjects with neither obesity nor sarcopenia. The researchers then compared each group’s cognitive and mental functions to see if there’s a connection between sarcopenic obesity and dementia or moderate cognitive impairment (MCI).  

 

The Results

The four groups were divided as follows: 

4.7% of the participants had sarcopenic obesity 

14.6% had sarcopenia 

21.2% had obesity 

59.4% had neither obesity nor sarcopenia. 

 

Despite making up the smallest percentage of the study population, the sarcopenic obesity group had the greatest rate of dementia and MCI. Sarcopenia was the second most significant risk factor, followed by obesity. The study also pointed out sarcopenia is a significant risk factor for dementia in females but not males. As expected, the controls came last, meaning they had the lowest prevalence of MCI and dementia. 

 

The Takeaway 

To sum up, the results of the study are pretty clear-cut: sarcopenic obesity can increase one’s risk of developing dementia and moderate cognitive impairment. As Dr. Tamura stated, “This study clearly demonstrates that sarcopenic obesity, defined by the combination of BMI and hand grip strength is associated with MCI and dementia among Japan’s elderly people.” We’ll be eagerly waiting if studies with a more diverse population confirm these findings too. 

 

Meanwhile, for the average person, the results of this study can be translated into real-world, actionable advice. The research proves that maintaining a healthy weight and exercising to keep muscle strength in your senior years can do a lot more than make you look fit. It means having a clear and healthy mind within a capable and fit body.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement