Muscle wasting of old age could be halted

 The muscle wasting of old age could be stopped, scientists believe, after discovering why people become frail as they grow older.

Most people become weaker in their later years, as their leg muscles get smaller and less able to bear weight, which can lead to disability and falls.

By the age of 75, people have between 30 and 50 per cent fewer nerves controlling the muscles in their legs, the Manchester Metropolitan University study found. Without the connection the muscle areas wither away and die. Scientists carried out MRI scans on the muscle tissue of more than 200 men, and recorded the electrical activity. They found nerves in healthy muscles can send out branches to rescue muscles which have become detached, and believe regular exercise could help this process. Professor Jamie Mcphee, the senior author, said: “Our challenge now is to find ways to increase the success of nerve branching to rescue detached muscle fibres.” The study was published in the Journal of Physiology.