Research findings by Professor Takeshi Hashimoto and others have been published online in Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle

A research paper co-authored by Professor Takeshi Hashimoto (RARA Associate Fellow), Institute for Science of Life, Suntory Wellness Ltd., Professor Yosuke Yamada of Tohoku University, Professor Naokazu Miyamoto of Waseda University, Dr. Takuma Arimitsu of Hachinohe Gakuin University, and Dr. Masahiro Fukuda of Fukuda Clinic has been published online ahead of its forthcoming publication in Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle.

This study evaluated skeletal muscle mass in 84 men and women in their 30s to 70s and analyzed its relationship with age. A key feature of this study was the use of three different methods available at the College/Graduate School of Sport and Health Science: 3-Tesla MRI, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and segmental bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (S-BIS) – each based on a distinct underlying principle.

When comparing different skeletal muscle mass evaluation methods, it has been found out that while skeletal muscle mass (SMM) measured by MRI and DXA begins to decrease in the 50s, muscle cell mass (MCM), measured by S-BIS, which is directly related to skeletal muscle contraction, begins to decrease in the early 40s. This finding indicates that S-BIS is a highly sensitive method for detecting age-related skeletal muscle mass reduction at an earlier stage compared to MRI and DXA, which have hitherto been considered the gold standard for muscle mass evaluation.

This study suggests the importance of addressing skeletal muscle health in terms of MCM at an earlier stage than previously assumed and is considered a foundational achievement that will contribute to further research in the future.

Paper title: Early Detection of Age-Related Decline of Muscle Cell Mass by Intracellular Water Assessment Compared With MRI or DXA
Authors: Akifumi Maeda, Yosuke Yamada, Maito Yamagishi, Yoko Okada, Tsukasa Yoshida, Yuta Otsuka, Takayuki Izumo, Tomohiro Rogi, Hiroshi Shibata, Masahiro Fukuda, Takuma Arimitsu, Naokazu Miyamoto, Takeshi Hashimoto
Publication journal: Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
Publication date (online): June 4, 2025 (local time)
URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.13851