Written by Robbie Durand
08 April 2008
It is well established that older men have elevated levels of inflammatory proteins.  The elevated levels of inflammatory proteins have been hypothesized to be one of the mechanims of age related muscle mass loss.  The men in the study were between 60-75 years of age.  Older men are in a state of chronic inflammation, which results in a catabolic state.  CHRONIC INFLAMMATION is not conducive to muscle hypertrophy and has been shown to cause muscle protein breakdown, reduced levels of anabolic hormones such as testosterone and IGF-1.  Acute Inflammation in response to resistance exercise is essential for muscle hypertrophy.  The acute inflammation response is shortly blunted by the activation of macrophages and activation of satellite cells.  The inflammation response in bodybuilding is temporary.  Bodybuilders can not be compared to older men with chronic inflammation.  The older men in the study likely had improvements with muscle mass because they had reductions in chronic inflammatory proteins.  Several studies have showed beneficial effects with drugs that block inflammation in elderly men with CHRONIC INFLAMMATION.  For bodybuilders, taking NSAIDS is going to be detrimental for muscle growth because it blocks the ACUTE INFLAMMATORY response which is essential for satellite cell activation.