Recently, little was known about the energy needs of people with myotonic dystrophy, but the researchers in Maastricht have changed that. They investigated whether there are differences between the energy requirements and metabolism of patients with myotonic dystrophy and healthy test subjects. In addition, they compared the muscle structure and body composition of patients with myotonic dystrophy with healthy subjects.
A total of 15 people with myotonic dystrophy and 15 healthy subjects participated in the study. The data collected shows that there is a clear difference in body composition between the two groups, with patients with myotonic dystrophy having a higher percentage of body fat. The researchers found no difference between the two groups in the amount of energy used at rest. When measuring the amount of energy used in the home situation (the daily routine), the researchers found a clear difference. The people with myotonic dystrophy used 23% less energy and it turned out that they also undertook a lot less physical activity.
