Background: Sarcopenia is a consequence of aging. This atrophic event is responsible for decrease in strength and associated functional deficits seen in the aging adult.
Purpose: This paper reviews: (1) the mechanisms contributing to sarcopenia, (2) the impact of age-related changes in muscle composition on 3 processes integral to muscle function, (3) the efficacy of pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter nutritional supplements in the management of sarcopenia, (4) experimental use of pharmaceutical regulation of myostatin to increase muscle mass and strength in animal models, and (5) efficacy of resistance training as a means of maintaining or recovering muscle mass and strength.
Methods: PubMed was searched for relevant research articles using the following descriptors: sarcopenia, aging, muscle mass, muscle performance, muscle strength, myostatin, testosterone, growth hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone, hormone replacement, nutrition, resistance training, and endurance training.
Results: Sarcopenia is mediated by multiple mechanisms, including alpha-motor neuron death, altered hormone concentrations, increased inflammation, and altered nutritional status. Age-related changes within muscle likely affect processes integral to muscle function. These changes negatively influence muscle performance directly or by contributing to sarcopenia. Pharmaceutical or supplement interventions to treat sarcopenia have not proved encouraging to date, either lacking or providing limited efficacy, along with the potential for negative health consequences. In contrast, resistance training has proven safe and highly effective for increasing muscle mass and strength in aging adults.
Conclusion: Sarcopenia is a multifactorial consequence of aging that will affect many adults. Resistance training is the most effective and safe intervention to attenuate or recover some of the loss of muscle mass and strength that accompanies aging.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Associations of fat, bone, and muscle indices with disease severity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.
Sleep Breath
January 2025
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No.1 Da Hua Road, Dong Dan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, PR China.
Purpose: To investigate the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) severity and fat, bone, and muscle indices.
Methods: This study included 102 patients with OSAHS and retrospectively reviewed their physical examination data. All patients underwent polysomnography, body composition analysis, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography (CT) and blood test.
Muscle Loss During First-Line Chemotherapy Impairs Survival in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Despite Adapted Physical Activity.
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle
January 2025
Department of Medical Oncology, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France.
Background: Advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (aPDAC) is often accompanied by significant muscle mass loss, contributing to poor prognosis. SarcAPACaP, an ancillary study of the GERCOR-APACaP phase III trial, evaluated the role of adapted physical activity (APA) in aPDAC Western patients receiving first-line chemotherapy. The study aimed to assess (1) the potential impact of computed tomography (CT)-quantified muscle mass before and during treatments on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and overall survival (OS) and (2) the role of APA in mitigating muscle mass loss.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSex-specific impacts of caffeine on body composition: commentary on a retrospective cohort study.
J Int Soc Sports Nutr
December 2025
University of Bologna-Alma Mater Studiorum, Department of Quality of Life Sciences, Bologna, Italy.
Background: Understanding the impact of caffeine intake on body composition is a topic of growing research interest. The article "Association Between Caffeine Intake and Fat-Free Mass Index: A Retrospective Cohort Study" by Tian et al. explored this relationship, highlighting a positive correlation between caffeine consumption and fat-free mass index (FFMI).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMuscle parameters in men and oxidative stress markers.
J Physiol Anthropol
January 2025
University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.
Background: The oxidative handicap hypothesis posits that testosterone-dependent traits, such as muscle mass and strength, may be costly to develop due to testosterone's pro-oxidative properties, leading to increased oxidative stress. This hypothesis suggests that only individuals with superior biological conditions can afford these costs. This study examines the oxidative handicap hypothesis, exploring the relationship between muscle mass or handgrip strength and oxidative stress markers in men.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF5-HT agonism as a neurotherapeutic for sarcopenia: preclinical proof of concept.
Geroscience
January 2025
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
Sarcopenia, the pathological age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, contributes to physical decline, frailty, and diminished healthspan. The impact of sarcopenia is expected to rise as the aging population grows, and treatments remain limited. Therefore, novel approaches for enhancing physical function and strength in older adults are desperately needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!