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Nutritional strategies for improving sarcopenia outcomes in older adults: A narrative review

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posted on 2024-10-18, 17:11 authored by Beatriz R. Goes-Santos, Brian CarsonBrian Carson, Guilherme Wesley Peixoto da Fonseca, Stephan von Haehling

Sarcopenia is characterized by a decline in muscle strength, generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass, and impaired physical performance, which are common outcomes used to screen, diagnose, and determine severity of sarcopenia in older adults. These outcomes are associated with poor quality of life, increased risk of falls, hospitalization, and mortality in this population. The development of sarcopenia is underpinned by aging, but other factors can lead to sarcopenia, such as chronic diseases, physical inactivity, inadequate dietary energy intake, and reduced protein intake (nutrition-related sarcopenia), leading to an imbalance between muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown. Protein digestion and absorption are also modified with age, as well as the reduced capacity of metabolizing protein, hindering older adults from achieving ideal protein consumption (i.e., 1–1.5 g/kg/day). Nutritional supplement strategies, like animal (i.e., whey protein) and plant-based protein, leucine, and creatine have been shown to play a significant role in improving outcomes related to sarcopenia. However, the impact of other supplements (e.g., branched-chain amino acids, isolated amino acids, and omega-3) on sarcopenia and related outcomes remain unclear. This narrative review will discuss the evidence of the impact of these nutritional strategies on sarcopenia outcomes in older adults

History

Publication

Pharmacology Research & Perspectives ;12, e70019

Publisher

British Pharmacological Society and American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Other Funding information

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Grant/Award Number: 88887.829284/2023-00 BRG-S is supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoalde Nível Superior (CAPES, #88887.829284/2023-00).

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  • Health Research Institute (HRI)

Department or School

  • Physical Education and Sports Science

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