Abstract
Sarcopenia, the age-dependent loss of muscle mass and function/strength, is increasingly recognized as a major risk factor for adverse outcomes in frail older people. As such, the skeletal muscle is a relevant target for interventions aimed at preventing or postponing the occurrence of negative health-related events in late life. The association among physical inactivity, insufficient intake of energy and protein, and poor muscle health in older adults suggests that physical exercise and targeted nutritional supplementation may offer substantial therapeutic gain against sarcopenia and its negative correlates. This view is supported by observational studies as well as by small-scale clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the available evidence on the beneficial effects of behavioral interventions on sarcopenia. We also briefly describe how the knowledge gathered so far has been used to design the “Sarcopenia and Physical fRailty IN older people: multicomponenT Treatment strategies” (SPRINTT) project. The randomized clinical trial conducted within SPRINTT will provide robust evidence on the effectiveness of exercise and nutrition at preventing negative outcomes associated with sarcopenia and physical frailty.
Highlights
The aging process is accompanied by multisystem derangements that deplete the homeostatic capacity of the organism as a whole
Muscle mass is controlled by complex interactions of multiple factors; the dynamic balance between protein synthesis and breakdown is a major determinant of it [10]
The consumption of large amounts of soy proteins, as a strategy to overcome their lower anabolic potency, has been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis in older men to a smaller degree than isolated whey proteins, both at rest and following exercise [23]. Such a difference has been attributed to the fact that soy proteins are directed more toward oxidation rather than being used for de novo muscle protein synthesis
Summary
The aging process is accompanied by multisystem derangements that deplete the homeostatic capacity of the organism as a whole. The progressive loss of muscle mass and strength/function is one of the most noticeable correlates of aging, evident across multiple species [1]. Sarcopenia has not yet been incorporated in everyday clinical practice nor is its underlying pathophysiology fully understood, which impacts the discovery of meaningful biological targets for interventions. In such a scenario, physical exercise and adequate protein and energy intake are to date the only strategies of proven efficacy (and safety) to improve muscle health across ages [8]. The synergy between exercise and diet may tackle sarcopenia in multiple aspects, possibly maximizing the effects brought about by each of the two components [9]
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