Aging-related
sarcopenia means that muscle mass, strength, and physical performance tend to decline with age, and
malnutrition is associated with
sarcopenia. Therefore, nutritional interventions may make an important contribution to prevent the development of
sarcopenia. Here I reviewed published articles about the effects of nutritional factors on
sarcopenia in elderly people. A growing body of evidence suggests that metabolic factors associated with
obesity and diabetes induce the progression of
sarcopenia. However, the effectiveness and safety of
caloric restriction for
sarcopenia remained unclear.
Protein intake and physical activity are the main anabolic stimuli for
muscle protein synthesis. As optimal
dietary protein intake, 1.0 - 1.2 g/kg (
body weight)/day with an optimal repartition over each daily meal or 25 - 30 g of high quality
protein per meal were recommended to prevent
sarcopenia, which was supported by some observational studies.
Protein supplementation using cheese and
milk protein,
essential amino acids,
leucine,
beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate and
vitamin D has been investigated as a potential supplement to improve muscle quality in sarcopenic elderly people.